# The Rookie (2018)

> A middle-aged former small-town man starts over as the oldest rookie in the Los Angeles Police Department.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/68542

## Facts

- Seasons: 9
- Episodes: 145
- Episode runtime: 43 min
- Status: Returning Series
- Genres: crime, drama, comedy
- Created by: Alexi Hawley
- Network: ABC
- Cast: Nathan Fillion, Melissa O'Neil, Eric Winter, Titus Makin Jr., Alyssa Diaz, Mekia Cox, Afton Williamson, Richard T. Jones
- TMDB rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7587890/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: upbeat, warm, breezy, earnest, comforting

## What critics say

Viewers broadly rate The Rookie as a warm, entertaining, character-driven police procedural with a likable cast and optimistic tone, though its idealized take on policing draws some skepticism.

## Synopsis

The Rookie (2018-present) is an American network police procedural and dramedy created by Alexi Hawley for ABC. Nathan Fillion plays John Nolan, a small-town man who, after a life-altering incident, pursues his dream of joining the Los Angeles Police Department as the oldest rookie in the academy and on the street. Skeptical superiors see him as a walking midlife crisis, and he must prove himself alongside fellow officers Lucy Chen (Melissa O'Neil), Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) and Angela Lopez (Alyssa Diaz). Each episode follows a weekly case, from street crime and police chases to investigations, while the larger arcs track the team's personal lives and friendships. The series runs across eight seasons, a long-running serialized procedural with a case-of-the-week spine. Its tone is warm, breezy and optimistic, blending comedic banter with earnest drama and a sun-drenched Los Angeles backdrop. Set in present-day Los Angeles, it has the buoyant feel of a crowd-pleasing network show. Fans of Castle, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Closer will find similar pleasures in charismatic casts, procedural puzzles and heartfelt character work.

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