One of ABC’s most successful procedural shows,The Rookie, now has another spin-off in the works at the network, but the track record for the franchise casts doubt on its success. The initialRookiespin-off,The Rookie: Feds,aired in 2022, but only lasted one season before it was canceled.The RookieandThe Rookie: Fedsboth follow characters looking for their second act and joining law enforcement in middle age. WhileThe Rookieis entering season 7,The Rookie: Fedsstruggled to capitalize on its parent show.
All is not lost forThe Rookieuniverse, but it’s key that this new show learns from previous mistakes. ThenewThe Rookiespinoff is set in Washington, where it will follow another older rookie cop, reminiscent of other procedural universes where each show takes place in a different city. While that’s typical,it’s important for the new spin-off to acknowledge the mistakesThe Rookie: Fedsmadein order to avoid the same one-season fate and have a success story closer toThe Rookieseason 7.
The New Show Needs To Be Able To Stand Alone, Not Relying Only On The RookieFans
The Second Spin-Off Shouldn’t Use Another Backdoor Pilot
In order for this newThe Rookiespin-off to really hold its own,it needs to reach and stand out to a wider audience.The Rookie: Fedsdidn’t get a normal one-episode pilot; instead, it got a backdoor pilot inThe Rookie. The problem with a backdoor pilot is that the only viewers who were exposed to it were fans ofThe Rookie. While appealing to a built-in demographic can help a spin-off get off the ground, it is not enough to keep a show running. The pilot episode is crucial to getting an audience on board, and limiting it to only those watchingThe Rookieis exactly that: limiting.
The Spin-Off Should Keep The Core Elements Of The Rookie That Work
The Character Dynamics Are Key
One staple aspect ofThe Rookiethat works really well is thatit follows an ensemble of characters in law enforcement in L.A.A wider cast allows for characters of different backgrounds and contrasting work ethics to come together. Having this variety of characters is important for the spin-off because some of the original show’s humor comes from, for example, watching noble John Nolan interact with slacker Smitty. An ensemble cast also gives the audience more chances to relate to and cheer on the characters, which keeps them watching each week.
An ensemble cast also gives the audience more chances to relate to and cheer on the characters, which keeps them watching each week.
Having these kinds of characters only worksif there is a location where they would realistically interact with one another.The Rookie: Fedstaking place in the FBI makes it harder to get the characters into silly shenanigans since they are held to a higher standard. Having the spin-off take place in another city’s precinct will allow more off-beat characters to naturally exist together. This second chance for aRookiespin-off could allow it to capture the magicThe Rookiehad while avoiding the mistakes ofThe Rookie: Feds.
The Rookie
The Rookie follows John Nolan, a small-town man who embarks on a new career as an LAPD officer after a life-changing event. As the force’s oldest rookie, Nolan faces skepticism from superiors who view his pursuit as a midlife crisis.
