ABC has picked up seven additional episodes of its new cop dramedy series The Rookie, bringing its freshman-season order to 20 episodes. It is considered a full-season order by ABC as The Rookie launched almost a month after the beginning of the broadcast season.
Toplined by Castle star Nathan Fillion, ABC’s The Rookie has not been a breakout but it has improved ABC’s severely ratings-challenged Tuesday’s 10 PM slot, especially in total viewers where it is up 84% (8.3 million vs. 4.5 million) versus last fall in most current numbers. In adults 18-49, the improvement is 36% (1.5 rating vs. 1.1). In Live+7 Day ratings for the premiere, The Rookie drew an average audience of 9.7 million viewers and a 1.8 in adults 18-49 to rank as ABC’s top series debut in the Tuesday’s 10 PM hour in more than 7 1/2 years.
The Rookie joins the other ABC new hourlong series, A Million Little Things, as well as new comedy series Single Parents, in landing a full-season/back episodic order. There is no decision on new ABC comedy The Kids Are Alright and sophomore Splitting Up Together, which both have 13-episode initial orders.
The Rookie stars Fillion as John Nolan, Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez, Richard T. Jones as Sgt. Wade Grey, Titus Makin as Jackson West, Mercedes Mason as Capt. Zoe Andersen, Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen, Afton Williamson as Talia Bishop, and Eric Winter as Tim Bradford.
The Rookie is a co-production between Entertainment One and ABC Studios. Alexi Hawley is writer and executive producer; Mark Gordon, Fillion, Michelle Chapman, Jon Steinberg and Bill Norcross are executive producers.
Fillion has a great track record with the network. He previously starred in the comedy-drama series Castle for a total of eight seasons, from 2009 to 2016, alongside Stana Katic. He portrayed Richard Castle, a bestselling mystery novelist that joined forces with a New York homicide detective to solve crimes. That show went on for a total of 173 episodes and was a steady hit with viewers, averaging between 9 and 12 million viewers over the seasons.