Season | Episodes | Premiere Date | Finale Date |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 20 | October 16, 2018 | April 16, 2019 |
2 | 20 | September 29, 2019 | May 10, 2020 |
3 | 14 | January 3, 2021 | May 16, 2021 |
4 | 22 | September 26, 2021 | May 15, 2022 |
5 | 22 | September 25, 2022 | May 2, 2023 |
6 | 10 | February 20, 2024 | May 21, 2024 |
The Rookie has had its fair share of highs and lows throughout its six seasons, with the worst and best seasons being almost indisputable and the others containing a mixture of good and bad moments, making them fall in the middle of the ranking. The ABC police procedural TV series, created by Alexi Hawley, premiered in the fall of 2018. Ever since its debut, it has been one of the network's stronger shows. With Nathan Fillion, who has been in several successful TV shows, leading the cast of The Rookie, it's understandable why it has done so well.
Despite its relatively high ratings, The Rookie's quality has gone up and down over the course of the past six years. With the introduction of new characters, villains, and over-arching storylines, some have been better received than others. Whatever the case, The Rookie has been successful enough to reach 100 episodes, a milestone many shows never accomplish. Season 7 is on its way, and hopefully, it will gravitate more toward the best seasons of The Rookie rather than the ones that are better off forgotten.
Season 6
February 2024–May 2024
Many TV series drop in quality with every passing season, and that was certainly the case with The Rookie season 6 and its story. Of course, it's important to keep in mind that this set of 10 episodes was altered and delayed due to the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strikes in 2023. So, The Rookie season 6 could have been completely different if it weren't for the strikes. Nevertheless, this was the reality of the situation, and it's evident that the ABC show suffered from the delays.
Instead of utilizing an episodic format, The Rookie season 6 told a serialized story that epically failed. The previous finale set up what should have been an intriguing villain arc, but that was practically brushed to the side by the premiere's end. Instead of introducing a new antagonist, The Rookie brought Monica back and wasted her potential as an iconic villain. Monica's storyline, which began in the premiere and wasn't resolved by the finale, was very convoluted. Most of her scheming was a mystery throughout the first nine episodes, and then all of her plans were jam-packed into the finale.
None of the other plots were memorable, aside from Tim and Lucy's breakup in The Rookie season 6, episode 6. Chenford's split was the best thing the writers did all season because it added needed tension to their relationship. However, Blair working with Monica was clocked by viewers in the premiere, making the latter reveal fall flat. John and Bailey's pregnancy journey was poignant but obviously included because of Jenna Dewan's real-life pregnancy, and the other characters were barely featured. Overall, The Rookie season 6 is undoubtedly the worst as it's the most forgettable (despite being the most recent season).
5Season 3
January 2021–May 2021
The Rookie Cast | Character |
|---|---|
Nathan Fillion | John Nolan |
Richard T. Jones | Wade Grey |
Alyssa Diaz | Angela Lopez |
Eric Winter | Tim Bradford |
Melissa O'Neil | Lucy Chen |
Titus Makin Jr | Jackson West |
Mercedes Mason | Zoe Andersen |
Afton Williamson | Talia Bishop |
Mekia Cox | Nyla Harper |
Shawn Ashmore | Wesley Evers |
Jenna Dewan | Bailey Nune |
Tru Valentino | Aaron Thorsen |
Lisseth Chavez | Celina Juarez |
The Rookie season 3 is notorious for being one of the ABC police procedural's most poorly received group of episodes and similar to season 6, it suffered from production delays and shutdowns. Season 3 was the first one following the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was evident that the shutdown severely hurt the show. It felt as if the writers' room was replaced with new writers (because it partly was), as the dialogue and tone felt different in The Rookie season 3.
The negative feedback on The Rookie season 3 was also likely because of review bombing in response to the series introducing storylines about police brutality. However, the pandemic, political climate, and production delays influenced season 3's episodes, making them feel discombobulated. The writers had to switch up their plans, and it was obvious that they were rushing to release an informative and entertaining season. Unfortunately for The Rookie, having both was impossible in season 3.
4Season 4
September 2021–May 2022
The Rookie season 4 started on a bad foot with Jackson's shocking death, which was handled a bit strangely, but the writers seemingly did what they could with what they had. Jackson was murdered, and the audience learned of this heartbreaking revelation via surveillance footage. Consequently, many expected the death to be a fake-out, and that Jackson would show up alive by the premiere's episode. However, his death was permanent, and Jackson was scarcely mentioned afterward (aside from Angela and Wesley naming their son after him).
Jackson's death reminded the fans that lives are expendable on The Rookie, though. It raised the stakes for the rest of the season, which included a handful of great episodes, including "Poetic Justice" and "Hit List." The addition of Aaron Thorsen was also a welcome development. His backstory was different and compelling, and Aaron's presence added intriguing dynamics to the show. The Rookieseason 4 also gets a leg up over the others because it features Tim and Lucy's first kiss. However, a disappointing and uneventful season finale and repetitive storylines push season 4 further down the list.
3Season 5
September 2022–May 2023
The Rookie season 5 was undoubtedly a step up from season 4. It featured exciting cases, did a much better job of developing all the characters (instead of just focusing on a select few), and ended with a surprising cliffhanger (which essentially amounted to nothing, but that's beside the point). Plus, Tim and Lucy finally admitted their feelings for one another and started dating in The Rookie season 5. For that reason alone, it's a top-tier season.
The Rookie season 5 also introduced Nolan's first rookie, Celina Juarez, and the reaction to the new character was mixed. Many were apprehensive about the character's addition to the series and still feel that way today. Some think Celina has grown into her role as time goes on, while others feel like Celina and her relationships are forced. Whatever the case, it was, at the very least, interesting to see Nolan become a training officer, making his story come full circle. Ultimately, the individual episodes (the premiere, episode 4, and The Rookie season 5 finale) and Chenford are the highlights of this season.
2Season 1
October 2018–April 2019
It's difficult to argue that The Rookie season 1 isn't among the ABC police procedural's best. The first set of episodes introduced viewers to iconic and complex characters such as Lucy, Tim, Angela, and more, all of whom were easy to root for and fall in love with. Season 1 separated itself from other cop shows by focusing on a middle-aged rookie in the LAPD (and it certainly didn't hurt that the writing was great). It also seamlessly interwoven the comedic elements of its stories with the dramatic ones, making The Rookie's first 20 episodes quite engrossing.
Unlike its spinoff (ABC canceled The Rookie: Feds after only one season), The Rookie thrived during its first season, making it easy for ABC to renew it. Perhaps season 1's one downfall was that it featured one of The Rookie's most cringeworthy relationships (Nolan and Lucy). Other than that, though, season 1 contained high stakes, funny moments, and exciting cases, making it one of the ABC TV show's best.
1Season 2
September 2019–May 2020
Season | Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|---|---|
1 | 91% |
2 | 92% |
3 | 36% |
4 | 67% |
5 | 83% |
6 | 84% |
Last (but certainly not least), The Rookie season 2 is undoubtedly the best and is one of the most enthralling seasons of a network TV show as of late. It started with a bang (concluding the virus storyline from the season 1 finale) and ended with a plot twist that most Rookie viewers didn't see coming. The reveal had been building since episode 2, making it much more impactful and utterly shocking. However, the episodes in between were just as entertaining. In fact, The Rookie season 2, episode 11, is considered the series' best.
Rosalind Dyer is The Rookie's number-one villain, and the writers introduced her during season 2. She played a major role in season 2 being as good as it was, and she is partly why episode 11 is a top-tier hour of TV. Rosalind, a serial killer serving a life sentence in prison, gained a protégé, Caleb, who wanted to continue her "work." So, Caleb kidnapped Lucy and forced her to get into a barrel that he buried underground in the middle of the desert. The other characters raced to find Lucy before she died from suffocation, resulting in a harrowing and unforgettable episode.
Other elements of season 2 (Nolan's short-lived romance with Grace, the introduction of Harper, fantastic episodes, and more) also make it great. TV shows often experience a "sophomore slump" during their second seasons, but The Rookie defied the odds by producing episodes that were better than the ones in season 1. Season 2 also has the highest Rotten Tomatoes score, proving that fans of The Rookie loved it just as much as critics (season 6 technically has an 84% score, but that's averaged from five reviews).
