There are several clues suggesting that The Rookie's new spin-off could make the same mistake that led to the cancellation of its first spin-off. The Rookie follows 40-year-old rookie LAPD officer John Nolan (Nathan Fillion), and initially also focused on themes of midlife crisis and personal sacrifice. Its success inspired the network to expand with two spin-offs, The Rookie: Feds and The Rookie: North.
The first spin-off of The Rookie, titled The Rookie: Feds, was released in September 2022. The debut season consisted of 22 episodes, chronicling the journey of Simone Clark, a former guidance counselor who transitions to becoming an FBI rookie. Unfortunately, the spin-off didn't achieve the same level of success as the original series, and in 2023, ABC decided to cancel The Rookie: Feds.
Now, the second spin-off, The Rookie: North, will follow a brand-new cop, tentatively named Alex, as he works as a cop in Washington State. While it's a refreshing change of location, it's that distance from the flagship show that could create a potential issue, one that also plagued The Rookie: Feds.
The Rookie Feds Didn't Really Have A Proper Crossover
Both Shows Take Place In Los Angeles
Devika Bhise as Antoinette Benneteau and Kevin Zegers as Brendon Acres in The Rookie Feds
The Rookie: Feds made a significant mistake that certainly didn't help endear it to audiences. The show's lack of a crossover episode made it challenging for fans of the original show to feel motivated to invest in it. As the spin-off started with a backdoor pilot, it created the impression that it would regularly crossover with the original show.
However, the expectation of a crossover quickly faded after The Rookie: Feds premiered, arguably resulting in a decline in interest among fans. Foolishly, ABC advertised episodes as crossovers, but while some characters did cross over between the shows, the storylines remained largely separate. Most of them lacked high-stakes shared cases and failed to showcase the main characters working together.
Since there was no narrative incentive for fans to watch both shows, fans opted for the original show over the spin-off. Ultimately, the spin-off failed to build a fanbase, which eventually led to poor ratings and cancellation. The spin-off's potential was wasted, which makes it more concerning that The Rookie: North has also made it hard to have crossovers.
The Rookie North Makes It More Difficult To Do Crossovers
Coordinating Crossovers Can Be Challenging Due To Geographical Distance
Felix Solis as Matt Garza Britt Robertson as Laura Stenson Michelle Nuñez as Elena Flores The Rookie Feds
Just like The Rookie: Feds, the upcoming spin-off, The Rookie: North, is unlikely to feature crossovers. One major challenge for the writers in making crossovers happen is that the new spin-off will be based in Washington, a far cry from the original show's setting in Los Angeles.
In addition to the geographical distance, the latest spin-off doesn't seem to be part of the same universe, making it difficult logistically to coordinate crossovers. If that's the case, it will be incredibly disappointing, but with it seemingly standing alone, it has a chance to create its own success. Hopefully, the new The Rookie spin-off will be compelling enough on its own to capture fans' interest.
