The Rookie Season 5 - What We Know So Far

Many have probably heard the positive saying that we're never too old to try something new in our lives. That's not only a source of inspiration but also the central theme at the heart of ABC's drama "The Rookie." In the series, John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) is a 45-year-old divorcee with a construction business and one adult son. But his life takes a drastic change after he helps foil a bank robbery. John moves from Pennsylvania to Los Angeles to enroll in the LAPD as a rookie.

"The Rookie" probably has one of the most unusual premises for a procedural series, despite actually being based on a true story. Yet, that's part of what's helped the series become a solid hit for ABC. Since its 2018 premiere for the network, John's journey as a burgeoning officer through much of the series has been filled with its share of intense action, villainous criminals, and romantic subplots. In addition, having a bit of Fillion's comedic flair in the show doesn't hurt either. Fans of "The Rookie" might have become disappointed when Season 4 finally wrapped up earlier this year in May. However, they won't have to wait much longer for Season 5. Here's everything that we know so far about the upcoming season.

With John's many accomplishments and experience on the force throughout previous seasons, "The Rookie" is looking more like the veteran these days. Seriously, busting drug cartels and arresting serial killers would make anyone appear more seasoned. But don't pull up those petitions for a name change just yet. Via Deadline, during a 2022 San Diego Comic-Con panel, Nathan Fillion noted that Season 5 would see his character live up to the titular title despite a promotion. Fillion said at the panel that John will become a training officer in the new season and will also mentor a new rookie cop. It's a chance for the character to teach what he's learned, but the added responsibility is also a new beginning.

Per Deadline, Fillion told the panel, "[It's] kind of brilliant, the way we take a look at life and say, what keeps you a rookie? What in your life are you still a rookie at?" The show is also readying itself for tremendous crossover fun with the new spin-off, "The Rookie: Feds." The new show will also debut this year and star Niecy Nash as FBI newcomer Simone Clark. Via Entertainment Weekly, "The Rookie" creator Alexi Hawley and "Feds" showrunner Terrence Paul Winter noted that with the two shows shot on the same lot, crossovers between the two should be pretty easy and expected. Season 5 should also answer one of last season's biggest cliffhangers that ended with a kiss from the fan-favorite Chenford ship. Also, via Entertainment Weekly, Season 5 will definitely explore the kiss between officer Lucy Chen (Melissa O'Neill) and Sargent Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) and what happens afterward.

Much of the returning cast from the previous season will appear, including Nathan Fillion, Melissa O'Neil, and Eric Winter, as John, Lucy, and Tim, respectively. In addition, Season 5 will shine the spotlight on a few more returning characters through some entertaining storylines (via Deadline). With that said, we will see the return of Mekia Cox as training officer Nyla Harper, Alyssa Diaz as detective Angela Lopez, and Shawn Ashmore as attorney Wesley Evers. However, based on the trailer clip from ABC, not every return means a pleasant time for the series heroes. The clip shows that Annie Wersching is reprising her role as dangerous serial killer Rosalind Dyer, who first appeared during the second season of "The Rookie."

"The Rookie" is, of course, getting some new blood in the form of John's new trainee. But, fans of "Chicago P.D." should already be familiar with the actor portraying the LAPD's latest recruit. Via another Deadline article, Lisseth Chavez joins "The Rookie" as a character named Celina. Chavez already has experience performing as a cop. She played officer Vanessa Rojas on "Chicago P.D." We'll have to wait to see if Celina is the new rookie trained directly under John. Yet the new character does line up with Fillion mentioning John training a female officer for Season 5 (via Entertainment Weekly).

Season 4 of "The Rookie" premiered in September 2021 and finished in May 2022. It's a schedule similar to previous seasons, as ABC has usually premiered the show in the fall and ended its season in the spring. That's why it shouldn't have been too much of a surprise when "The Rookie" revealed its Season 5 date through its official Instagram back in June. The post noted that the series would return on Sunday, September 25, 2022.

There's no official word on how many episodes we can expect this season, but the show has usually produced roughly 20 episodes for previous runs. So it's safe to expect the same amount for Season 5. The only exception to the show hitting that 20-episode mark was Season 3, which suffered a shortened span like other projects because of the COVID-19 pandemic (via ABC7). Season 5 also differs from last season, as the show will be on Sundays instead of Tuesdays on ABC. Instead, Tuesday night appears to be reserved for "The Rookie: Feds," as it will premiere on September 27, 2022, on ABC.

Season 5 of "The Rookie" is on the horizon. Yet there are plenty of great options for anyone looking to catch up on the show or test their interest. For the latter who only want a proper introduction to "The Rookie," the best option may be to check out ABC's official site for the series. It currently hosts a collection of episodes from Season 4, including the finale, "Day In The Hole." Some free clips also highlight many noteworthy scenes from the series. The entire show isn't included, but it's free to watch for what ABC does have.

For those that want to start from the absolute beginning and are in a binge-watching mood, Hulu is the best option. The streaming service has every season of "The Rookie" available. Hulu is a subscription service, but first-time users can experience its trial, where the first month is free. For those looking to view only the first couple of episodes before committing, services such as YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu, and Apple TV are the routes to travel. You can buy single episodes from these services for $1.99.