‘The Rookie’ and ‘Will Trent’ Renewed by ABC

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Over the past few seasons, ABC has shown a clear pattern with its prime-time shows. When a scripted series does well on traditional TV and continues to gain popularity with streaming, ABC likes to keep it around. Currently, The Rookie and Will Trent are prime examples of shows that fit this successful model.

ABC has officially renewed its popular crime dramas, The Rookie for a ninth season and Will Trent for a fifth. As reported by Deadline, both shows will return for the 2026-2027 television season. The renewal comes after both series consistently drew an average of over 8 million viewers per episode, when factoring in delayed and cross-platform viewing.

I’m not surprised ABC still loves The Rookie! It’s clear the show has a really dedicated fanbase. What’s especially amazing is how many people are watching on Hulu after it airs on TV. The numbers show that when you add in those views, the ratings can jump up six times! It really proves the show isn’t just watched live – a lot of us catch it later, which is fantastic to see and explains why it’s still a big deal for the network.

Season 9 is a significant moment in Nathan Fillion’s career. With this renewal, he’s now starred in The Rookie for longer than he did on Castle – a remarkable feat for a network show, especially as more people change how they watch TV, making shows like this even more important to ABC.

ABC is looking to build on the success of The Rookie, treating it as a potential franchise. They’re currently developing a spin-off called The Rookie: North, starring Jay Ellis as a more experienced rookie cop stationed in Washington state. This shows the network sees The Rookie as more than just a long-running show – they believe it can become a larger brand with multiple series.

The show Will Trent is returning for another season, and continues to be a hit with viewers. It’s seen consistent growth over its first four seasons – a rare achievement for an ABC drama since Scandal – and remains the network’s most-watched scripted show when ratings are measured the same day it airs.

In today’s TV landscape, where viewers are spread across many platforms, it’s valuable for a show to succeed both on streaming and with live broadcasts. Will Trent is proving to be one of those shows. Because Season 4 is currently airing on ABC on Tuesday nights, the decision to renew it comes while the show is still popular and gaining viewers, not after a decline.

ABC has renewed these shows, adding to its lineup of returning favorites like Grey’s Anatomy, 9-1-1, Abbott Elementary, and High Potential. The good news for fans is that The Rookie and Will Trent will be back for more seasons.

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2026-04-14 17:50