The Rookie goes worldwide — not less than to kick off season 8 — with the upcoming premiere happening in Prague.
Showrunner Alexi Hawley and star Nathan Fillion, who performs LAPD officer John Nolan, confirmed the abroad journey throughout San Diego Comedian-Con in July 2025.
Each Nolan and his spouse, firefighter Bailey Nune (Jenna Dewan), might be a part of the Czech-filled episode, in line with TVLine.
The remainder of the worldwide solid contains, Mekia Cox’s Detective Nyla Harper, Bridget Regan’s villainous Monica Stevens and Felix Solis’ FBI Supervisory Particular Agent Matt Garza, who has beforehand crossed over from The Rookie: Feds, which is now not on the air.
Previous to the season’s January 6, 2026, premiere, Hawley has teased what’s to return. Scroll down for every part Us Weekly is aware of about season 8 of The Rookie thus far:
The place Did Season 7 Plot of ‘The Rookie’ Go away Off?
The season 7 finale aired in Could 2025 and introduced again two villains: Oscar Hutchinson (Matthew Glave) and Monica (Regan). After being kidnaped by Oscar, Nolan managed to get away together with his life and Oscar’s stolen diamonds. Oscar, who had escaped jail earlier than his battle with Nolan within the desert, managed to flee.
Corrupt legal professional Monica, in the meantime, shocked the LAPD when she revealed in the course of the finale that she made an immunity cope with the FBI in change for the stolen knowledge she illegally acquired earlier within the season.
Who Is A part of the Forged of ‘The Rookie’ Season 8?
Along with Fillion, Dewan and Cox, collection regulars Alyssa Diaz, as Detective Angela Lopez, Richard T. Jones, as Lieutenant Wade Gray, Melissa O’Neil, as Sergeant Lucy Chen, Eric Winter, as Sergeant Tim Bradford, Shawn Ashmore, as ADA Wesley Evers, and Lisseth Chavez, as Officer Celina Juarez, are anticipated to return.
Deric Augustine, who started enjoying rookie officer Miles Penn throughout season 7, has been promoted to a collection common, in line with TVLine.
What’s Subsequent for The Rookie’s Villains?
Hawley completely instructed Us in Could, “It’s not the final we’re gonna see” of Oscar, teasing that he’ll return in some unspecified time in the future throughout season 8. “Oscar’s all the time very targeted on what’s good for Oscar,” he stated, explaining that he’s not as “revenge oriented” as different baddies.
He additionally confirmed that Monica’s story would proceed to begin the season. “It’s maddening to our individuals who need nothing greater than to place her in jail the place she deserves to be,” Hawley stated of how the LAPD will react to Monica’s immunity shifting ahead.
Officer John Nolan discovered himself in a “sticky scenario” with Detective Nyla Harper on the newest episode of The Rookie, however star Nathan Fillion insisted their drama gained’t linger. Warning: Spoilers under for season 7, episode 9, of The Rookie. Through the Tuesday, March 11, episode of the ABC collection, Nolan (Fillion) has to assist […]
Jones agreed with the showrunner, completely telling Us in March 2025 that the police gained’t perceive “Monica’s affect” or why she’s “stirring the pot” immediately.
Fillion, in the meantime, instructed TVLine in July 2025 that Monica being “free and smug seems like an injustice” and due to this fact “folks might be anxious to see her pay for what she’s completed.”
The place Do the Fan-Favourite Romances Stand?
Through the season 7 finale, Tim requested Lucy to maneuver in with him, however she fell asleep after a protracted evening shift as a newly minted sergeant and didn’t hear the query. Their romance, nevertheless, is in good condition heading into season 8, in line with Hawley.
The showrunner instructed Us in Could, “Cementing that dialog on the high of the subsequent season and determining what the best subsequent step is” for “Chenford” gained’t be missed. “Regardless of the definition of finish sport is, I feel we’re getting there for positive,” Hawley added of the couple’s story arc.
On the subject of Nolan and Bailey’s romance, Hawley stated that the “door is closed” for now on a attainable being pregnant or child.
Hawley instructed Us in Could 2025 that followers might get extra from Celina and musician boyfriend Rodge Bronson’s (Zander Hawley) romance regardless that he acquired a gig abroad in the course of the season 7 finale. “They’re tremendous enjoyable collectively and I feel it’s very actual for folks to return out and in and that they’re relationship,” the showrunner defined.
The final time followers noticed Gray and his spouse, Luna (Angela Parker), they have been completely satisfied and Harper and her husband, James Murray (Arjay Smith), have been additionally again on observe. Solely time will inform if they continue to be that manner.
Will There Be a Time Leap?
“I don’t assume it’ll be months later,” Hawley instructed TVLine in July 2025. “I feel it’ll be pretty steady — not actually subsequent day, however inside a reasonably quick period of time.”
He teased, “There’s some time-sensitive stuff that we left hanging, that seems like we must always [resolve soon] for the viewers. I don’t assume we must always leap ahead too far in time.”
What Did We Study From ‘The Rookie’ Season 8 Trailer?
ABC launched the official trailer for season 8 in December 2025, revealing that the season kicks off with Bailey (Dewan) and Nolan (Fillion) babysitting villain Monica (Regan) as they put together for a “international operation” to take down terrorists targets with the FBI.
“Whether or not you imagine it or not, I’m right here to assist regulation enforcement get a legendary weapons trafficker off the streets,” Monica tells Bailey and Nolan, who admit they nonetheless don’t “belief” her and plan to look at her “like a hawk.”
Followers later see Monica escape police custody after a combat erupts with much more dangerous guys abroad. “The place’s Monica?” Nolan innocently asks.
Elsewhere within the trailer, Nolan reveals that Bailey has been provided a job in Washington, D.C., and inquires what that might imply for him if he needed to switch.
Tim (Winter), for his half, asks Lucy (O’Neil) to maneuver in with him for a second time, however she admits the injuries from their breakup are “so deep” they “may by no means fade.”
As Gray (Jones) helms up the joint taskforce, he additionally will get information that might disrupt his personal marriage after seeing his spouse get flirty with a health care provider.
Nolan, in the meantime, can have extra than simply Monica to cope with this season because the trailer reveals the return of convict Oscar (Glave) assembly him on a airplane for transport. The dangerous information: the airplane seems to have a malfunction that might trigger them to crash.
When Does ‘The Rookie’ Season 8 Premiere?
ABC introduced that The Rookie season 8 premiere might be a part of its midseason 2026 lineup, airing on Tuesday, January 6, at 10 p.m. ET. Viewers can have 18 episodes to sink their tooth into when the present returns.
