The Rookie Season 6: Latest News, Trailer, and Everything Else to Know

The Rookie is almost back on duty. The ABC series, which stars Nathan Fillion as a recent divorcee in his 40s who decides to uproot his life and join the Los Angeles Police Department, is returning for a long-awaited sixth season. The series left fans with a whopper of a cliffhanger in the Season 5 finale, so it's been a difficult wait since the show last aired in the spring.

"It's been a long time, but we're finally here," Fillion wrote in an Instagram post, along with the Season 6 trailer. "We made it through the strike, and we've been hard at work to bring you another season of #TheRookie. I get a little emotional when I talk about this show. I'm extremely proud of what we've achieved, and truly enjoy the fantastic experience it has been. And now, we get to share it with you. Consider this a call for back up."

Among many exciting new updates, The Rookie will hit its landmark 100th episode this season, a milestone for any long-running broadcast show. While some details of the new season are being kept under wraps, we've put together everything we know so far about Season 6, including when new episodes air, where you can find the trailer, and which beloved character's life hangs in the balance.

The Rookie Season 6 latest news

On Jan. 31, The Rookie released a full trailer for Season 6 (watch it below in the trailers section). ABC had previously renewed the show for Season 6 back in April 2023, but production was delayed over the summer because of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. The show was finally able to announce the Season 6 premiere date back in November 2023 and cast members have shared select set photos online throughout the winter.

The Rookie Season 6 release date

The Rookie Season 6 premieres Tuesday, Feb. 20 on ABC. New episodes air Tuesdays at 9/8c.

The Rookie Season 6 trailer

The official trailer gave a brief recap of recent events leading up to the new season, including Bailey proposing to Nolan and the recent attack on the team, before showing some scenes from the new season. Things are looking more intense than ever for the team as they recover from their attack.

What will The Rookie Season 6 be about?

Last season of The Rookie ended on a cliffhanger, so Season 6 will be sure to resolve some of the stakes from the Season 5 finale. The biggest cliffhanger involved Officer Aaron Thorsen, who was shot and hospitalized in the finale. After undergoing surgery for his gunshot wound, Thorsen was in a coma, and the final moments of the episode saw him code. With his life hanging in the balance, Season 6 will clear up whether he'll live to fight another day. The series has proven time and time again that it's not afraid to kill off characters (many fans still mourn the losses of Jackson West and Captain Zoe Andersen), so Thorsen's fate is really up in the air. 

The new season will also most likely show Nolan and Bailey finally getting married. In the season premiere, titled "Strike Back," Nolan will attempt to survive his last shift before getting married to Bailey. "The curse of the last shift," Nyla teases. "Did nothing I taught you stick?" "Today is going to be smooth sailing," Nolan reassures, before getting a call from Bailey, who informs him that they have a huge problem. The team will also try to figure out why they were targeted and if there is more to come.

Who will be in The Rookie Season 6?

Although Aaron Thorsen (Tru Valentino)'s tenure on the show is unclear, all of the other main cast members are slated to return. Celina Juarez (Lisseth Chavez), Nolan's Season 5 rookie, has also been moved up to a series regular for the new season, per Deadline. The rest of the series regulars are: 

Nathan Fillion as John Nolan
Richard T. Jones as Wade Grey
Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez
Melissa O'Neil as Lucy Chen
Eric Winter as Tim Bradford
Mekia Cox as Nyla Harper
Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers
Jenna Dewan as Bailey Nune

Where is The Rookie filmed?

The Rookie is filmed around Los Angeles, the same city where it's set. The show makes use of its setting and often has celebrities, including Will.i.am and Mark Cuban, star as themselves in need of police assistance in the city.

Is The Rookie based on a true story?

While John Nolan is not a real person, the premise of The Rookie was inspired by LAPD Officer William "Bill" Norcross, who was college friends with series executive producer Jon Steinberg and similarly left Pennsylvania to join the police academy in Los Angeles in his 40s, according to an interview in the New York Post. Norcross also serves as an executive producer on the show and briefly appeared in a Season 1 episode.

Where can I watch The Rookie?

The Rookie airs on ABC and all seasons are available to stream on Hulu. New episodes of The Rookie Season 6 air on the network on Tuesdays at 9/8c and stream on Hulu the following day.