The Rookie and Will Trent Renewed at ABC

The Rookie and Will Trent are returning for another season in ABC’s 2026/2027 programming schedule.

“With a week of cross-platform viewing (primarily on Hulu), The Rookie and Will Trent each average more than 8 million viewers per episode, and both shows rank in the top 15 network entertainment series among adults 18-49,” per The Hollywood Reporter.

They join the other renewed series on the network: Abbott Elementary (Season 6), 9-1-1 (Season 10), 9-1-1: Nashville (Season 2), High Potential (Season 4), and Grey’s Anatomy (Season 23).

There is still no news on the fates of Shifting Gears, Scrubs, or R.J. Decker, the freshman drama led by Scott Speedman.

With these renewals, The Rookie will return for Season 9, while Will Trent will return for a fifth season on ABC. 

Creator and executive producer Alexi Hawley released the following statement about the show’s renewal, per Deadline: 

“So far, the mindset across the board is, as Melissa O’Neil said, ‘Let’s Grey’s Anatomy this thing.’ I think everybody is having a good time, it’s a cast that truly loves each other and enjoys coming to work, they get to do fun stuff every day. And at this point, heading into Season 9, I don’t feel like we’re anywhere near out of ideas. Part of that is we’re not a procedural where I have to come up with a body drop every week. We really can reinvent ourselves a lot, and that helps with not feeling like you’re running out of story. Every time you bring in a new rookie or a new character, that also changes things. So, yeah, I would do this until they turn the lights out.”

The good news about Nathan Fillion-led police procedural comes on the same day as a new episode. The Rookie Season 8 Episode 15, “Survive the Streets,” airs on Monday, April 13, at 10/9c. During which, “The team works together after Nolan and Celina discover a possible suicide that spirals into conspiracy.”

Alongside Fillion, The Rookie Season 8 also stars Mekia Cox, Alyssa Diaz, Richard T. Jones, Melissa O’Neil, Eric Winter, Jenna Dewan, Shawn Ashmore, Lisseth Chavez, and Deric Augustine.

Mark Gordon, Nathan Fillion, Michelle Chapman, Bill Norcross, Brynn Malone, Moira Kirland, Bill Roe, and Jon Steinberg executive produce the series. Lionsgate Television, in partnership with 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios, produces.

Deadline reports that Will Trent‘s fourth season “is the series’ most-watched season to date, and stands as the first ABC series to grow across each of its first four seasons since Scandal over a decade ago, as well as the first broadcast series to do so in nearly 14 years, according to Nielsen and the network.”

This renewal comes ahead of Will Trent Season 4 Episode 15, “The Blank Expanse of Nothing,” premiering on Tuesday, April 14, at 8/7c on ABC.

The episode’s description reads as follows: “Faith and Ormewood investigate a girl’s alien abduction claim and uncover a darker truth. Meanwhile, Amanda uncovers FBI warnings about Adelaide and a mysterious “Commander” figure linked to Will.”

The series is based on executive producer Karin Slaughter’s book series of the same name. Executive producer Ramón Rodríguez stars in the titular role. Meanwhile, executive producers Liz Heldens, Daniel Thomsen, and Karine Rosenthal serve as showrunners.

Will Trent also stars Erika Christensen, Iantha Richardson, Jake McLaughlin, and Kevin Daniels, with Sonja Sohn. Oly Obst, Jason Ensler, and Ellen Marie Blum executive produce, and it’s produced by 20th Television.

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The Rookie and Will Trent air on ABC.

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