ABC is once again expanding The Rookie franchise with another spinoff that has officially been ordered to series. The Rookie: North is the show in question and, while it won't be airing on the 2026 TV schedule, it'll premiere midseason alongside Season 9 of its parent show. What's known is that hough the two series take place in different cities and film in different locations. However, I’m feeling good about the chances of potential crossovers after seeing some fresh comments from one of the network's head honchos.
The Rookie takes place in LA and films in the city, while North films in Vancouver and takes place in Washington state. So a mashup would be tough logistically but, considering fellow ABC series 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Nashville crossed over under similar circumstances earlier this year, such a TV event is possible. And, with The Rookie likely getting paired with its new spinoff during midseason, the opportunity is just sitting there. With that, Ari Goldman, SVP, Content Strategy and Scheduling at ABC, told Deadline that the two shows are in a prime position for crossing over given their placement on the schedule:
We haven’t announced our midseason plans, but I think it’s pretty safe to say that there are benefits to pairing shows from these universes together; we’ve seen the strength. It is simply a rule of audience flow that shows and their spinoffs will have higher compatibility than other pairings. I think back to when I started here at ABC the year that we launched Rookie: Feds, and really the benefit of bringing those shows together in midseason was very clear.
While this isn't a direct confirmation of any crossover, it sounds like Goldman and co. are thinking about them as they plot out the schedule. It honestly makes too much sense for the shows to have some cross-pollination. Also, let's remember that The Rookie crossed over with The Rookie: Feds, which only ran for one season, quite a bit during the latter's run. So I feel as though it's only a matter of time before there's a North crossover.
Unlike Feds, North didn't get a backdoor pilot, so I'm just itching for Nathan Fillion's John Nolan and co. to meet up with Jay Ellis’ Alex Holland. Still, it's unfortunate that both shows won’t be premiering until midseason but, since it sounds like ABC has no choice but to pair them on the same night, it’s definitely better than having them air in the fall and putting them on separate nights.
Off camera, fun interactions between both casts have already begun. The Rookie’s Jenna Dewan and Angel Parker reached out to Ellis after North was ordered to series, and I am definitely looking forward to many more interactions off camera (and possibly on camera as well).
Hopefully, official crossover details will be announced at some point but, at the very least, Ari Goldman's sentiments should provide some comfort for fans. For now, those wanting to keep occupied can always watch all eight seasons of The Rookie with a Hulu subscription. And, given how Season 8 ended, viewers are definitely going to want to jump back in when the show returns in 2027 alongside its spinoff.
