The Rookie: Feds was one of the many shows that were cancelled or ended in 2023. The Rookie spinoff starred Niecy Nash as the FBI’s oldest rookie, and it initially seemed like the network had a successful new franchise on its hands. ABC wasn't holding back with the numerous crossovers last season, no matter how big or small they were. Unfortunately, ABC waited several months to give any updates on a potential second season and dropped the bomb of its cancellation not long after the SAG-AFTRA strike ended. Now The Rookie’s Nathan Fillion is opening up about the surprise cancellation.
As the oldest rookies at their respective jobs, John Nolan and Simone Clark immediately hit it off when they first met in the Feds backdoor pilot, and it was definitely always a joy seeing Fillion and Nash working together. With The Rookie part of the 2024 TV schedule without its spinoff, Fillion told The Hollywood Reporter how the Feds cancellation made him more grateful, even if it came at a cost:
I think, if anything, it made us all more grateful to see how fragile this industry is. It wasn’t anything that The Rookie: Feds did, it was the circumstances of the strike, and it was sobering knowing it could’ve been any of us. A lot of shows didn’t make it through that strike. But here we are, continuing to tell these stories that we enjoy telling. After 30 years in the business, this is the best job I’ve ever had among the crew, the people I work for, the support we’re getting from the network, and this incredible cast. There’s nothing that I could throw at this cast that they couldn’t handle, and it’s a real privilege to work at a place where I smile when I drive to work every day.
It definitely makes you think. The Rookie: Feds was not the only casualty of the strikes, as fellow ABC series Home Economics got the axe and The Good Doctor's spinoff didn't move forward. As for The Rookie, the series just aired its milestone 100th episode and as of now, there is no indication that it will be slowing down any time soon. It’s still a shame that ABC wasn’t able to build up The Rookie as its next great franchise, but it sounds like Fillion is not taking his job for granted.
Last month, The Rookie: Feds co-creator Alexi Hawley addressed the cancellation and shared his disappointment. He admitted that ABC had been “nothing but supportive” of both shows, but consolidation is happening across the whole industry, and Feds was just an unfortunate casualty. It’s unknown if the series would have been renewed if not for the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, but fans can surely agree that The Rookie: Feds shouldn't have been cancelled after one season.
As of now, there’s no word on whether any Feds characters will show up on The Rookie, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. Since both shows were set in LA, it could be fairly straightforward storyline-wise for the LAPD to work a case with FBI. Hopefully, that happens, even if it is a one-off.
Fans will just have to tune in to The Rookie on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC to see if any of their favorites from The Rookie: Feds will make an appearance. It’s always a possibility and would be a great way to keep their stories going even when the show is cancelled.
