Alexi Hawley Shares Exciting Updates on the Final Episodes of ‘The Rookie’ Season 8 and His Hopes for the ‘North’ Spinoff
The Rookie, featuring Nathan Fillion, has been renewed for a ninth season by ABC. The announcement came as creator, executive producer, and showrunner Alexi Hawley hinted at a potential cliffhanger to conclude the current season.
“I would say yes, there might be a cliffhanger at the end, potentially,” he remarked.
With four episodes remaining in Season 8, the next installment, titled “Survive the Streets,” is scheduled to air tonight, April 13.
The Rookie: North
In addition to wrapping up Season 8, Hawley is also working on the spinoff, The Rookie: North, starring Jay Ellis. The pilot, shot in late February, has been completed and submitted to ABC.
The Rookie: North follows Alex Holland (Ellis), a man facing a mid-life crisis ignited by a violent home invasion. In pursuit of purpose, he joins the Pierce County Police Department as its oldest rookie. With challenges ranging from urban policing to rural emergencies, Alex must prove himself to a skeptical training officer, fellow rookies, and ultimately, to himself.
Hawley emphasized the effort to differentiate the spinoff from The Rookie, which is set in Los Angeles. “This is not just another big-city cop show,” he remarked. “We explore three distinct zones: Tacoma, the suburbs, and remote areas that could include a meth lab in the woods.”
Filming for The Rookie: North takes place in Vancouver, benefiting from tax credits similar to those afforded to The Rookie in Los Angeles, thanks in part to Lionsgate Television’s local presence.
Should the pilot receive approval, Hawley has experience managing multiple productions simultaneously, previously overseeing The Rookie, The Rookie: Feds, and Netflix’s The Recruit within the same timeframe. “It’s a lot, but I have a really good team; they help me manage everything,” he stated. “So, yes, I’m hopeful.”
