You're sitting on the couch, scrolling through Hulu or Disney+, and you see Nathan Fillion’s face. He’s wearing a police uniform, looking a bit older than he did in Firefly but still carrying that same dry wit. You think, "Hey, I should probably catch up on this." But then the anxiety hits. Is this a weekend binge or a three-month commitment? Knowing how many seasons of The Rookie exist is basically the first step in deciding if you have time for a social life this month.
The show has been a massive hit for ABC. It’s one of those rare network procedurals that actually managed to survive the transition to the streaming era with its fan base intact. Honestly, it’s mostly because John Nolan is a relatable mess. We like seeing a guy in his 40s decide to blow up his life and start over as a cop. It makes us feel better about our own mid-life crises.
The Current Season Count and Where We Stand
As of right now, The Rookie has seven seasons.
That sounds straightforward, but if you’re looking at your streaming app and only see six, don't panic. You aren't losing your mind. The seventh season is currently the "new kid on the block." ABC officially gave it the green light back in April 2024, and it’s been the talk of the fandom ever since.
For the longest time, the show followed a pretty standard broadcast schedule. You’d get a new season in the fall, it would run through the spring, and everyone was happy. Then the 2023 Hollywood strikes happened. The writers and actors (WGA and SAG-AFTRA) needed better deals, which was totally fair, but it meant Season 6 was shortened significantly. It only had 10 episodes. That’s why people are so hungry for Season 7; we feel a bit cheated by that short run.
Season 7 is a bit of a "return to form" for the production. The network ordered 18 episodes for this latest installment. This is a big deal because it allows the writers to breathe. When you only have 10 episodes, you have to rush the plot. You lose those "day in the life" moments that make the characters feel like real people rather than just action figures in LAPD uniforms.
Breaking Down the Timeline
Let’s look at how we got here. It’s been a long road for John Nolan.
Back in 2018, the show premiered with a 20-episode first season. It was a risky move for ABC. Procedurals were everywhere, but the "oldest rookie" hook was fresh. It worked. Season 2 followed up with another 20 episodes. By Season 3, the show hit a snag—the COVID-19 pandemic. That season was trimmed down to 14 episodes. It was also a heavy season, dealing with the realities of policing in a post-2020 world, which changed the tone of the show for a while.
Then things got back to normal. Season 4 and Season 5 were absolute behemoths. We’re talking 22 episodes each. That is a lot of television. If you are starting from the beginning, those two seasons alone will take you nearly 40 hours to get through.
- Season 1: 20 Episodes
- Season 2: 20 Episodes
- Season 3: 14 Episodes (The COVID year)
- Season 4: 22 Episodes
- Season 5: 22 Episodes (Includes the crossover setup for The Rookie: Feds)
- Season 6: 10 Episodes (The Strike year)
- Season 7: 18 Episodes (The current/latest run)
If you add that all up, we are looking at 126 episodes of television. That is roughly 90 hours of content if you skip the commercials. Basically, if you started watching on a Friday morning and didn't sleep, you’d finish by Monday. Don’t do that. It’s not healthy.
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Why Season 7 Took So Long to Arrive
Fans were getting a little twitchy waiting for the seventh season. Usually, the show drops in September or October. But for this cycle, ABC decided to hold it until the mid-season. It premiered in early 2025.
The reasoning was actually pretty smart from a business perspective. By holding it until January, ABC can run the episodes nearly every week without those annoying three-week breaks for holidays or special events. There is nothing worse than getting into a groove with a show only for it to vanish because of the "Winter Finale" or the Super Bowl. This way, we get a consistent run of Chenford (Chen and Bradford) drama without the interruptions.
Also, the production team needed time. Alexi Hawley, the showrunner, has been vocal about wanting to keep the quality high. Pushing the premiere back gave them a buffer to ensure the scripts were tight.
The Cast Shifts Over Seven Seasons
You can't talk about how many seasons of The Rookie there are without mentioning the people who didn't make it this far.
Most people remember the Season 1 drama with Afton Williamson, who played Talia Bishop. She left the show under some pretty heavy circumstances involving allegations of workplace misconduct on set. It was a rocky start for a freshman show. Then we lost Titus Makin Jr. (Jackson West) at the start of Season 4. That one hurt. He was a fan favorite, and his character’s exit was... well, it was abrupt.
But the core has stayed solid. Nathan Fillion, Melissa O’Neil (Lucy Chen), and Eric Winter (Tim Bradford) are the pillars. Honestly, at this point, if Tim or Lucy left, the show would probably fold within six months. Their chemistry is basically carrying the secondary plotlines through some of the weaker writing moments.
We also have the "new" regulars who have become staples. Lisseth Chavez, who plays Celina Juarez, joined in Season 5 and has brought a weird, mystical energy to the show that people either love or hate. She reads auras. In a cop show. It’s a choice.
What About the Spin-offs?
If you are a completionist, the season count for the main show isn't the whole story. You’ve got to factor in The Rookie: Feds.
This starred Niecy Nash-Betts as Simone Clark. It was introduced through a backdoor pilot in Season 4 of the main show. It ran for one season (22 episodes) alongside Season 5 of The Rookie. Unfortunately, Feds was canceled after that single season.
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It’s a bit of a bummer because there were some great crossover moments. If you’re watching the main show and suddenly a bunch of FBI agents show up and act like you should know them, you probably missed a Feds episode. You don't strictly need to watch it to understand the main plot, but it fills in some gaps regarding certain villains, like the elusive Rosalind Dyer (played by the late, great Annie Wersching).
How to Watch Every Single Episode
If you are trying to catch up, the platform you use depends on where you live. In the US, Hulu is the primary home for the show. They usually have every season available to stream. However, once Season 7 started airing, new episodes dropped on Hulu the day after they premiered on ABC.
For international fans, it's a bit of a scavenger hunt. In many regions, the show is on Disney+ under the "Star" banner. In the UK, Sky Witness usually handles the first run.
A common misconception is that the show is on Netflix. In the US, it is not. Don't go looking for it there; you'll just end up watching The Lincoln Lawyer instead. While great, it’s not the same vibe.
Is the Show Ending Soon?
Seven seasons is a long time for a modern show. Most streaming originals are lucky to get to Season 3. But The Rookie is a "linear" show, meaning it lives on a traditional TV network. These shows tend to have longer lifespans because they are cheaper to produce than massive sci-fi epics and they have very loyal audiences.
Ratings for Season 6 remained strong despite the short episode count. As long as Nathan Fillion wants to keep putting on the vest, ABC will likely keep paying for it. The show has successfully transitioned from being "the show about the old rookie" to a general ensemble police procedural. John Nolan isn't even a rookie anymore—he’s a Training Officer (TO).
The title is technically a lie now, but we don't care.
There have been rumors about a Season 8, but nothing is official yet. Usually, those announcements come in late spring. If Season 7 continues to dominate the Tuesday night slot, an 8th season is almost a guarantee.
Surviving the "Binge"
If you are about to start your journey through all seven seasons, here is some veteran advice.
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The first season is the most "grounded." It feels like a real look at the LAPD. By the time you get to Season 4 and 5, the stakes get a bit ridiculous. They go to Guatemala on a rogue mission. They deal with international cartels and super-villains. It starts to feel a little bit like The Avengers with badges.
Just lean into it. The show is at its best when it focuses on the relationships between the officers. The "Chenford" arc (the slow-burn romance between Lucy and Tim) is genuinely one of the better-written romances on network TV in the last decade. It takes years to pay off, so be patient.
Actionable Steps for New and Returning Fans
If you're ready to jump in, here is how you should handle it to avoid burnout.
Start with Season 1, Episode 1. Don't skip. Even the early "case of the week" episodes build character depth that matters five years later. If you find Season 3 a bit slow, stick with it; the payoff in the Season 3 finale is a massive turning point for the entire series.
For those caught up through Season 6, make sure your DVR or streaming alerts are set for the Season 7 mid-season premiere. Since ABC is running them back-to-back with fewer breaks, the plot moves fast. You’ll want to stay off Twitter (or X, whatever we’re calling it this week) on Tuesday nights to avoid spoilers, because the writers love a good cliffhanger.
Lastly, check out the social media feeds of the cast. Eric Winter and Melissa O'Neil are actually friends in real life and often post "behind the scenes" content that makes the show even more enjoyable. It’s rare to see a cast that actually likes each other after seven years of 14-hour workdays.
The journey of John Nolan is a long one, but with 120+ episodes in the bag, it's one of the most consistent rides on television. Grab some popcorn, settle in, and enjoy the training process. Just remember: stay humble, keep your hands visible, and never trust a "guaranteed" tip from a CI.
Check your local listings for the exact air times of the latest Season 7 episodes, as ABC occasionally shifts the schedule for "special event" broadcasts or election coverage. If you’re streaming, episodes typically go live at 3:00 AM Eastern Time the morning after they air on cable.