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What keeps The Rookie interesting after 9 seasons? The fact that it’s not a procedural, says creator Alexi Hawley
Get it right, Rookie fans – according to the show’s creator, what you’re watching on Hulu isn’t a procedural, it’s a “patrol show”
NewsbyGrant DeArmitt, Staff Writer
Published on Wed Jul 29 2026
Popverse’s coverage of Comic-Con International: San Diego 2026 is brought to you byDark Horse Comics.
The Rookie has been running for a whopping eight seasons, with a ninth slated to debut this coming January. I don’t have to tell you that in this day and age, that is a surprisingly long time for a TV show to be running, especially one as seemingly traditional as a cop drama. But according to show creator Alexi Hawley, it’s exactly what’s not traditional about the series that keeps fans interested, a full eight years after its debut.
That’s one of the many things we learned at The Rookie panel presented by Hulu at this year’s San Diego Comic Con. Attending the panel were both star Melissa O’Neil and original series creator Alexi Hawley, and at one point toward the end of the discussion, O’Neil asked the OG creator the same question we wondered at the top of this article – “How do you do it for so many seasons?”
“We definitely go into every writer’s room in the spring going,” said Hawley, “Where do we want to go that we haven’t been before? Because I don’t consider us a procedural – we’re a patrol show. Anytime [the characters] get out of the car, anything could happen, and that’s super exciting. We’re not just doing a case of the week, right? Literally anything we want to do – if we can figure out a way to make it work as a Rookie episode – we can do. It’s sort of infinite possibilities.”
You heard it here first, folks, expect The Rookie in Space just as soon as Alexi and the gang can figure out how to “make it work.” Perhaps his brother Noah knows a thing or two about that?
The Rookie season 9 debuts on Hulu January 2027.
Want to catch up with Hulu’s hit cop drama? Let Popverse share everything we know about The Rookie’s season 9.
About Comic-Con International: San Diego
Comic-Con is the premier event for all things comics and related popular art, including movies, television, gaming, interactive multimedia, and so much more! Enjoy cosplay galore and take part in unique programming, exclusive previews, and presentations, not to mention the expansive and diverse Exhibit Hall featuring merchandise and displays representing all fandoms.
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Grant DeArmitt: Grant DeArmitt (he/him) likes horror, comics, and the unholy union of the two. In the past, and despite their better judgment, he has written for Nightmare on Film Street and Newsarama. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kingsley, and corgi, Legs.
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