ABC
has picked up seven additional episodes of its new cop dramedy series
The Rookie
,
bringing its freshman-season order to 20 episodes. It is considered a full-season order by ABC as
The Rookie
launched almost a month after the beginning of the broadcast season.
Toplined by
Castle
star
Nathan Fillion
, ABC’s
The Rookie
has not been a breakout but it has improved ABC’s severely ratings-challenged Tuesday’s 10 PM slot, especially in total viewers where it is up 84% (8.3 million vs. 4.5 million) versus last fall in most current numbers. In adults 18-49, the improvement is 36% (1.5 rating vs. 1.1). In Live+7 Day ratings for the premiere,
The Rookie
drew an average audience of 9.7 million viewers and a 1.8 in adults 18-49 to rank as ABC’s top series debut in the Tuesday’s 10 PM hour in more than 7 1/2 years.
The Rookie
joins the other ABC new hourlong series,
A Million Little Things,
as well as new comedy series
Single Parents
, in landing a full-season/back episodic order. There is no decision on new ABC comedy
The Kids Are Alright
and sophomore
Splitting Up Together
, which both have 13-episode initial orders.
The Rookie
stars Fillion as John Nolan, Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez, Richard T. Jones as Sgt. Wade Grey, Titus Makin as Jackson West, Mercedes Mason as Capt. Zoe Andersen, Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen, Afton Williamson as Talia Bishop, and Eric Winter as Tim Bradford.
The Rookie
is a co-production between Entertainment One and ABC Studios. Alexi Hawley is writer and executive producer; Mark Gordon, Fillion, Michelle Chapman, Jon Steinberg and Bill Norcross are executive producers.