Summary

• The Rookie season 6 will arrive later than expected due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, but promises to be a strong return for Nathan Fillion's John Nolan when the February 2024 release date rolls around.
• The season will feature a new villain and address the unresolved case from the end of season 5, leading to more challenges for the officers.
• The familiar cast, including Fillion and Melissa O'Neill, will return for The Rookie season 6, with the addition of Kristian Bruun as the new villain. The show's popularity is expected to continue.

The Rookie season is arriving later than expected, but it's nevertheless shaping up to be a return to form for Nathan Fillion's John Nolan. The Rookie premiered in 2018 and tells the story of John Nolan — a man in his 40s who decides to become the oldest rookie in the LAPD. While most of his fellow officers didn't take him seriously, John Nolan proved that he was genuine about the opportunity and, over five seasons proved he was a great police officer.

The Rookie season 6 story will follow up the huge twist at the end of The Rookie season 5 where a series of attacks on the LAPD saw a man arrested, but someone that John Nolan didn't believe was guilty. With that case still open in John's mind, there is also a new villain arriving in The Rookie season 6 and things might get worse before they get better for the officers. While much of the series will continue to focus on different cases throughout the season, there is also the overarching case, where the beloved cast of the series will keep it as one of the most popular shows on ABC.

The Rookie Season 6 Recent News

ABC Releases The Official Trailer

Just a few short weeks before the series returns, ABC has released an official trailer for The Rookie season 6, and it is stuffed with exciting glimpses of the latest episodes. Aside from the typical police procedural action fans have come to expect, the trailer also teases drama before Nolan and Bailey's wedding. On top of that, a new criminal mastermind has invaded LA and is stretching the limits of the LAPD and putting the entire city in danger.

The Rookie Season 6 Release Date

When Is The Rookie Season 6 Coming Out?

The Rookie season 6 release date is February 20, 2024. ABC announced The Rookie season 6 renewal in April, around a month before the start of the WGA strike in May (which was then followed by the SAG-AFTRA strike). While the show had originally been pegged to return before the end of the year, production halting because of the strikes prevented this, resulting in the delay until 2024.

The WGA strike was resolved on September 27th, 2023.

The Rookie Season 6 Cast

Who Is Returning For The Rookie Season 6?

The Rookie season 6 cast includes most of the familiar faces regular viewers have come to know and love. Nathan Fillion, who plays John Nolan, will be back as the main star of The Rookie season 6 cast. Melissa O'Neill is also returning as Lucy Chen, another former rookie who has since qualified to become an undercover officer. Lisseth Chavez who plays Celina Juarez has also been upgraded to a series regular role for season 6 (via Deadline).

One questionable return is Tru Valentino's Aaron Thorsen, who was in critical condition after being shot at the end of season 5. Additionally, it has been announced that Kristian Bruun will also The Rookie season 6 cast as the new villain, the person who masterminded the attacks in season 5.

Other returns to The Rookie season 6 cast include:

The Rookie Season 6 Story

What Will The Rookie Season 6 Be About?

The Rookie season 6 story will follow up on season 5's shocking finale. There was a plot throughout the entire season that featured coordinated attacks against police officers. This ended with Luke Moran being arrested for the attacks, but John Nolan knew that he wasn't responsible. He was right, as Kristian Bruun's new villain confirms. It was Brunn's character who masterminded the attacks, and it will be up to John and the rest of the LAPD to figure this out and bring him down.

The Rookie season 6 story will also have to figure out who lived and who died in that finale. Masked criminals attacked Aaron Thorsen and Celina Juarez, shooting Aaron in the back. At the end of the season, he started coding, so it will be revealed in the premiere whether he died. There have been lots of deaths in The Rookie, so anyone is game — including Aaron. There is also a good chance Elijah Stone might return even after his arrest in season 5, and that the romantic storyline between John and Bailey and Tim and Lucy continues. The Rookie season 6 is sure to include more great moments when it finally returns.

The Rookie Season 6 Trailer

A Wedding & A Criminal Mastermind

Promising the newest season will also be the biggest yet, the trailer for The Rookie season 6 lays everything on the line and reveals its most exciting storylines. Amid the explosive action that is typical of the series thus far, the trailer also shows Nolan and Bailey on the eve of their wedding day. Tormented by the so-called "last shift" curse, the duo must try and survive their final 24 hours as single people. On top of that, season 6 will see a new criminal mastermind invade LA, one that might be too much for the beleaguered LAPD.

• The Rookie Season 6: Further News & Info

  The Rookie Cast Reacts To Major Show Milestone In Season 6 With Sweet BTS Video