Fans of The Rookie breathed a sigh of relief when the ABC hit secured a renewal for the 2023-24 season.
However, there was a big caveat about the renewal: The show wouldn’t be on ABC’s fall schedule.
Thanks to the WGA strike, ABC elected to banish all of its returning scripted series until midseason and released a fall schedule comprised of unscripted offerings.
It was the best decision because then the network wouldn’t have to promote shows returning in the fall if there was a chance they wouldn’t be ready.
With the WGA strike raging on and the high risk of a SAG-AFTRA strike on the horizon, there’s a good chance production won’t get back underway for several months.
Things took another turn this week when it was revealed that series star Nathan Fillion had booked a role on James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy.
Naturally, there were questions about whether this casting news could further delay The Rookie Season 6.
TV Line ran an article asking that very question and Rookie creator Alexi Hawley had a one-word response to quell fans’ fears.
“Nope!,” he wrote in response to the article.
It’s unclear when filming for Superman: Legacy plans to kick off, but it will likely be delayed somewhat due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Fillion has managed to do other roles in the past while keeping his series regular status on The Rookie.
He’s been a frequent collaborator with Gunn in recent years, closing up appearances in The Suicide Squad and, more recently, Guardians of The Galaxy: Vol. 3.
The Rookie doesn’t film the entire year, with actors typically getting a break in the spring before filming starts back up again in the summer.
There’s also the chance that The Rookie will have fewer episodes during the 2023-24 season.
ABC is holding its entire scripted slate until later in the season, meaning there will be many shows with little schedule space.
As a result, shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19, and 9-1-1 will likely be targeting fewer episodes.
We probably won’t have a definite answer on that until later in the year or early next year — depending on the resolution of the strikes.
What are your thoughts on the news that the series won’t be delayed further due to Fillion’s burgeoning acting career?
Hit the comments below.
Remember, you can watch The Rookie online right here via TV Fanatic.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.