What To Know
- Melissa O’Neil shared a heartfelt Instagram post reflecting on wrapping filming for Season 8 of The Rookie.
- ABC has yet to renew the drama for Season 9.
The Rookie‘s eighth season may have just started airing on ABC — this week was the fifth episode — but filming is already wrapping.
Melissa O’Neil, who has starred as Lucy Chen (now a sergeant) on the drama since the beginning, shared a heartfelt message on Instagram on Wednesday, February 4, and if it has you worried about what the future could hold, since the show has yet to be renewed for a ninth season (it’s still early!), you’re not alone. Check out the full post below.
“Being a part of @therookieabc and having the opportunity to continue to tell Lucy Chen’s story this year has been such a blessing on my life!One of the wild elements of this business is that nothing is ever certain. Nothing promised is a guarantee. Season 8 has been a marathon of sorts, an ambitious adventure and the show feels stronger and more exciting than ever,” O’Neil wrote.
“As everyone wraps filming today – I’ve been reflecting on how these transitions always feel like a mystery. People were tired and ready to get home and rest on my last day and yet I could feel a part of myself willing time to slow to soak it in. You never know when it could be your last time doing ____ being ____,” she continued.
O’Neil went on to thank everyone involved in the making of the show, both in front of and behind the cameras. “Without everyone’s dedication, GRIT, good humor, and perseverance, this would not be possible,” she noted. “Congratulations to everyone on another great season in the can!”
She concluded the post with, “To be 8 years in on a project and in close enough proximity to watch everyone growing and expanding in their capacity, artistry and precision is such a gift. I’m so proud to be a part of this show. I sincerely hope @therookieabc gets to come back for Season 9. Until then, I hope you have loved Season 8 so far, there is a LOT more to come – you’re in for a ride this year.”
But even with that hope for a ninth season at the end, her post had fans worried about either the show or her character’s future.
“Woman you almost kill the fandom of the heart,” one person commented on her post, while another wrote, “Why this is soooo sweet but also terrifying??? Like…girl, stop sounding like a ‘forever goodbye’ 😭😭 you better be coming back for s9 and not d*ad by end of s8.”
There likely isn’t any reason to think that the series won’t be renewed. After all, it is early on in the season (it premiered January 6)and there’s talk of another spinoff,The Rookie: North, starring Jay Ellis (not yet ordered to series). Furthermore,The Rookie wasn’t renewed for Season 8 until April 2025.
Plus, ratings-wise, it’s still a hit. The Season 8 premiere was watched by 7.88 million after three days of viewing on ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+, and digital platforms, which is up 6% from Season 7’s premiere. The premiere also set a record with the series’ biggest premiere on streaming, based on seven days of views on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.
The Rookie, Mondays, 10/9c, ABC