Los Angeles, CA – As The Rookie kicks off its eighth season on ABC this Tuesday, creator Alexi Hawley is shifting gears northward to Vancouver, where production on the spinoff pilot The Rookie: North is ramping up. Hawley, who serves as executive producer and showrunner for the original series starring Nathan Fillion, revealed in an interview with Deadline that the pilot, greenlit by ABC in November, is set to shoot at the end of February. Starring Jay Ellis in the lead role, the project promises a fresh take on the patrol cop genre by venturing beyond the big-city settings that dominate similar shows.
The spinoff centers on Alex Holland, portrayed by Ellis, a man whose mid-life existence takes a dramatic turn after a violent home invasion. According to the official logline, Holland, who once believed his life wasn't primed for a crisis, discovers a renewed purpose and joins the Pierce County Police Department as its oldest rookie. "Policing from the urban coast to the rural forest where backup isn’t just 5-minutes away, Alex must prove to his skeptical training officer, his fellow rookies, and himself, that he’s finally found something worthy of the fight," the logline states.
Hawley, who wrote and will direct the pilot, emphasized how the setting distinguishes The Rookie: North from its parent series and other patrol dramas. While The Rookie unfolds in the bustling environment of Los Angeles, where resources arrive swiftly and in force, the spinoff explores a more expansive, varied landscape. "The county that they’re policing does include Tacoma, so there is some urban but at the same time, it’s also the suburbs and the exurbs, and it’s also the meth lab in the woods, and a National Park, and there’s a military base," Hawley told Deadline. "That sort of county is really interesting."
This broader slice of America, as Hawley described it, contrasts with the urban focus of shows set in cities like New York, Boston, Chicago, or LA. He noted that in Pierce County, backup might take 15 minutes to arrive, adding tension and realism to the narrative. "I thought it would just immediately set the show apart visually and then thematically," Hawley said. The creator views The Rookie not as a traditional procedural but as a "patrol show," and the spinoff builds on that foundation by highlighting the challenges of policing in less densely populated areas.
At the heart of the story is Alex Holland, a character Hawley described as more adrift than the original series' protagonist. Unlike Nathan Fillion's John Nolan, a successful professional who turned to policing after a divorce, Holland has a history of unfulfilled commitments. "Our lead, the character that Jay plays, is a guy who never really found something he’s passionate about before this," Hawley explained. "And part of that has to do with a tragedy in his past, which we get into a little bit. So that was a little bit of a different way in, it is a guy who’s a little more lost."
Further details on Holland's backstory reveal a man who has bounced between paths without settling. "He’s been bouncing. He went the law school route, and then something happened, and he sort of abandoned that," Hawley shared. The character's name, Alex Holland, bears a striking resemblance to the showrunner's own, Alexi Hawley, but the similarity was unintentional. "No, it wasn’t. It’s not that I don’t recognize it now but at the time, you just go, what sounds good together," Hawley said. "So yes, that is my story. I mean, I don’t need to name a character after me, but it just ended up that way."
Jay Ellis, known for roles in projects like Hulu's Not Suitable For Work from Mindy Kaling, was cast as the lead after a prolonged development period for the spinoff. Hawley called the casting a "dream," praising Ellis's versatility. "Tonally, with Rookie, because we do everything, you really want to find somebody who, like Nathan, can play comedy, but can also bring the emotion, and Jay is just so, so talented across the board," Hawley said. "It’s another name that gets floated to you, and you’re like, is that possible? And then it all worked out. So I’m very excited about Jay, I think he really opens up the show to be its own thing in a great way."
Currently in the casting phase, the production is restarting preparations in Vancouver after some initial work last year. Hawley is traveling from Los Angeles, the filming hub for The Rookie, to oversee the pilot's development. The spinoff is designed as a standalone project, unlike the previous offshoot The Rookie: Feds, which starred Niecy Nash and was integrated into the original series. "The Rookie: North is a standalone pilot; it will not be embedded into The Rookie the way spinoff The Rookie: Feds starring Niecy Nash was," Hawley confirmed.
With the pilot targeting next season, there are no immediate plans for Ellis to appear on the mothership series during its current eighth season. However, Hawley left the door open for future crossovers if the spinoff succeeds. "But down the road, in success, definitely. It’s a little harder if it’s Vancouver and LA but it’s not impossible," he noted. This logistical challenge underscores the geographical separation between the two productions, with The Rookie continuing to film in Los Angeles while the pilot heads to Vancouver.
The greenlight for The Rookie: North came after securing Ellis, marking a significant milestone following what Hawley described as a long gestational period. ABC's decision reflects confidence in the franchise's enduring appeal, as The Rookie enters its eighth season with strong viewership. The original series, which premiered in 2018, has built a loyal audience through its blend of humor, action, and character-driven stories, and the spinoff aims to expand that universe in innovative ways.
Hawley's enthusiasm for the project stems from its potential to represent a wider American experience in law enforcement storytelling. By shifting from the high-stakes, rapid-response world of LA policing to the more isolated terrains of Pierce County, the series could offer fresh perspectives on the profession. "I think ultimately, what I got excited about was, I think every patrol cop show versus a procedural has really been big-city oriented," Hawley reflected. "I like the idea that this place is a bigger slice of America, where people live."
As preparations intensify, the pilot's success could pave the way for another successful expansion of the Rookie brand. With Ellis bringing emotional depth and comedic timing to the role, and Hawley at the helm, The Rookie: North positions itself as a compelling addition to ABC's lineup. Industry observers will be watching closely as the end-of-February shoot approaches, potentially signaling the next chapter for one of network television's reliable performers.
The broader context of spinoff development in television highlights the strategy's role in extending popular series. The Rookie: Feds, which aired in 2022-2023, demonstrated the viability of branching out, though it was canceled after one season. In contrast, The Rookie: North's standalone approach may allow for greater creative independence, avoiding the integration challenges faced by its predecessor.
Looking ahead, Hawley's dual role in managing both projects underscores his pivotal influence on the franchise. As The Rookie's eighth season premiere airs, fans can anticipate not only new episodes from the original but also early glimpses into the spinoff's world through updates like this one. Whether The Rookie: North secures a full series order remains to be seen, but the momentum suggests ABC is betting on its potential to capture audiences with its unique premise and setting.