The Rookie season 7 is primed to introduce several new characters, which is a good sign for the upcoming outing’s big story promise. ABC’s police procedural follows the career of 40-something cop John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) — the oldest rookie at the LA Police Department (LAPD). Since 2018, the series has churned out six uneven seasons, but The Rookie season 7 promises to be a return to form, especially where the show’s episodic storytelling is concerned. Despite attempts at a twist, The Rookie‘s season 6 ending was somewhat predictable, which means the upcoming installment must make some big changes.

Aside from its novel premise, The Rookie‘s cast of characters help the series stand apart from other run-of-the-mill police procedurals. In addition to Fillion’s protagonist, the series boasts memorable personalities such as Angela Lopez (Alyssa Diaz), Wade Grey (Richard T. Jones), Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil), Tim Bradford​​​​​​​ (Eric Winter), and Nyla Harper​​​​​​​ (Mekia Cox), among many other guest and recurring characters. However, six seasons and 108 episodes into its run, The Rookie is hoping that introducing some new characters in its seventh outing will refresh the series and put a renewed focus on episodic stories.

The Rookie Season 7’s New Characters Explained

Nathan Fillion’s Police Procedural Promises To Return To Episodic Storytelling

The Rookie season 7’s update reveals​​​​​​​ new characters will be joining the show’s LAPD, including new rookie cops Miles (Deric Augustine) and Seth (Patrick Keleher). The new characters will be introduced in the wake of the show’s sixth season finale. During The Rookie season 6, episode 10, Monica (Bridget Regan) broke Oscar (Matthew Glave) out of prison, though Jason (Steve Kazee), Bailey’s (Jenna Dewan) ex, also went free. This single thread sets the stage for a major season-seven conflict and certainly raises the personal stakes, but The Rookie isn’t putting all of its narrative eggs in one basket.

The new rookie cops are a huge part of the narrative shifts that will unfold during the upcoming The Rookie season 7. Although details have been scarce, Variety revealed a bit of information about the police procedural’s newcomers. Augustine’s Miles is a transfer rookie hailing from Texas who already has two years on the force under his belt, while Keleher, a TV rookie himself, plays Seth — a newbie who isn’t very quick-thinking under pressure. As recurring characters, both Miles and Seth will add new layers and dynamics to The Rookie‘s team, all while the show continues existing plots.

The Rookie’s New Characters Can Help Season 7 Be More Episodic

The Rookie Will Have More Recurring Characters To Spend TIme With

The Rookie season 6 suffered from its serialized storytelling, but The Rookie‘s most exciting season 7 promise — a return to episodic storytelling — indicates an exciting shift. That said, adding new characters to the show will help that episodic endeavor. Since Miles and Seth will be recurring characters, their unique plotlines will allow the series to expand its scope. With more characters — and relationships — to explore, The Rookie can spotlight cast members and case-of-the-week threads in its seventh season installments, allowing some of the focus to shift away from the “main,” overarching plot.

The Rookie season 7 is slated for a 2025 premiere date.

Source: Variety