Eric Winter revealed that he and co-stars were seriously concerned The Rookie was on the chopping block before it’s eventual renewal.
The actor opened up about filming the conclusion of season 8 and confessed they shot an alternative ending in case the ABC drama wasn’t renewed for another season.
To avoid spoilers, HELLO! won’t reveal the ending of the latest season, but Eric confirmed at San Diego Comic Con on July 25: “We didn’t know when we wrapped last season if we would ever come back. We even shot an alternate ending to the show.”
Eric spoke to People and said he was “thrilled” that The Rookie will be returning for another season, however there were moments of concern before they received the good news.
The cast members returning to the Rookie for season 9
© Getty ImagesNo doubt there will be some fresh faces on the new season, but it looks like the main cast members, including Nathan Fillion and Richard T. Jones will also be returning… and they’re happy about that.
“Anytime we find out we have another season with this great group of people, it’s an exciting time,” Eric told the outlet with relief. “I’m very happy that we get to come back.”
Melissa O’Neil thanked fans for their support at the event, and gushed: “We’re so grateful for the fans of the show. They’ve helped get us to where we are.
“The reason they keep watching, and new people keep joining all the time, is why we’ve made it to season 9.
“Hopefully, we’ll get to tell the story for even longer,” she added. “We have a lot of love for the fans, and we’re so grateful for their enthusiasm.”
Melissa also auditioned for a totally different character on The Rookie
© DisneyShe’s has starred on the show for eight years and plays Lucy Chen, a police officer turned sergeant.
Melissa recently spoke to HELLO! in an exclusive interview in which she revealed what made her say “yes” to taking on the part of Lucy.
“I actually auditioned for two characters to begin with, at totally different ends of the power spectrum, but the dialogue was fantastic. It was about cops, but was totally driven by their own personal journeys, and that is what excited me the most.”
© Juliet GraceAnd when asked what input she’s had in Lucy’s character development, she praised the production team.
“I do feel like I’ve had a voice,” she told us. “But I don’t want my saying that to somehow place an outsized importance on it. It is a Herculean feat what our showrunner and the writing team accomplish and that we’re able to do all of this, every episode is very ambitious, and somehow we get it through.”
Season 9 of The Rookie is expected to premiere on ABC in January 2027.
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