'The Rookie's Spin-Off Is Making the Same Mistake as the Franchise’s Cancelled Show

ABC’s hit series, The Rookie, has another spin-off in the works, with series creator Alexi Hawley showrunning The Rookie: North, starring Jay Ellis cast as the lead. The Rookie: North is set in Washington State, and follows a middle-aged man named Alex Holand in his 40s-50s who becomes a police officer, starting a new phase in his life in its second act. Wait a minute, that sounds vaguely familiar. Isn’t that the premise of The Rookie? That backstory sounds almost identical to John Nolan’s (Nathan Fillion), the lead character of the flagship series. And while the original series is still successful, it feels like The Rookie: North is making a huge mistake by banking on the same premise as the original show. Even worse, it’s a mistake they’ve made already.