When Does The Rookie Come Back? Season 9 Return Date on ABC
Quick answer: The Rookie Season 9 is listed to return on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2027, at 9 p.m. ET on ABC. The last new episode aired Monday, May 4, 2026. TV Insider's Season 9 report and TVmaze both carry the Jan. 6 date, and no episode title has been released. We checked at 12:30 a.m. ET on Nov. 1.
When does The Rookie come back?
TV Insider's Season 9 report, dated Oct. 11, says the premiere is Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2027, at 9/8c on ABC. TVmaze lists Season 9, Episode 1 for the same night at 9 p.m. ET, still titled TBA. TV Insider's midseason 2027 premiere list puts the new spin-off The Rookie: North right behind it at 10 p.m. as a series premiere.
The show is not on ABC's fall 2026 lineup. ABC held it for midseason, along with Will Trent and High Potential. We did not find an ABC-confirmed return date for either of those two, so we are not giving one here.
Where do things stand?
| Detail | What is listed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Network | ABC | TV Insider, TVmaze |
| Season 9 premiere | Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2027 | TV Insider, TVmaze |
| Time slot | 9:00 p.m. ET on ABC; the PT time isn't in the listings we read | TV Insider, TVmaze |
| Episode title | Not announced | TV Insider |
| Following show | The Rookie: North, series premiere, 10:00 p.m. ET | TV Insider, TVmaze |
| Last new episode | Monday, May 4, 2026, "The Bandit" (Season 8, Episode 18), at 10 p.m. ET | TVmaze |
| Season 8 length | 18 episodes | TVmaze |
| Season 9 episode count | Not announced | - |
Is the Jan. 6 date final?
It is what the listings carry on Nov. 1, not a date we have seen in an ABC press release. Midseason dates sometimes move, and TV Insider says its list is still being updated. The date moves from Monday nights, where the show finished Season 8, to Wednesday, so check the listings again closer to January. We will not call it confirmed until ABC's own schedule shows it.
Is The Rookie cancelled?
No. TV Insider's headline says the show was renewed for Season 9, and both listings above have a Season 9 premiere on the calendar.
What is on ABC until then?
ABC's Wednesday lineup this fall is Scrubs and Abbott Elementary; see the Scrubs and Abbott Elementary pages for the next new episodes. Thursday night is on the Grey's Anatomy page. For another ABC drama waiting on a 2027 date, see when High Potential comes back. All ABC shows we track are on the ABC page, and the full week is in the drama schedule.
Frequently asked questions
What time is The Rookie on in January?
The listings show 9:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2027. Local stations can shift network schedules, so check your local ABC station.
Is there a Season 9 trailer?
We haven't seen an official Season 9 trailer from ABC yet. We will add a clip once ABC posts one for the January premiere.