JuicyTalk
Deep into the ongoing season, ABC still hasn’t renewed its top two fan-favorite hits, and that’s baffling. As the 2025-2026 TV cycle slowly comes to a close, scripted shows have been focused on setting up their eventual finales in the next few weeks. However, this is also an important time for networks, as it’s typically the time to decide on which projects will be coming back next fall, and which ones will be ending their runs.
ABC actually started the cycle earlier than its peers. While CBS and NBC waited until late September to mid-October 2025 to roll out their shows, the Disney-owned network kicked off the new season around mid-September, hence why the Kaitlin Olson-led High Potential already wrapped season 2. Meanwhile, others, like Grey’s Anatomy season 22 and the 9-1-1 franchise, have had multiple breaks in 2026 to ensure that their finales will fall in the traditional capper period. While all three and the majority of its big scripted shows already have confirmed futures, there are still two projects on its roster that have yet to have their verdicts.
The Rookie Season 9 & Will Trent Season 5 Haven’t Been Renewed
Interestingly, ABC hasn’t greenlit The Rookie season 9 and Will Trent season 5. The shows were in tandem for years, occupying the broadcaster’s Tuesday primetime block, but things changed when the Nathan Fillion-led cop show moved to Monday nights. Regardless, both remain important in ABC’s roster as some of the most popular police procedurals on network TV. Considering their successes, it’s interesting that the network is taking their time deciding on their future.
The Rookie Is Reclaiming Its Lost Glory By Going Back To Basics
As the ABC show has become more ambitious, it has lost sight of the basics of a police procedural. Thankfully, The Rookie is doing something about it.
Both The Rookie and Will Trent debut in the winter instead of fall, as part of ABC’s programming strategy. Despite the extended wait between seasons, the decision is working for the broadcaster. Besides the live and same-day viewership, they have also been hits on streaming, as weekly episodes eventually become available to stream on Hulu the next day. The Rookie and Will Trent have grown in popularity on social media.
While The Rookie and Will Trent aren’t legacy shows like CBS’s NCIS and NBC’s Law & Order: SVU, they represent a modern twist on the tried and tested police procedural genre on network TV. They bring new viewers to the space and even help ABC gain recognition in that regard. Given all of these, they should have been easy renewals.
What Are The Chances Of ABC Renewing The Rookie & Will Trent?
Per a status report back in February (via Deadline), the chances of The Rookie and Will Trent being renewed are high, considering their respective successes. By then, conversations about the renewal of Alex Hawley’s procedural with lead studio Lionsgate TV were already in full swing, although no additional news about the matter since then. Mid-Wilshire’s return to the screen next fall/winter is expected, but unfortunately, it will come with budget cuts, which means a shorter run overall and/or a decrease in episodic appearances for its main cast. The Rookie season 9’s tighter cost is puzzling after its Prague-set season 8 premiere.
ABC Sets Up Will Trent’s First Original Character Exit After 3 Years
ABC’s Will Trent has been able to keep its ensemble intact throughout its run, but new developments suggest that a main character is soon exiting.
As for Will Trent, the relatively newer show is also expected to return during the 2026-2027 TV cycle, as it’s supposedly the most -watched ABC scripted series in Live+Same Day viewership. Besides that, the network brass reportedly also loves the Ramón Rodríguez- spearheaded procedural. No word, however, on if it will also go through cost-cutting measurements like The Rookie and other longer-running shows on the network.
Assuming all of these are accurate, it’s curious what’s holding up ABC’s decision for the aforementioned series. Additionally, it’s also interesting if this state of limbo has impacted the way The Rookie and Will Trent are ending their respective seasons. Hopefully, ABC officially seals their fate, sooner rather than later.
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