The Rookie Captivates Gen Z: Find Out What Makes It a Hit!

Hannah Leef, a 15-year-old from New England, should be focusing on her midterm exams. Instead, she’s dedicating time to rewatch her favorite episode (season two, episode eight) of The Rookie, an ABC drama about police officers in Los Angeles. Leef describes the show as her “hyperfixation.”

Leef binge-watched all seven previous seasons of The Rookie in just three weeks, a pace she jokingly criticizes as “not healthy.” She continues to follow new episodes while regularly revisiting the entire series, which she has done about 10 times. Her enthusiasm for the show has influenced around 12 or 13 of her friends to start watching it, with one even completing the series in a single week, sacrificing sleep to do so.

Leef’s passion for The Rookie is part of a larger trend. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, the show surprisingly attracts a substantial young audience. Nielsen data indicates that it was the most-streamed series among viewers under 18 across all broadcast television last year, surpassing shows like Abbott Elementary and High Potential, though not exclusive streaming hits like Stranger Things. Dwayne Johnson, whose daughter is another ardent fan, recently took her for a set visit. Alexi Hawley, the show’s creator, often hears from parents about their children’s fondness for the series, though he declined to comment further.

The show’s appeal among teenagers is unexpected in the digital age dominated by TikTok and YouTube, where traditional TV is watched less than ever. Nielsen data reveals that 90% of television consumption by this demographic comes from non-traditional sources, primarily streaming platforms. Despite this, The Rookie, a classic network police procedural, has captured the hearts of Gen Z viewers.

The Rookie’s official TikTok account boasts over 2.9 million followers, significantly more than those of shows like The White Lotus and The Last Of Us, and even though Stranger Things leads with 8.1 million. Many young fans, including 16-year-old Jade Amirah Lewis from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, first stumbled upon The Rookie through social media platforms like YouTube. Lewis appreciates the show’s blend of comedy and drama, noting that it allows viewers to experience a range of emotions.

Lewis, aspiring to be an FBI agent, finds the procedural nature of The Rookie comforting. The tight narrative closure each episode provides, followed by a new story the next week, offers a reassuring rhythm to her viewing experience.

Starring Nathan Fillion, a Gen X actor known for his role in the early-2000s space drama Firefly, The Rookie centers on John Nolan, a middle-aged, divorced father who moves to Los Angeles to become an LAPD officer. As the oldest rookie in his class, Nolan deals with generational gaps among his younger peers while tackling the challenges of policing. The series also explores a slow-developing romantic storyline amidst high-stakes police work, like a plot involving a kidnapped officer facing imminent danger.

Katie Campione, a senior reporter at Deadline, notes that The Rookie’s popularity is indicative of a broader trend where younger viewers are drawn to long-established television series. Campione explains that these shows allow viewers to spend extensive time with familiar characters, a rarity in contemporary television.

Mariah Smith, a 22-year-old college student from Memphis, runs a popular Rookie-themed TikTok account. She began watching the show at 19 and has since been so committed that she reschedules her activities around its broadcast, even selling her NBA game tickets when they conflict with the show’s airing time.

Despite its engaging content, The Rookie doesn’t demand undivided attention according to Campione. Viewers can easily multitask while watching, whether they are browsing on their phones or doing other activities.

Interestingly, the show’s positive depiction of police work has resonated with young viewers, a demographic generally skeptical of law enforcement. Following the police killing of George Floyd, showrunner Hawley mentioned a shift in portraying police officers on the show, aiming for a more realistic representation. The series now includes consultants from Color of Change, a racial justice organization, to advise on its portrayal of policing.

In one storyline, a racially biased officer faces minimal consequences, reflecting the complexities and frustrations with the current state of law enforcement. Campione believes that The Rookie is opening up important discussions on these issues, discussions that many feel are needed in reality as well.

Leef, unable to stay up for the live broadcasts, watches The Rookie early in the morning. For her birthday, a friend gifted her a painted vinyl record featuring a song from a memorable scene in the show, which she has displayed as a decorative piece, admitting she doesn’t own a record player. She’s unsure of the song’s title, but believes it could be either “Breathe Freely” by Uncle Leo or “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys.

Eric Winter, who portrays Sgt. Tim Bradford, also runs a rum brand and occasionally holds promotional events, which Leef wishes to attend. Unfortunately, due to age restrictions, she cannot participate in these events.