The Rookie season 6: season finale info, cast and everything we know about the police drama

Nathan Fillion as John Nolan in uniform in The Rookie season 6 finale
Nathan Fillion, The Rookie (Image credit: Disney/Raymond Liu)

After five successful seasons, The Rookie season 6 celebrates a monumental milestone for the hit series. When the new episodes start airing, the countdown to The Rookie’s 100th episode officially begins. The special occasion occurs with the second episode of season 6. 

The Rookie was technically the most senior primetime police-related drama on ABC going into last season. However, if you haven’t heard, 9-1-1 is moving over to ABC, which means that come 2024, that senior honor will go to the Angela Bassett-led series as it goes into season 7. 

With all that said, what can longtime fans of The Rookie expect when John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) returns? Here’s everything we know.  

The Rookie season 6 finale 

The Rookie is back with the final episode of season 6. 

The episode titled "Escape Plan" airs on Tuesday, May 21, at 9 pm ET/PT on ABC. Here is a synopsis of what's to come: 

"Sgt. Grey helps the team prepare for their biggest mission yet. Meanwhile, Aaron, Lopez, Celina, Tim and Smitty discover a surprising connection in their case."

Check out this promo clip of the episode. 

The Rookie is an ABC original series and new episodes air live directly on the broadcast network. For those that have cut ties with traditional cable/satellite television, ABC is available on live TV streaming services such as Fubo TV, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV. New episodes can also be streamed the next day on Hulu.

There is no official timetable for when season 6 episodes air in the UK, but seasons 1-5 can be seen on Sky TV or NOW.   

The Rookie season 6 plot

At the heart of the series is a police procedural that follows John Nolan as he continues to make headway in his law enforcement career, having changed professions a little later in life. 

Over the course of five seasons, the show has not only taken John from the oldest trainee with the LAPD to the newest trainer of future officers, but it has also expanded the perspectives of the show, often portraying the ups and downs of those in John’s orbit like officers Bradford (Eric Winter), Chen (Melissa O’Neil) and Grey (Richard T. Jones). 

One thing we can look forward to in the new season is an explanation of who set up the team in the season 5 finale and why. While a guy named Luke was apprehended for the coordinated attacks on the team, John knew that Luke didn't seem capable of pulling off such a plan. Not to mention, the mysterious man driving off in the final moments of the episode was satisfied that Luke provided the perfect distraction to something more sinister, which is definitely a cause for concern.

Plus, after being shot, is Aaron (Tru Valentino) going to make it? 

As more information about The Rookie season 6 official synopsis becomes available, we’ll place it right here.  

Nathan Fillion as John running in The Rookie season 6

Nathan Fillion, The Rookie  (Image credit: Disney/Raymond Liu)

The Rookie season 6 cast

Leading the way as Officer John Nolan is Nathan Fillion. Fillion has been in numerous hit shows throughout his career including Castle, Modern Family and Big Mouth, and he appears in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. 

Also returning alongside Fillion are Alyssa Diaz (Ray Donovan: The Movie), Richard T. Jones (A Black Lady Sketch Show), Melissa O’Neil ( iZombie), Eric Winter (The Good Doctor), Lisseth Chavez (Chicago P.D.) and Jenna Dewan (Superman & Lois). 

The Rookie season 6 trailer

It looks like your favorite officers are back for some more high-stakes cases and personal developments. Take a look at the trailer below. 

Terrell Smith

Terrell Smith has a diverse writing background having penned material for a wide array of clients including the federal government and Bravo television personalities.  When he’s not writing as Terrell, he’s writing under his pseudonym Tavion Scott, creating scripts for his audio drama podcasts. Terrell is a huge fan of great storytelling when it comes to television and film. Some of his favorite shows include The CrownWandaVision, Abbot Elementary and Godfather of HarlemAnd a fun fact is he's completely dialed into the TLC 90 Day Fiancé universe.