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The Rookie is a unique take on the highly popular crime procedural genre, and the best shows like The Rookie follow in the same vein of providing a new spin, showcasing a comedic ensemble cast, and featuring plenty of high-stakes drama and action. Considering how bingeable cop shows can be, fans of ABC's hit series can't get enough and need something to fill the void between weekly episodes. The Rookie follows middle-aged divorcee John Nolan (Nathan Fillion), who in his 40s decides to finally follow his lifelong dream of becoming a police officer for the LAPD.
The Rookie features a stellar cast of characters whose chemistry is undeniable, and The Rookie's best episodes contain a high amount of heart-pounding action mixed with a dash of romance and relational drama. For those looking for shows like The Rookie, all these things play a factor in possibilities. From classic police stalwarts such as Law & Order to off-beat comedies like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, there are a host of great shows to tide fans over. While plenty of shows exist in the police procedural genre, only the very best have the same vibe and character-driven narrative as The Rookie.
20 Monk (2002-2009)
A Former Detective With OCD Solves Crimes
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Starring Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk, Monk follows the titular detective, a private investigator with OCD who helps solve crimes with the San Francisco Police. On the side, he also investigates the death of his wife, who was killed by a car bomb. Bitty Schram, Traylor Howard, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford also star.
Release Date July 12, 2002
Seasons 8
Directors Randy Zisk , Jerry Levine
Tony Shalhoub stars as Adrian Monk, a former brilliant homicide detective who had a mental breakdown after his wife's unsolved murder. After leaving the force, he eventually becomes a private investigator and helps them solve crimes using his extreme OCD, which allows him to see anything out of place. The overarching storyline sees Monk wanting to solve his wife's murder, but the main episodes are all about him solving crimes using his brilliant investigating skills.
The entire tone of Monk is very similar to that of The Rookie. While the two shows have different detective archetypes, they never take themselves too seriously, although both shows have moments where it can get very dark when needed. Monk also has a strong legacy, and Shalhoub is just as strong of a leading man as Nathan Fillion, and they are both responsible for their show's success.
19 Bones (2005-2017)
An FBI Agent Teams With A Forensic Anthropologist
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Bones follows Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel), a forensic anthropologist who teams up with FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) to solve crimes in the DC area. Using Brennan's forensic knowledge, the pair work together to catch killers with the help of a team at the fictional Jeffersonian Institute.
Release Date September 13, 2005
Seasons 12
Showrunner Hart Hanson
After spending years playing a vampire with a soul in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, David Boreanaz signed on to play a more realistic character as an FBI agent named Steeley Booth, who is assigned to work with forensic anthropologist Temperance "Bones" Brennan (Emily Deschanel). Much like The Rookie, these two might be the lead characters, but this is more of an ensemble, with the other investigators playing just as big of a role in both the cases and in the interpersonal storylines.
The "will they or won't they?" question played out in both shows throughout multiple seasons.
Bones and The Rookie also share the same humor and romantic storylines. The Rookie focuses on Chen and Bradford and their relationship; in Bones, it is all about Bones and Booth. Their romantic relationship is also always a strong part of their mystery-solving investigations, although it didn't become as pronounced on Bones until its later seasons. The "will they or won't they?" question played out in both shows throughout multiple seasons.
18 Criminal Minds (2005- )
The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit
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Criminal Minds centers on cases of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), a group of elite criminal profilers who analyze the country's most notorious criminals as they look to anticipate their next moves before they strike again. Starting in 2005, Criminal Minds ran for 15 seasons before getting a revival show, Criminal Minds: Evolution, in 2022.
Release Date September 22, 2005
Seasons 17
Showrunner Erica Messer
Criminal Minds is often on a different level from shows like The Rookie. While the Nathan Fillion series is often lighthearted, it also tends to bring in some serious bad guys to go up against the LAPD. However, Criminal Minds is all about dark criminals and often the worst of the worst. Many of the bad guys in this show are based on real-life serial killers, and the team has to stop them or face having innocents die, including often having to save children from dangerous situations.
They will put their lives on the line to save each other and never think twice about it.
With that said, the big selling point of Criminal Minds, above the deadly killers, is the relationship between the team members. They have developed a close relationship, and they are there for each other time and time again. They will put their lives on the line to save each other and never think twice about it. As The Rookie moved on, it developed a similar style, with the LAPD officers having each other's backs and it being just as much about their teamwork as it is about the cases they solve.
17 Rookie Blue (2010-2015)
The Original Show About Police Rookies
Rookie Blue
Finale Year November 30, 2014
Seasons 6
The Rookie is a show about rookie police officers and the training officers who work with them. There is a lot more to the show than that, but that is the basic premise. There was a similar show from 2010 that had the same premise. Rookie Blue is a Canadian police procedural that follows a group of rookie police officers who set out to prove themselves in the field. Both shows do the same thing when they learn more about their jobs and seek to find respect from the senior officers on the force.
The show has some familiar faces in the cast, with Missy Peregrym starring before she moved on to FBI a few years later, alongside Travis Milne, years before he took on another police officer role as Detective Peyton in Chucky. Like The Rookie, this is more than a basic police procedural, as it is more about the relationships between the group of rookies, making it a perfect parallel series to The Rookie.
16 Hawaii Five-0 (2010-2020)
Police Officers Solve Crimes In Hawai'i
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A modern imagining of the classic series that was released during the 1960s, Hawaii Five-0 is an action series that follows a special task force that handles various crimes in Hawaii. Acting outside their normal jurisdiction and given free rein across the state from the Governor himself, the twosome of Steve McGarrett and Danny Williams deal with terrorist plots, kidnappings, and other serious crimes.
Release Date September 20, 2010
Creator(s) Peter M. Lenkov , Alex Kurtzman , Leonard Freeman
Seasons 10
Showrunner Alex Kurtzman
Hawaii Five-0 is a remake of the classic TV show Hawaii Five-O, which aired from 1968 to 1980. The new series lasted almost as long, running for 10 seasons and 240 episodes. The rebooted series exists in the same fictional universe as NCIS, Magnum P.I., and MacGyver (the latter two also reboots of classic shows). Hawaii Five-0 is very similar to The Rookie in the setup of the police officers and their relationships both on the job and in their personal lives as they go about their duties.
Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Cann star as Steve McGarrett and Danny Williams lead the cast, while the original cast also included Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park. The series is also similar to The Rookie in that it could lose cast members and still survive the losses by just moving new people into the lead roles. The series ended in 2020, around the same time that Magnum P.I. and MacGyver also ended, and it remained a popular series from start to finish on CBS.
15 CHiPs (1977 – 1983)
Two Motorcycle Cops In California
The late-'70s was a boom period for cop shows. CHiPs is looked back on fondly as a low-stakes classic and is one of the best shows like The Rookie. The series followed the day-to-day exploits of a pair of California Highway Patrolmen as they bust bad guys and try to balance their personal lives. The cases were always secondary to the interpersonal drama surrounding "Ponch" and Baker.
Like The Rookie, the audience was more invested in the characters than in the police procedural aspects, and an investment in the characters meant the other plot points were more exciting as it means the characters they've come to care for are the ones in imminent danger. Though it is cheesy by today's standards, CHiPs is nevertheless a light and enjoyable watch, with its character focus making it one of the best shows like The Rookie.
14 Blue Bloods (2010-2024)
A Team Of New York Police Officers With Family Values
Similar to The Rookie, family is at the heart of the story in Blue Bloods, and over its decade-plus on the air, family has always come first. One of the best shows like The Rookie follows the Reagan clan, a multigenerational police family headed up by Frank, the commissioner for New York City.
The Rookie viewers will love Blue Bloods' character-driven narrative, and the show offers several unique perspectives through all the different members of the family. Similar to The Rookie, audiences will fall in love with the series' characters and resonate with their relatable relational struggles. Brilliantly weaving its cop stories with the family's troubles, the show is made all the more riveting thanks to Blue Bloods' intelligent and likable main characters.
13 Third Watch (1999 – 2005)
A Series Combining First Responders & Police Officers
Years before shows like 9-1-1 married the stories of police, firefighters, and paramedics together, Third Watch captivated audiences with the exact same structure, and it's one of the best shows like The Rookie. The show follows the nightly work of the men and women of NYC's 55th precinct, and the tangled web that is their personal lives.
The best procedural TV shows find a fine balance between the profession in question and the actual lives of the people who do the job. Third Watch is very much like The Rookie in that it focuses on the uniformed officers who do most of the heavy lifting at their police precinct. On top of that, the inclusion of paramedics and firefighters helped set it apart from the other cop shows of the era, and provides a unique spin on the overdone procedural show, just like The Rookie.
12 S.W.A.T. (2017 — )
A Reboot Of The Classic Police Procedural
Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson of S.W.A.T. and John Nolan of The Rookie might have different life stories, but their complicated path to their jobs is the crux of both shows, making S.W.A.T. a great option for those looking for shows like The Rookie. S.W.A.T. follows the aforementioned lieutenant as he attempts to reconcile his loyalty to the streets with his loyalty to his fellow officers.
Not afraid to get political, S.W.A.T. goes where many procedurals don't dare to tread. Though it is a bit heavier than The Rookie, the character-driven narrative makes it a much more coherent watching experience, and the action is always crisp and exciting from episode to episode. People often discount how action-packed The Rookie is, and S.W.A.T. delivers that same action in spades.
11 Law & Order (1990 – )
The Original Law & Order Series
Even after a 12-year hiatus, the triumphant return of Law & Order means the show can continue to be the standard-bearer for all police procedurals, and is the blueprint for shows like The Rookie. The series follows the detectives of the NYPD as they solve murder cases and assist the DAs in getting solid convictions after the fact.
Ranked highly among the shows in the Law & Order franchise, the original is still the best in many viewers' eyes because it blazed the trail. Shows had depicted detective work before, and others had shown courtroom proceedings, but none had properly married the two together, giving a unique slant to the genre just as The Rookie does. While it is considerably less character-driven than The Rookie, the early seasons are especially dramatic for the detectives.
10 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013 – 2021)
A Comedy Slant On Police Procedurals
Even the most serious-minded viewer of The Rookie needs a break from the dramatics sometimes, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine perfectly fits that bill. Law and order comes to Brooklyn's 99th precinct, and immature cop Jake Peralta must learn to play by the rules. It's one of the best shows like The Rookie because it contains a similar wit, a unique angle, and even some high-octane action sequences.
With just the right mix of original humor and parody, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a spoof for people who may or may not love procedurals. It stands on its own feet without having to rely too heavily on cop tropes, and over its 8 season run it even found a new home at a different network after leaving Fox. Those who love the comedy of The Rookie will certainly find a new favorite series in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, as the series is more hilarious and just as character-driven.
9 Southland (2009 – 2013)
A New Cop Joins The LAPD
Sharing Los Angeles as a setting, The Rookie and Southland both deal with a cop who is new to the force, making Southland one of the best shows like The Rookie. LAPD rookie Ben Sherman begins to question his place on the squad after being partnered up with an old-fashioned cop who does things his own way.
While it isn't the flattering portrait of police work that The Rookie is, Southland is a compelling drama narrative that relies heavily on the characters to tell the story. The no-nonsense nature of the show meant they could take things a little darker, and it doesn't have any qualms about showing the darker side of the force in vivid detail. Southland and The Rookie share both a location and a premise, despite Southland taking a more serious direction.
8 LA's Finest (2019 – 2020)
The Spin-Off From Bad Boys
It only stuck around for two seasons, but LA's Finest offered fans a fun ride that was the best of both worlds when it came to comedy and drama, and is a great option for audiences looking for shows like The Rookie. The spinoff of the Bad Boys films featured two female detectives with equally shady pasts who team up to bring down some of Los Angeles' biggest criminals.
Unlike the goofball humor of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, LA's Finest offered a more reserved experience with a heaping helping of action as well. Similar to The Rookie, it contains a character-driven narrative and compelling cases. Fans of The Rookie will enjoy the tangled web of the character's lives, and its two-season run means it could be easily binged in no time at all.
7 Chicago P.D. (2014 – )
The One Chicago Police Procedural
Slowly becoming a fixture of the procedural genre, Chicago P.D. returned the form to its roots with a simpler approach to the good old-fashioned cop show, and it's one of the best shows like The Rookie. The men and women of the Chicago P.D.'s intelligence unit use their specific know-how to stop major crimes that infest their city, resulting in heart-pounding action and unique cases.
The Rookie is undoubtedly more character-motivated, but Chicago P.D. isn't without its after-hours drama. More in the vein of Law & Order, Chicago P.D. sees its relational drama as various side plots, but it doesn't mean that it doesn't affect the officers. However, the procedural elements are the show's best feature, and considering it has spin-offs, the basic formula has worked to perfection over its 10 seasons on the air.
6 9-1-1 (2018 – )
The First Responders
Co-created by TV titan Ryan Murphy, 9-1-1 has a cheeky vibe that was totally absent from the procedural genre, and it's one of the best shows like The Rookie because of its unique spin on the genre, character-driven narrative, occasional humor, and high-stakes action. The show centers on the lives and careers of LA's police officers, firefighters, and EMTs as they respond to some of the city's many crimes and accidents.
Over-the-top moments abound on the show, and many viewers tune in each week to see what wacky thing will happen next. It isn't as serious as The Rookie, but its Los Angeles setting and variety are enough to bond the two fandoms together. With almost unlimited story potential at their disposal, 9-1-1 will certainly stick around for years to come.
5 FBI (2018 — )
The FBI Series Set In New York City
The man responsible for helming the prolific Law & Order franchise, Dick Wolf, struck crime procedural gold again with one of the best shows like The Rookie, FBI. Like The Rookie, the character-driven series sees Maggie Bell (Missy Peregrym) and Omar Adom Zidan (Zeeko Zaki) working for the New York office of the FBI and solving some seriously bizarre but high-stakes cases. Similar to The Rookie, FBI paces its action at the highest speed.
Audiences will assuredly fall in love with Maggie and Omar, just as they've fallen for John Nolan and the rest of The Rookie's most likable characters. While FBI certainly contains less quirky humor than The Rookie, it's a truly unique procedural that features a ton of action and intriguing cases to keep audiences on the edge of their seats from start to finish.
4 Castle (2009 — 2016)
Nathan Fillion's Former Hit Show
What many watching The Rookie may not realize is that Nathan Fillion has already starred in a successful crime drama called Castle, and it's one of the best shows like The Rookie. Aside from sharing a lead actor, Castle is similar to The Rookie in enumerable ways. It also sees a protagonist who is new to law enforcement, quirky humor, interesting cases, and a dash of romance/relational drama.
Castle follows mystery writer Richard Castle (Fillion), who finds himself involved with solving crimes and catching bad guys with NYPD detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic). The two have a comical and entertaining back-and-forth, which eventually resulted in a highly-anticipated romance. Castle features the same acerbic wit as The Rookie, though Richard and John are definitively different characters. Like The Rookie, Castle performs a successful balancing act of crime and comedy.
3 NCIS (2003 — )
The Navy Law Enforcement Series
With 20 years on the air, NCIS has been lauded as one of the best procedurals of all time and is a perfect option for those looking for shows like The Rookie. While mainstays like Mark Harmon have left NCIS over the years, the series has managed to successfully live on with its new characters and similar to The Rookie is able to deftly blend comedy and crime. In addition, it's a lot more character-driven than other procedurals.
Technically a spinoff of JAG, NCIS stands for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and follows the special agents of this particular branch of the law. NCIS takes a unique spin in that it investigates crimes in the Navy and the Marine Corps. While the crimes on NCIS are definitely intriguing, similar to The Rookie, audiences come back for the unique cast of characters, and both shows feature a balance of comic relief and high-stakes action.
2 The Closer (2005 — 2012)
A CIA Interrogator Turned LAPD Chief
When looking for shows like The Rookie, audiences want a procedural drama that will properly feature how the harrowing job of law enforcement affects both the officers and the public. The Closer does this in spades, featuring Kyra Sedgwick as LAPD Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson. Providing a unique twist just like The Rookie, Johnson has previous CIA training and specializes in interviewing suspects and drawing confessions.
That's why she's known as "the closer," since she's able to crack the toughest of cases and elicit confessions from the most stubborn of criminals. Similar to The Rookie, The Closer took a deeper look at how being in law enforcement affects the psyche of its characters, and how the LAPD's subsequent decisions impact the general public. It may not boast as many laughs as The Rookie, but it contains the same frenetic pacing and provides an intriguing slant on the crime procedural genre.
1 The Mentalist (2008 — 2015)
A Psychic Assists The CBI
One of the highlights of The Rookie is that it sees a middle-aged man who is new to law enforcement, and comes to find out that he's actually pretty good at it while providing some comic relief along the way. The same can be said for The Mentalist, one of the best shows like The Rookie. The Mentalist sees former fake psychic Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) using his high intelligence and attention to detail as a new consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation.
Similar to The Rookie, The Mentalist features a character-driven narrative and its own offbeat sense of humor mixed with high-stakes crimes. Both protagonists share a lot of parallels, as both are new to law enforcement and have taken on a huge life change due to dramatic events within their personal lives. The Mentalist received positive reviews over the course of its seven-season run, and is a great option for those looking for shows like The Rookie.
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The Rookie follows John Nolan, a small-town man who, after a significant life event, becomes the oldest rookie at the Los Angeles Police Department. As he begins his policing career, Nolan faces skepticism from his superiors, testing his resolve to succeed in this challenging new role.
Release Date October 16, 2018
Creator(s) Alexi Hawley
Seasons 7
Showrunner Alexi Hawley
English (US) ·