15 TV Shows To Watch If You Like The Rookie

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Ever since 2018, the ABC police procedural series "The Rookie" has thrilled audiences with its look at life as a uniformed cop. The titular rookie is John Nolan (Nathan Fillion), a middle-aged man who decides to completely change his life after a recent divorce. Relocating from Pennsylvania to Los Angeles, Nolan becomes a police officer despite being in his 40s. After graduating from the academy, Nolan proves himself among his colleagues on the LAPD, embracing his midlife second wind. Powered by his considerable on-screen charm, "The Rookie" is one of the best Nathan Fillion shows.

Of course, there are plenty of other police procedurals available to watch after "The Rookie," it's one of television's biggest genre staples. We're looking at shows that focus on various characters working in law enforcement, often with a personal touch to them like Fillion's hit ABC series. Here are 15 TV shows to watch if you like "The Rookie," looking for more law enforcement stories to enjoy.

When it comes to uniformed police officers at work in Los Angeles, "Adam-12" sets the procedural foundation. Premiering in 1968, the show follows veteran LAPD officer Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) who is paired with rookie Jim Reed (Kent McCord) after losing his previous partner. Though Malloy contemplated resigning from the force because of the tragic loss, he finds new purpose in showing Reed the ropes. Throughout the series, the two officers' personal lives are touched on as they take their careers to the next level.

"Adam-12" stands among the best police procedural TV shows of all time, running for seven seasons. The show itself is very straight-laced, with Malloy and Reed's rapport anchoring much of the series' appeal. The show received a two-season revival in 1990, modernizing the premise but just missing the procedural renaissance popularized by "Law & Order" and "NYPD Blue." A crime show staple in the '60s and '70s, "Adam-12" showcased the daily duty of the boys in blue.

Among the shows that spearheaded the explosion of police procedurals in the '90s was "NYPD Blue." Premiering in 1993, the show focuses on police detectives working on major crimes cases across Manhattan. Amid the series' rotating ensemble cast, the primary constant is detective Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz), who rises through the ranks throughout the show's 12-season run. The show blends gritty crime drama with explorations of the detectives' personal lives and how it is impacted by their work.

With its frank depiction of sex, violence, and substance abuse, "NYPD Blue" pushed boundaries for a network television show of its era. The incorporation of its main characters' messy personal lives was an especially memorable part of the series. Compared to "Law & Order," which debuted around the same time, "NYPD Blue" was the more raw procedural of the two and all the better for it. In 2019, the show received a failed revival pilot on ABC, reportedly canned for not living up to the original series as a reminder how good the '90s show still is.

For "Rookie" fans who can't get enough of Nathan Fillion working with the police, there's his previous procedural series "Castle." Also running on ABC, the show premiered in 2009 and ran for eight seasons, ending in 2016. Fillion plays best-selling novelist Richard Castle, who is brought in as a consulting detective to help the NYPD. Castle is partnered with police detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) who, despite their initial differences, fall in love with each other.

So much of the appeal to "Castle" lies in the electric chemistry between Fillion and Katic reflected by their characters' dynamic. The mystery elements are solidly staged and executed, but this is a show built around its lead actors' magnetic charisma. Given Fillion's geek culture bonafides, the show wisely leans into this association with the types of murder mysteries Castle and Beckett investigate. While the show didn't get the beautiful send-off fans hoped for, "Castle" stands as a consistent crowd-pleaser.

If "Adam-12" shows an idealistic portrait of police professionally living up to their duties around Los Angeles, "Southland" offers a more nuanced update to the premise. The 2009 series revolves around the daily lives of police officers and detectives, balancing their lives with their law enforcement careers. The show's primary officers are John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz) and Ben Sherman (Ben McKenzie) while the detectives are Lydia Adams (Regina King) and Sammy Bryant (Shawn Hatosy). Each of these characters have their own complicated domestic situations, from Cooper being a closeted queer man to Adams caring for her mother.

To be clear, "Southland" isn't as morally compromised as "The Shield," but the TNT series definitely brings a healthy amount of ambiguity and complexity to its characters. This lends to the show's overall feeling of pronounced authenticity as it shines a multifaceted light on the people joining the police. Cudlitz and King, in particular, bring their characters to fascinating life, trying to keep their personal lives intact while regularly putting their lives on the line. A searing look at those serving in the LAPD, "Southland" rises above the standard tenets of a police procedural.

As one can surmise from its title, the 2010 Canadian series "Rookie Blue" also follows newcomers to the police force like "The Rookie." Instead of Los Angeles, this particular story is set in Toronto and is centered on five recent graduates from the police academy. This includes protagonist Andy McNally (Missy Peregrym), whose wide-eyed idealism gets a big reality check as she gets firsthand experience. In addition to acclimating to life as a police officer, the characters' personal lives are explored, particularly how their work affects their time off-duty.

Given the multitude of police procedurals set in the United States, it's refreshing to have a solid one from a Canadian perspective. Elevated by its young lead actors, there's a noticeable dose of melodrama present throughout "Rookie Blue." This helps distinguish the show further, while Peregrym does a fantastic job in depicting McNally's evolution. A stylish Canadian procedural with an engaging cast at its forefront, "Rookie Blue" offers a reinvigorating take on a familiar premise.

A police drama with a family focus, "Blue Bloods" revolves around the Reagans, a New York-based clan who have an extensive history of working in law enforcement. The family is headed by patriarch Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck), who has become the New York City Police Commissioner as the culmination of a lengthy career. Frank's sons work in different departments of the NYPD while his daughter Erin (Bridget Moynahan) is an assistant district attorney for the city. The Reagans convene for a family dinner every Sunday as a weekly tradition, while their personal lives are juxtaposed with their respective careers.

"Blue Bloods" ran on CBS for 14 seasons, becoming a fixture on the network among its thriving crime genre programming. The familial premise offers a multifaceted perspective on the justice system and law enforcement systems while also fueling its interpersonal drama. Following the original series' conclusion, the Reagans' saga continued with the sequel spin-off "Boston Blue" in 2025. Balancing procedural stakes with a close-knit family as its emotional core, "Blue Bloods" is television comfort food.

After exploring different aspects of law enforcement in New York City with the "Law & Order" franchise, television producer Dick Wolf put a spotlight on Chicago with "Chicago P.D." A spin-off from "Chicago Fire," the 2014 series follows volatile veteran officer Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) and his team. Voight leads an elite unit within the Chicago Police Department and is intensely dedicated to his officers and their cases, often bending the law to get the job done. Even beyond its fiery lead, the show depicts the toll that the job takes on its ensemble cast, including emotional breakdowns from heartbreaking investigations.

"Chicago P.D." ranks highly among the "One Chicago" shows, series set in a shared television universe set within the Windy City. The ensemble cast gels together well and the series takes a more personal touch than Wolf's "Law & Order" shows. This is an approach to American law enforcement with more noticeable moral shades of gray though the difference between crooks and cops remains abundantly clear. A Midwest change from the usual crime shows centered in New York or Los Angeles, "Chicago P.D." is a solid, no-frills procedural.

The 2015 USA Network series "Graceland" brings together several undercover agents together under one roof. The show's premise revolves around a confiscated home in Southern California used by various federal agencies to house their respective undercover operatives. At the start of the series, protagonist Mike Warren (Aaron Tveit), a rookie FBI agent, is assigned as the house's latest addition. In the first season, Warren is secretly tasked with investigating his superior officer Paul Briggs (Daniel Sunjata) on suspected corruption, with institutional corruption serving as a recurring theme in the series.

There are several prominent elements that differentiate and elevate "Graceland" from standard law enforcement procedural fare. The shared domestic setting forces the characters close together while the corruption angle of Warren's investigations adds a cat-and-mouse tension to the story. Anchoring the show's stakes is the complicated and contentious dynamic between Warren and Briggs, with protege pitted against mentor. A very different take on the usual law enforcement rookie stories, "Graceland" was powered by strong performances from Tveit and Sunjata.

The 1975 series "S.W.A.T." received a modern reimagining in 2017, bringing a more nuanced and high-octane approach to the premise. The show centers on a Special Weapons and Tactics unit based out of Los Angeles led by Hondo Harrelson (Shemar Moore). With Hondo having grown up in a rough neighborhood in the city, his approach to law enforcement features more empathy than several of his associates. In between keeping the streets safe from major crimes, the series also explores Hondo's personal life, culminating in his marriage with social worker Nichelle Carmichael (Rochelle Aytes).

Arguably the most consistently action-packed show on this list, the 2017 "S.W.A.T." mixes social commentary with police-centric set pieces. "The Rookie" had leaned into political themes on occasion, particularly with the police's handling of racial issues and corruption, but "S.W.A.T." makes this distinction more overt and frequent. After the show's conclusion, it is set to get a spin-off with "S.W.A.T.: Exiles," bringing an edgier take on the franchise. Led by a strong performance from Moore, "S.W.A.T." brings a tougher perspective to the procedural format.

Another fan-favorite procedural starring Missy Peregrym is the CBS series "FBI," which premiered in 2018. Peregrym plays Maggie Bell, who comes from a family that has multi-generationally served in varying capacities within law enforcement. Assigned to a field office in New York City, Bell's partner is Omar Adom Zidan (Zeeko Zaki), a retired Army Ranger. Working together with the rest of the office's team, the duo investigate various crimes around the city, ranging from organized crime outfits to terrorism.

With "Law & Order" mastermind Dick Wolf bringing "FBI" to CBS, the federal procedural series has similarly flourished and grown into its own television franchise. The rapport between Bell and Zidan forms the bedrock of the series while its rotating cast members bring their own sensibilities to the show. This quality has expanded to three spin-offs and counting, with 2020's "FBI: Most Wanted," 2021's "FBI: International," and 2026's "CIA." A federal law enforcement show that keeps sight of its main characters' complex and evolving humanity, "FBI" is another winner from Dick Wolf.

In the 2018 series "9-1-1," the modern procedural format expands beyond the perspective of police work. Set in Los Angeles, the show follows first responders keeping the populace within the City of Angels safe from all sorts of emergencies. This includes the fire department, paramedics, and the police, all coordinating with 911 dispatchers to address incidents around the city. In between their vital work, the show focuses on the ensemble's personal lives, including their domestic and romantic dynamics, often leaning into melodrama.

The expansion to a wider first responder approach to the procedural genre is a welcome change from contemporary shows that keep its divisions siloed off. "9-1-1" also boasts one of the most impressive ensemble casts currently on network television, with Angela Bassett taking point. The series has since spawned two spin-offs of its own, "9-1-1: Lone Star" and "9-1-1: Nashville," retaining the same overarching format. Mixing interpersonal drama, procedural action, and occasional disaster movie flourishes, "9-1-1" is an inclusively welcome take on the genre.

If you're looking for other shows like "The Rookie," it stands to reason that you should at least check out its first spin-off series. Debuting in 2022, "The Rookie: Feds" shifts its focus from municipal law enforcement to the FBI as its title implies. The show's protagonist is Simone Clark (Niecy Nash-Betts), a former school counselor who becomes the oldest rookie at the FBI Academy as she fulfills her dream of becoming an agent. Assigned to a field office in Los Angeles, Clark works with new colleagues while reconciling with her estranged father (Frankie Faison).

"The Rookie: Feds" was cancelled after a single season, but still stands as a worthy expansion to the original series' world. The show had started as a backdoor pilot with a two-parter on "The Rookie," featuring a team-up with Nolan, before striking out on its own. The thematic similarities carry over into "Feds," while Nash-Betts provides a very different protagonist in Clark. Several main characters from "The Rookie: Feds" have since reappeared in "The Rookie," keeping this spin-off's legacy alive and reminding fans to give it a try if they missed it.

One of the best AMC TV shows, "Dark Winds" adapts the "Leaphorn & Chee" novels by author Tony Hillerman. Set during the 1970s to reflect its source material, the show takes place in and around Navajo County, tribal reservation land in the American Southwest. Veteran police officer Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) defends his community with the isolated resources that he has, facing everything from bank robbers to domestic terrorists. Joining Leaphorn are his fellow officers Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) and Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten), with their work often affecting their personal lives.

Between its neo-noir thrills and tight scripting, "Dark Winds" works best when it leans into the toll Leaphorn's job takes on him. Joe may get his man but he loses a lot of himself as he obsessively keeps the peace around Navajo County. That distinction brings the show closer to "The Rookie" in its own way, even with its period piece setting. A stirring adaptation of Hillerman's novels that never loses sight of its characters within the crime thriller stakes, "Dark Winds" is must-watch genre television.

The Northern Irish capital of Belfast serves as the primary setting for the 2023 police procedural "Blue Lights." The show focuses on three rookie officers in the local police force learning the ropes from their veteran colleagues. This trio consists of Grace Ellis (Siân Brooke), Annie Conlon (Katherine Devlin), and Thomas Foster (Nathan Braniff), each from distinctly different backgrounds prior to joining the police. The cases that the police force take on range from standard disturbances and minor incidents to elusive threats that hint at bigger dangers in Belfast.

With "Blue Lights," audiences are getting three rookie stories for the price of one, each lending an interesting perspective to life on the force. The show shines a light at policing on a part of the world that many American viewers aren't particularly familiar with. This, along with the show's smart writing, makes the series rise above the usual procedural fare while providing a steady sense of escalation. "Blue Lights" takes its relatively unique setting and breathes new life into a well-worn genre as one of the best cop shows to come out of the United Kingdom.

In the midst of her hilarious run starring in the hit sitcom "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," Kaitlin Olson takes a turn for more serious fare with "High Potential." Olson stars as Morgan Gillory, a cleaner at the LAPD who impresses the police with her intelligence and sharp observations. Hired as a consultant, Gillory works with police detective Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata) who is initially wary of working with an unconventional civilian. The duo turn out to be an effective team before Morgan and Karadec take their partnership to the next level.

Kaitlin Olson almost turned down starring in "High Potential" and it's hard imagining anyone else in her role. While clearly more dramatic than her turn as Dee Reynolds on "It's Always Sunny," Olson does bring a clear sense of humor as Gillory that definitely benefits the show. Morgan's outsider perspective and natural chemistry with Karadec is another welcome feature of the series that helps sell its premise. A laidback and enjoyable crime dramedy, "High Potential" leans into its lead actors' obvious strengths to elevate itself.