By Michaela Gordoni
THE ROOKIE’s Alexi Hawley says his new spinoff, THE ROOKIE: NORTH, will have some series crossovers as long as the show gets picked up.
ABC will have to choose between THE ROOKIE: NORTH or a new series, R.J. DECKER. The network is expected to make the decision in the coming week, Deadline reported. THE ROOKIE: NORTH has the edge since fans are familiar with series, and might be compelled by crossovers, like GREY’S ANATOMY and STATION 19 have pulled.
The series follows Alex Holland, played by Jay Ellis, who revamps his mid-life by joining the police force somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. A crossover would occur in the first episode as Nathan Fillion would jump over from the regular series right away.
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“I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say, there’s a bit of crossover with Nathan in the pilot,” Hawley said in an interview with Deadline tied to the Season 8 finale of THE ROOKIE. “Beyond that, organic opportunities, for sure, it’s harder obviously, with the Vancouver or the Pacific Northwest of it all and LA. FEDS was designed on purpose with a lot of crossovers.”
“I think ultimately it was less important for the network that that be a factor in, like a certain number a season which I think freezes up to a certain extent, we don’t have to do that, but I’m looking for ways to cross over in both directions; honestly, I think you have to do that,” he said of doing crossovers. “I don’t think it’ll be a multitude a season, but I think maybe a couple episodes, or two or three episodes a season. You find a storyline that crosses over, it would be kind of fun.”
Hawley is very pleased with how the pilot came out and believes the network is, too.
“You never know until you know, but we have a really amazing cast, led by Jay Ellis who’s a star; it was a joy to make that with him and the rest of them,” he said.
Ellis said, “I have seen the pilot twice, I think it’s great. I think you’re gonna fall in love with all these characters.”
Hawley says the show’s setting in the PNW makes it special.
“Most patrol shows you’ve ever seen are just big-city shows. They’re in Boston, they’re in LA, they’re in Chicago,” he explained in another interview. “I’ve never really seen a cop show take place in the parts of America that most people live in, which is a little bit urban, but also the exurbs in the suburbs, and even the rural areas.”
Though there are crossovers, THE ROOKIE: NORTH is a standalone series. It will not be introduced in connection with THE ROOKIE, Blex Media reported.
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