In an era dominated by TikTok and YouTube, where teenagers are watching less traditional television than ever before, one show has managed to capture the attention of Gen Z: The Rookie. The ABC police procedural, now in its eighth season, was the most-streamed broadcast series among viewers under 18 in 2024, according to Nielsen data, outperforming other network hits like Abbott Elementary and High Potential.
The show's popularity is evident on social media, where its official TikTok account boasts over 2.9 million followers—far surpassing accounts for prestige series like The White Lotus and The Last of Us. Many young fans, like 16-year-old Jade Amirah Lewis from Pennsylvania, first discovered The Rookie through clipped scenes on YouTube. Lewis describes the show's appeal as a blend of comedy and drama, comparing its vibe to The Office.
Fans like 15-year-old Hannah Leef from New England have become deeply invested, binge-watching the entire series in three weeks and rewatching it up to ten times. Leef has also introduced the show to a dozen friends, one of whom completed the series in a week at the expense of sleep. The show's creator, Alexi Hawley, told the Los Angeles Times that parents frequently share how much their children love the series.
The Rookie stars Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, a middle-aged divorcee who becomes the oldest rookie in the LAPD. The series balances procedural cases with long-running storylines, including a slow-burn romance and a tense kidnapping plot in season two. Katie Campione, a senior television reporter at Deadline, notes that the show's success fits a broader trend of younger audiences gravitating toward long-running series like Gilmore Girls and Grey's Anatomy, which offer hundreds of hours of character development.
For some fans, The Rookie has become a weekly ritual. Mariah Smith, a 22-year-old college student in Memphis, runs a fan account on TikTok with over 60,000 followers and has sold tickets to NBA games to avoid missing new episodes on Tuesday nights. Despite the intense fandom, the show is also seen as easy to watch while multitasking, making it a comfortable companion for a generation accustomed to constant digital stimulation.
