The Rookie is the most‑streamed broadcast show among under‑18s, Nielsen says

The Rookie, an ABC police procedural about Los Angeles cops, has developed an unlikely fan base among young viewers. According to Nielsen data reported by the Los Angeles Times, it was the most‑streamed broadcast television show among people under 18 last year. Fans include 15‑year‑old Hannah Leef, who calls the show her “hyperfixation”, says she watched the entire series in three weeks and has rewatched it about 10 times.

The series is currently in its eighth season; Dwayne Johnson recently took his preteen daughter on a tour of the show’s set, and creator Alexi Hawley declined a request to comment for this article but told the Times parents often report their children’s enthusiasm for the series. Social media has helped: the show’s official TikTok account has over 2.9m followers, and many teenagers say they first encountered the series on platforms such as YouTube.

Viewers point to its mix of comedy and serious moments, its procedural hour‑long structure and long‑running characters — the show stars Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, a middle‑aged man who becomes an LAPD officer — as part of its appeal. The series has also adjusted how it depicts policing.

Hawley has said the murder of George Floyd changed his approach and the show worked with advisers from Color of Change; one plotline shows a racist officer who is not fired but receives only a slap on the wrist.

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Culture, The Rookie, Nathan Fillion, Nielsen, Alexi Hawley, Tiktok