The Backstory of ‘The Rookie: North’s Protagonist Backstory Is Too Similar to John Nolan’s
It seems highly derivative to create another spin-off of The Rookie franchise that is even more similar to the original series than the first spin-off, The Rookie: Feds, which starred Niecy Nash as Simone Clark. The Rookie: Feds’ premise remarkably resembled The Rookie, showcasing a single mom in her 40s changing careers and becoming a rookie agent in the FBI. However, although the setup was similar, at least Feds changed things up a bit, making Simone an FBI agent with a different background as a guidance counselor. After the failure of Feds, it seems Hawley wants to repeat the success of the original series by making the main character even more similar to John Nolan.
Alex of The Rookie: North is described as “a former overachiever who becomes a rookie cop after his life did not go as planned.” Obviously, the final product might tweak elements of Alex’s backstory, but that sounds almost word-for-word like John’s background. Additionally, the new show is expected to feature other training officers and a police chief in the main cast. The strategy for the spin-off appears to be a massive misstep, attempting to rehash The Rookie‘s success, rather than trying something more refreshing and original.
‘The Rookie’ Caught Lightning in a Bottle
As the saying goes, lightning never strikes in the same place twice, and The Rookie caught lightning in a bottle, finding success through the show’s incredible blend of drama and comedy and the chemistry of its lead cast. Although Fillion exceptionally leads the show, portraying a middle-aged single father seeking to reinvent himself as an officer for the LAPD, the show succeeded through its other lead cast members, such as Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen and Eric Winter as Tim Bradford. Lucy and Tim’s evolving relationship and romance became a fan-favorite throughout the show’s run, and the series discovered something truly magical with the ragtag band of officers at the LAPD’s Mid-Wilshire Division. Attempting the same premise in Washington State instead of Los Angeles will not necessarily achieve the same results.
Notably, the show’s story was inspired by a real-life figure, Officer William Norcross, who became an LAPD officer in his 40s after leaving his family’s business. The main theme of The Rookie deals with reinvention, but this type of lifestyle reinvention can take many forms, rather than simply following John’s version. In the original series, Lucy finds her own form of transformation in joining the LAPD, as she decides not to pursue a career in psychology, which she studied in college. She ultimately finds her true calling as a police officer, which exemplifies how The Rookie can depict professionally-diverse characters seeking to reinvent their lives.
‘The Rookie: North’ Needs To Forge Its Own Identity Separate From the Original Show
The main objective of The Rookie: North should be to forge its own unique identity to set it apart from The Rookie. Currently, the premise sounds fairly unoriginal and unexciting. Obviously, it’s expected to depict cops who are career rookies, since the show is called The Rookie. However, one would hope that Hawley would seek an alternative angle with the spin-off series that is bolder and depicts a unique setup beyond what we see with Nolan.
Right now, The Rookie: North runs the risk of following the same fate as the first spin-off, The Rookie: Feds, which was cancelled after one season, despite a backdoor pilot showing Nolan teaming up with Simone to kickstart the new series. It has already been announced that The Rookie and The Rookie: North will have a couple of crossovers. If that is the case, then the spin-off needs to do far more than just finding a new approach to the subject; it needs to create its own identity beyond the original series to leave a true mark.
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