ABC is moving The Rookie to a new night for the first time in three years. The police drama’s eighth season will shift from its long-standing Tuesday time slot to Monday nights starting January 26, 2026. The change places the show in a new hour, airing at 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, right after the season premiere of American Idol. This major schedule adjustment is designed to make room for a new series on ABC’s Tuesday night lineup.
What Is Changing and When
The schedule shift takes effect after the airing of Season 8, Episode 3, titled “The Red Place,” on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. Following that episode, the show will relocate to Mondays.
Beginning Monday, January 26, viewers must tune in to ABC at 10 p.m. ET/PT to catch new episodes of The Rookie. This move ends the show’s recent pattern of airing on Tuesday nights. According to the network’s plan, the remaining 15 episodes of Season 8 will air consecutively on Mondays without any breaks or reruns.
The new episode schedule is as follows:
- Episode 4 will air on its new night, Monday, January 26, 2026, at 10 p.m. ET.
- Episodes will continue each Monday in that time slot.
- If the schedule holds, the Season 8 finale is projected to air in mid-to-late May 2026.
Why ABC Is Moving The Rookie
Network executives made this decision primarily to launch a new drama series called RJ Decker, starring Scott Speedman. This new show will take over The Rookie‘s former Tuesday at 10 p.m. time slot.
RJ Decker is based on Carl Hiaasen’s novel Double Whammy and features Speedman as a former newspaper photographer and ex-con who becomes a private investigator in South Florida. ABC is positioning the new series within a strong night of procedural dramas, following Will Trent and High Potential, to help ensure its success.
The move also strategically places The Rookie after the established audience of American Idol, which begins its 24th season on ABC on the same night, January 26. The network likely hopes some of the reality competition’s viewers will stay tuned for the police drama.
How to Watch and What It Means for Viewers
For viewers who watch live on ABC, the change is simple: mark your calendar for Mondays at 10 p.m. instead of Tuesdays.
For streaming fans, the update is less disruptive. New episodes will continue to be available for next-day streaming on Hulu every Wednesday. This means that for Hulu subscribers, new episodes will technically still arrive mid-week, as they have been.
The show’s core story will continue uninterrupted. Season 8 began with an international storyline that saw Officer John Nolan and the Mid-Wilshire team in Prague, working with the FBI and Interpol. Creator Alexi Hawley has promised a significant season for the characters, noting, “Each of our characters goes through some real hard times, or dynamic times, at different stages of the year”.
The New Tuesday Night Lineup on ABC
With The Rookie moving to Mondays, ABC’s Tuesday night schedule for winter and spring 2026 is set.
Starting January 6, the night began with this lineup:
- 8 p.m.: Will Trent (Season 4)
- 9 p.m.: High Potential (Season 2)
- 10 p.m.: The Rookie (Season 8)
After January 26, the Tuesday 10 p.m. slot will temporarily host other programming until March 3. On that date, RJ Decker will have its series premiere in the 10 p.m. hour, following High Potential. The established pairing of Will Trent and High Potential will remain the lead-in for the new show.
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Fan Reaction to the Schedule Change
News of the move has generated discussion among the show’s dedicated fans. On social media, many viewers expressed that they will follow the show to its new night. One fan commented, “Just an enjoyable show with a terrific cast and clever writingโฆ wherever it moves: count me in!!!”.
Some fans questioned the network’s strategy. One social media user suggested, “i say keep The rookie at its time slot. Put that new show on monday and let it earn its way to a better time slot”. Others analyzed the programming logic, with one person noting, “I guess after 8 years it can stand on its own without other crime shows on its night. They have confidence in Will Trent as a lead in for this new show”.
The show’s viewership remains strong. The Season 8 premiere attracted 7.88 million total viewers across multiple platforms within three days, showing growth from the previous season’s numbers. This solid performance gives ABC confidence in the show’s ability to anchor a night on its own.
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