Melissa O'Neil and Eric Winter as Lucy and Tim, sitting together in an episode of The Rookie
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Jennifer Chu
Published Feb 4, 2026, 8:14 PM EST
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The Rookie season 8 has only aired 5 episodes so far, and its future is already being questioned.
The Rookie star Melissa O’Neil, whose character Lucy Chen just got promoted to sergeant, shared an emotional Instagram post. Her message seemed very much like a vague farewell and has sparked some concern among fans, especially since the police drama has not yet been renewed for a ninth season at the time of this article's publication.
The actor expressed her gratitude for being able to play Lucy throughout the series run and how proud she was of her character's journey. The part that really worried fans was when she mentioned the uncertainty that often comes with working in TV, as nothing is ever guaranteed. She described The Rookie season 8 as a demanding but rewarding experience, adding that the latest chapter pushed the boundaries, making it stronger than ever.
O'Neil also praised everyone who worked on The Rookie. She thanked the writers, producers, crew, camera department, grips, lighting, sound, props, costumes, makeup, hair, ADs, PAs, and directors. She, of course, also commended her co-stars, calling them a "source of inspiration" for her and how she felt lucky to have been able to star alongside them.
The actor concluded her post by stating that she hoped The Rookie would be renewed for season 9. This is likely the part of her post that concerned fans the most. A touching post reminiscing about the show's history, along with her stating that nothing is ever guaranteed and hoping for another installment seems more bittersweet and almost as if she was expecting the series to end or that it had a smaller chance of getting renewed than the previous season.
Being a part of @therookieabc and having the opportunity to continue to tell Lucy Chen’s story this year has been such a blessing on my life!
One of the wild elements of this business is that nothing is ever certain. Nothing promised is a guarantee. Season 8 has been a marathon of sorts, an ambitious adventure and the show feels stronger and more exciting than ever.
As everyone wraps filming today - I’ve been reflecting on how these transitions always feel like a mystery. People were tired and ready to get home and rest on my last day and yet I could feel a part of myself willing time to slow to soak it in. You never know when it could be your last time doing ____ being ____.
Tending to one’s relationship to impermanence produces such lovely fruit… It is not lost on me how precious and rare this is and I don’t care if it comes off saccharine…
To our writers, producers, crew, camera department, grips, LIGHTING, sound, props, costumes, makeup, hair, our AD’s who feel like absolute miracle workers, all of our PA’s, our wonderful Directors, the INCREDIBLE stunt team, background, GUEST STARS, casting, locations, set design. (and that’s not even touching the hands the show is in now with post production and all of the behind the scenes people who run the *business* of it all)
You all are the ones who truly make The Rookie what it is. You and our relentlessly hard working, non-sleeping-but-make-it-look-easy-showrunner @alexi.hawley.
Without everyone’s dedication, GRIT, good humor, and perseverance this would not be possible.
Congratulations to everyone on another great season in the can!
My fellow cast, I don’t know how it’s possible but familiarity has not dulled my awe of you even a little bit. Thank you for being a source of inspiration and camaraderie.
To be 8 years in on a project and in close enough proximity to watch everyone growing and expanding in their capacity, artistry and precision is such a gift. I’m so proud to be a part of this show.
I sincerely hope @therookieabc gets to come back for Season 9.
Until then, I hope you have loved Season 8 so far, there is a LOT more to come - you’re in for a ride this year.
There has also been online speculation that O'Neil might be leaving the show. ABC usually doesn't renew its shows until a little bit later, so any assumptions that it would be canceled are premature this early on. So, some viewers are guessing that maybe the actor is saying goodbye to the show. However, it's important to keep in mind that these are just rumors and nothing has been confirmed by the cast or the network.
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The Rookie
10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-14 Crime Drama Comedy Release Date October 16, 2018 Network ABC Showrunner Alexi Hawley Directors Tori Garrett, Chi-Yoon Chung, Michael Goi, Sylvain White, Lisa Demaine, Lanre Olabisi, Bill Johnson, David McWhirter, Liz Friedlander, Daniel Willis, Toa Fraser, Anne Renton, Jon Huertas, Cherie Nowlan, TK Shom, Rob Seidenglanz, Valerie Weiss, Barbara Brown, Charissa Sanjarernsuithikul, SJ Main Muñoz, Nelson McCormick, Marcus Stokes, Adam Davidson, Anna Mastro Writers Corey Miller, Bill Rinier, Zoe Cheng, Mary Trahan, Ally Seibert, Liz Alper, Nick Hurwitz, Racheal Seymour, Madeleine Coghlan, David Radcliff
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