Nathan Fillion in The Rookie Season 8Image via ABC
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Erielle Sudario
Published Feb 24, 2026, 8:16 PM EST
Erielle Sudario is a Collider News and Feature Author from Australia and has worked in the journalism industry since 2018. She has a passion for entertainment and pop culture news and has interviewed YouTubers, voice actors, film directors, and musicians throughout her career. When she's not writing, you can see Erielle building keyboards, reading a good book, playing video games, and creating content on social media.
Sign in to your Collider account Add Us On follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread 1 Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recapAs The Rookie continues its eighth season, the show will make an exciting crossover in its upcoming episode. This crime drama had crossover episodes in the past, but this will be the first where it's not tied to The Rookie universe. Instead, the show will cross over to another IP that not only leans toward a different genre, but also a different format.
The Rookie is a crime drama starring Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, a 40-year-old who relocates to Los Angeles to become an LAPD officer and has to prove himself despite his age. The series is loosely inspired by executive producer William Norcross, who joined the LAPD in his mid-40s. While the show includes moments of humor, it remains grounded as Nolan faces high-risk situations and intense challenges on the job. But what happens when a series known for its serious tone collides with an online show built around comedy?
ABC has released details for The Rookie's 9th episode, titled "Fun and Games," revealing that it will be a crossover episode with the online game show, Game Changer, by Dropout. It was reported that the Dropout studio, where Game Changer is filmed, would be the scene of a crime due to a robbery report, and that one of the people in the studio would be a "familiar face" to Nolan. The plot reads:
"Harper and Miles feel the weight of their recent mistakes, while Harper is tasked with training Miles. Nolan and Celina are dispatched to a robbery call where Nolan encounters a familiar face."
This Game Changer crossover will star Dropout's CEO and game show host, Sam Reich, along with other Dropout stars: Vic Michaelis, Jacob Wysocki, Zac Oyama, and Anna Garcia. The episode will air on March 2 and will be available to stream on Hulu the next day.
What's 'Game Changer' About?
Game Changer is a comedy web show created by Dropout that first aired in 2019 and is still showing to this day. According to Polygon, the show combines "improv comedy, puzzle solving, fierce competition, and a prankster ethos." While the show mostly features returning faces from CollegeHumor, like Brenan Lee Mulligan, it also had special episodes where celebrities participated, like Giancarlo Esposito (The Mandalorian), Michael Winslow (Spaceballs), Sarah Natochenny (Pokémon), Tony Hawk, and Howie Mandel (American Idol), to name a few.
Game Changer is one of many web shows available on Dropout. Other shows include Make Some Noise, Dimension 20, Um, Actually, and, recently, Reich announced on social media that Dropout will be the home of the online web series and British TV show Don't Hug Me I'm Scared.
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Get the newsletter for in-depth coverage of TV crossovers, casting moves, and streaming availability — concise analysis, curated context, and linked resources that help fans understand how shows intersect and evolve. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.New episodes of The Rookie air on ABC and are available to stream on Hulu. Follow Collider to stay up to date with the latest updates.
The Rookie
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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Nathan Fillion
John Nolan
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Melissa O'Neil
Lucy Chen
Starting over isn't easy, especially for John Nolan who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of joining the LAPD. As their oldest rookie, he's met with skepticism from those who see him as just a walking midlife crisis.
Main Genre Comedy Seasons 8 Producers Llewellyn Wells, P. Todd Coe, Diana Mendez Boucher, Helen Pai, Robert Bella, Patrick McKee, Michele Greco, Marco Black Creator(s) Alexi Hawley Story By alexi hawley Streaming Service(s) Hulu Executive Producer(s) Alexi Hawley, Bill Norcross, Bill Roe, Brynn Malone, Jon Steinberg, Liz Friedlander, Mark Gordon, Michelle Chapman, Nathan Fillion, Nicholas Pepper, Rob Bowman, Terence Paul Winter Powered by
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The Rookie
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