The FBI’s oldest rookie will stay on the case for a while longer.
ABC has picked up a full season of its first-year show The Rookie: Feds, starring Niecy Nash-Betts as Simone Clark, the aforementioned new FBI agent. The network has given an old-school, back nine order to the drama, bringing its total for the season to 22 episodes.
A spinoff of The Rookie, now in its fifth season, Feds was introduced in an episode of the former show last season before earning a spot on ABC’s fall slate. The show has performed modestly on air so far, averaging a little under 2 million viewers the night it airs. It draws considerably more viewers, however, after it airs — doubling to 3.96 million viewers after a week of delayed viewing.
The Sept. 27 premiere also added about 2 million viewers via streaming, giving it a seven-day, multi-platform audience of about 6.4 million viewers. The first episode’s rating among adults 18-49 increased almost five times (0.31 to 1.53) after a week on all platforms.
The Rookie: Feds is one of two scripted series ABC has debuted this fall. The other, Alaska Daily, also got a big audience boost from streaming and other delayed viewing, but there’s no word yet on whether the Hilary Swank-led drama will also have its run extended.
Feds is the fifth first-year show on the broadcast networks to earn additional episodes, joining NBC’s Quantum Leap and the CBS trio of East New York, Fire Country and So Help Me Todd.
In addition to Nash-Betts, the show’s cast includes Frankie R. Faison, James Lesure, Britt Robertson, Felix Solis and Kevin Zegers. The Rookie’s Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter co-created the spinoff and serve as co-showrunners. They executive produce with Mark Gordon, Nash-Betts, The Rookie star Nathan Fillion, Michelle Chapman, Bill Norcross, Corey Miller, Michael Goi and Bibby Dunn. Entertainment One and ABC Signature produce the series, with eOne serving as lead studio and distributing The Rookie: Feds internationally.
Source: Hollywood
