Fall TV Preview: With ABC’s The Rookie left Tuesday-night lineup?

In today’s edition of our ongoing Fall TV Preview series, we are taking a closer look at a series in ABC’s The Rookie that is entering the fall with high expectations.

The appeal that this show has is pretty clear: It’s a cop show first and foremost, and obviously there is going to be a huge market for this show based on that alone. You’ve also got Nathan Fillion starring in his first major series-regular gig since the end of Castle, and the rest of the cast is certainly solid and then some — we loved Dark Matter, so seeing Melissa O’Neill again is going to be a treat.

As for the premise, we certainly think that there are some that are going to be cynical about Fillion starring on the show as a rookie cop in his forties who finds himself the subject of ridicule and scorn because of it. Yet, the show tackles that completely head-on, and one of the things that you be surprised about is that while there are some funny moments, we do think that it’s meant to be a little more dramatic and earnest than you would at first think. Fillion’s age doesn’t seem to be a set-up for easy jokes all of the time, thought it’s inevitable that it is going to come up here and there.

As for what ABC likes about this show, it’s simple: Castle was a big hit for them for many years and beyond just that, this is a series with a chance to salvage a timeslot (Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. Eastern) that has been bad for many years. Whether or not it works long-term remains to be seen, but our feeling is that’s going to get off to at least a reasonably good start?

Should you watch?

If you are a Fillion fan or love cop shows, it’s certainly going to be right up your alley — and we do think that there’s meant to be something inspirational about seeing someone undergoing a major life change that everyone wants to roll their eyes at. It’s hard to gauge its long-term success, but we absolutely think that The Rookie has a good chance at being a hit … but you have to wait until October 16 to see it. Because of the delayed start time for The Conners, ABC is waiting to roll out their lineup for Tuesdays.

Are you planning to check out The Rookie when it premieres this fall? Share right away in the comments!