Those who have followed the career of Nathan Fillion, the star of such TV series as “Firefly” and “Castle,” have wondered what his next project will be. According to Deadline Hollywood, Fillion, after passing the time with a number of guest roles, has landed his next TV show, as both lead actor and executive producer. The series will be called “Rookie” and will feature Fillion as John Nolan, the oldest rookie cop in the history of the Los Angeles Police Department. The series is said to be based on a true story.
A police officer as a second career.
The premise of “Rookie” has Fillion playing a middle-aged man named John Nolan who leaves the small town where he has lived all of his life for his second shot in life as a big city police officer. The Los Angeles Police Department requires one to be at least 20 when entering the Police Academy and 21 upon graduation. There is no upper age limit, though one imagines that police cadets will have to undergo stringent physical training that will be more challenging for a man in his 40s than someone in his or her early 20s. On the other hand, Officer Nolan will have a certain degree of life experience that his fellow rookies lack.
“Rookie” brings Fillion back with his old partner from “Castle,” Alexi Hawley.
The show has been picked up by ABC on a direct to series basis and will be produced by the Mark Gordon Company and ABC Studios. No word has been announced as to when the series will start to air, but one suspects we can expect to see it starting the fall of 2018.
Who is Nathan Fillion?
Nathan Fillion is most remembered for his role in the long-running police procedural series “Castle.” He played a mystery novelist who used his political connections to arrange for him to participate in solving cases along with Kate Beckett, a New York City cop played by Stana Katic who, in the course of the series, evolves from his bantering partner to his lover, and finally his wife.
The relationship between Castle and Beckett was often compared to that of Nick and Nora Charles in “The Thin Man” films. “Castle” was canceled in 2016 in a decision that still shocked and saddens its fans.
Fillion was in another series before “Castle,” called “Firefly” which, although it was canceled before its first season was completed, is considered a cult classic and Joss Whedon’s best work.
The series recounts the adventures of the crew and passenger of a space-faring tramp freighter in the 25th Century that engages in a number of jobs both legal and not so legal. “Firefly” was followed by a feature motion picture entitled “Serenity” a few years later. Fillion played the captain of the Serenity, Mal Reynolds, a veteran of a rebellion against the repressive ruling government known as the Alliance.