The Rookies 1972
What is The Rookies?
The Rookies is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1972 to 1976. The show follows the professional and personal challenges faced by three rookie police officers working for the fictional Southern California Police Department in an unnamed city.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1972
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 93
- Runtime
- 60 minutes
- First aired
- Sep 11, 1972
- Last aired
- Mar 30, 1976
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- US
- Networks
- ABC
- Genres
- Drama, Crime
- Updated
Where to watch
Streaming availability data provided by JustWatch via TMDB. Availability changes by country and date; verify on the provider before subscribing or purchasing.
How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 93 episodes and an average 60-minute runtime.
Trailer
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Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
The Rookies is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1972 to 1976. The show follows the professional and personal challenges faced by three rookie police officers working for the fictional Southern California Police Department in an unnamed city. Created by Rita Lakin, the series explores the experiences of new officers as they navigate their early careers, dealing with various crimes and situations typical of police work. The program originally premiered in September 1972 and concluded its run in March 1976. It was developed as a police procedural, focusing on the day-to-day activities and growth of its central characters within the framework of law enforcement. The series starred Georg Stanford Brown, Sam Melville, and Kate Jackson, who portrayed the main rookie officers, alongside Gerald S. O'Loughlin in a supporting role.
Should you watch it?
“Three rookie cops navigate the challenges of law enforcement in Southern California.”
- Strong ensemble cast with diverse characters
- Episodes based on real police cases for authenticity
- Focus on personal growth and team dynamics
- Dated production values typical of early 1970s TV
- Limited availability of episodes online
You enjoy classic police procedurals with a focus on character development.
Suitable for general audiences with mild drama and procedural content.
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Episode guide
Spoiler-Safe Browsing Progress
Season 1 · 23 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide & lore primer →- E1 Concrete Valley, Neon Sky Mytharc Sep 11, 1972
- E2 Dead, Like a Lost Dream Core Sep 18, 1972
- E3 The Informant Core Sep 25, 1972
- E4 The Commitment Core Oct 2, 1972
- E5 Covenant with Death Core Oct 9, 1972
- E6 Time is the Fire Core Oct 16, 1972
- E7 The Bear That Didn't Get Up Core Oct 23, 1972
- E8 Dirge for Sunday Core Oct 30, 1972
- E9 The Good Die Young Mytharc Nov 13, 1972
- E10 To Taste of Terror Core Nov 20, 1972
- E11 A Deadly Velocity Core Nov 27, 1972
- E12 A Bloody Shade of Blue Core Dec 11, 1972
- E13 A Very Special Piece of Ground Core Dec 18, 1972
- E14 Rabbits on the Runway Core Dec 25, 1972
- E15 Tarnished Idol Core Jan 8, 1973
- E16 Crossfire Core Jan 15, 1973
- E17 Snow Job Core Jan 29, 1973
- E18 Point of Impact Core Feb 5, 1973
- E19 Three Hours to Kill Core Feb 12, 1973
- E20 The Wheel of Fortune (a.k.a.) The Wheel of Death Core Feb 19, 1973
- E21 Life Robbery (a.k.a.) Tribute to a Veteran Core Feb 26, 1973
- E22 A Farewell Tree from Marly Mytharc Mar 5, 1973
- E23 Easy Money Mytharc Mar 19, 1973
Season 2 · 23 episodes
- E1 Cauldron Mytharc Sep 10, 1973
- E2 Margin for Error Core Sep 17, 1973
- E3 Deadly Cage Core Sep 24, 1973
- E4 Frozen Smoke Core Oct 1, 1973
- E5 Get Ryker Core Oct 8, 1973
- E6 Cry Wolf Core Oct 15, 1973
- E7 A Matter of Justice (a.k.a.) Justice for Jill Danko Core Oct 22, 1973
- E8 Blood Brother Core Oct 29, 1973
- E9 Code 261 Core Nov 5, 1973
- E10 Prayers Unanswered, Prayers Unheard Mytharc Nov 12, 1973
- E11 Down Home Boy Core Nov 19, 1973
- E12 Lots of Trees and a Running Stream Core Dec 2, 1973
- E13 Another Beginning for Ben Fuller Core Dec 10, 1973
- E14 Sound of Silence Core Dec 17, 1973
- E15 Trial by Doubt Core Jan 7, 1974
- E16 The Authentic Death of Billy Stomper Core Jan 14, 1974
- E17 The Late Mr. Brent Core Jan 28, 1974
- E18 The Teacher Core Feb 4, 1974
- E19 Eyewitness Core Feb 11, 1974
- E20 Something Less Than a Man Core Feb 18, 1974
- E21 Rolling Thunder Core Feb 25, 1974
- E22 Time Lock Mytharc Mar 4, 1974
- E23 Death Watch Mytharc Mar 18, 1974
Season 3 · 24 episodes
- E1 An Ugly Way to Die Mytharc Sep 9, 1974
- E2 Key Witness Core Sep 23, 1974
- E3 Legacy of Death Core Sep 30, 1974
- E4 Death at 6 A.M. Core Oct 7, 1974
- E5 Walk a Tightrope Core Oct 21, 1974
- E6 Judgment Mytharc Oct 28, 1974
- E7 Johnny Lost His Gun Core Nov 4, 1974
- E8 Prelude to Vengeance Core Nov 11, 1974
- E9 Vendetta Core Nov 18, 1974
- E10 The Old Neighborhood Core Nov 25, 1974
- E11 A Test of Courage Core Dec 2, 1974
- E12 The Assassin Core Dec 9, 1974
- E13 Blue Christmas Core Dec 16, 1974
- E14 Take Over Core Dec 30, 1974
- E15 The Saturday Night Special Core Jan 13, 1975
- E16 The Hunting Ground Core Jan 20, 1975
- E17 Solomon's Dilemma Core Jan 27, 1975
- E18 Angel Core Feb 3, 1975
- E19 The Shield Core Feb 10, 1975
- E20 S.W.A.T. (1) Core Feb 17, 1975
- E21 S.W.A.T. (2) Core Feb 17, 1975
- E22 A Deadly Image Core Feb 24, 1975
- E23 Cliffy Mytharc Mar 3, 1975
- E24 Nightmare Mytharc Mar 17, 1975
Season 4 · 23 episodes
- E1 Lamb to the Slaughter Mytharc Sep 9, 1975
- E2 Reading Writing and Angel Dust Core Sep 16, 1975
- E3 One-Way Street to Nowhere Core Sep 23, 1975
- E4 Someone Who Cares Mytharc Sep 30, 1975
- E5 Ladies Day (a.k.a.) Ladies Kill, Too Core Oct 7, 1975
- E6 Reign of Terror Core Oct 14, 1975
- E7 Death Lady Core Oct 21, 1975
- E8 Measure of Mercy Core Oct 28, 1975
- E9 A Time to Mourn Core Nov 4, 1975
- E10 The Torch Man Core Nov 11, 1975
- E11 Invitation to a Rumble Mytharc Nov 18, 1975
- E12 Reluctant Hero Core Nov 25, 1975
- E13 Dead Heat Core Dec 2, 1975
- E14 The Voice of Thunder Core Dec 9, 1975
- E15 The Code Five Affair Core Dec 16, 1975
- E16 Shadow of a Man Core Dec 23, 1975
- E17 Eye for an Eye Core Dec 30, 1975
- E18 Sudden Death (a.k.a.) Return from the Past Core Jan 6, 1976
- E19 From Out of the Darkness Core Jan 20, 1976
- E20 The Mugging Core Jan 27, 1976
- E21 Blue Movie, Blue Death Core Feb 24, 1976
- E22 Deliver Me From Innocence Mytharc Mar 2, 1976
- E23 Journey to Oblivion Mytharc Mar 30, 1976
Frequently asked questions
Is The Rookies based on a true story?
While not based on a specific true story, episodes were inspired by real police cases.
Where can I watch full episodes of The Rookies?
Full episodes are available on YouTube in a dedicated playlist.
Who created The Rookies TV series?
The series was created by William Blinn and Rita Lakin.
What years did The Rookies originally air?
The show aired from 1972 to 1976 on ABC.
Are the main characters actual rookies?
Yes, the show focuses on three rookie police officers in their early careers.
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