Iconic 70s cop show returning to TV after years | TV Shows

Look out, NCIS and CSI, another iconic police procedural is coming to cable, making its return after a two-year absence this summer.

The iconic ’70s cop show The Rookies, which aired on ABC from 1972 to 1975, is returning to TV beginning in July 2025 on Family Entertainment Television (FETV), which carries all manner of “beloved and timeless” shows.

The Rookies will air as part of a “Red, White and the Blue” marathon that runs on Sunday, July 6, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET as part of the network’s Fourth of July programming.

The short-lived yet beloved series starred Sam Melville, Michael Ontkean (Twin Peaks), and Georg Stanford Brown as three rookie officers Mike Danko, Willie Gillis and Terry Webster in the fictional Southern California Police Department.

Pre-Charlie’s Angels star Kate Jackson starred as Jill Danko, a registered nurse who would often dealt with the officers in the line of duty. Her character was married to Melville’s.

It was created by Rita Lakin and executive produced by famed TV creator Aaron Spelling.

Other iconic shows that air on FETV include Adam-12, Barney Miller, Bewitched, Dragnet, Emergency!, Laramie, Leave It to Beaver, My Three Sons, Perry Mason, Quincy, M.E., and The Lone Ranger. The complete listings and schedule are here.

The Rookies was seen in reruns on TV Land in 2003, and in 2014, it aired on Grit weekday mornings (though sometimes preempted by movies).

In 2016, the show aired on FamilyNet six days a week. Later in March 2021, it began on the Heroes & Icons network, airing overnights on Saturdays until its removal 2 years later.

The Rookies aired on May 29 and 30, 2021, on Decades as part of their program, “The Decades Binge.”

As of January 23, 2025, the series was available for streaming on The Roku Channel, but it’s no longer available as of April.

So, The Rookies’ return on FETV this summer will be its first in a couple of years.