ABC sends Hilary Swank to Alaska, recruits a Rookie spin-off

The Rookie

ABC in the US has given series orders to a Hilary Swank-led drama, a spin-off from The Rookie and a comedy with Gina Rodriguez, while renewing 10 scripted and unscripted series for its 2022/23 season.

Alaska sees Swank play a recently disgraced reporter who leaves her high-profile New York life behind to join a daily metro newspaper in Anchorage, on a journey to find both personal and professional redemption.

Two-time Oscar-winner Swank, writer/director Tom McCarthy, Melissa Wells, Bert Salke, Kyle Hopkins and Ryan Binkley all executive produce for 20th Television.

The Rookie: Feds stars Niecy Nash-Betts as Simone Clark, the oldest rookie in the FBI Academy who was first introduced in a two-part event episode of the series.

Nash-Betts, Mark Gordon, Nathan Fillion, Michelle Chapman, Bill Norcross and Corey Miller executive produce alongside creators Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter for Entertainment One and ABC Signature.

Not Dead Yet stars Rodriguez as a broke and newly single self-described disaster, working to restart the life and career she left behind 10 years ago. When she lands the only job she can find, writing obituaries, she starts getting life advice from an unlikely source.

Rodriguez, McG, Mary Viola and Corey Marsh executive produce with creators David Windsor and Casey Johnson for 20th Television. Dean Holland directed the pilot.

Disney-owned ABC has also renewed five scripted series – Big Sky, The Conners, Home Economics, A Million Little Things and The Wonder Years – and five unscripted series – American Idol, America’s Funniest Home Videos, The Bachelor, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and Shark Tank – for the 2022/23 season.