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At this point, it's safe to say that The Rookie is one of the most popular police series currently airing. However, we here at Popverse have a bit of a birds' eye view on the matter, and for other folks, that might be a little bit harder to see. Case in point - Alexi Hawley, who created the show for TV in 2018, didn't get a full handle on the series' popularity until a full eight seasons into its run. And recently, he was willing to explain the exact moment that came into his view.

Hawley shared the moment during Hulu's The Rookie panel at this year's San Diego Comic Con, where the iconic series creator was joined on stage by some of the actors that bring the show to life. At one point, series star Nathan Fillion asked Hawley to recount his experience seeing "his baby" get to as big as it is now, and Hawley told a story that, ironically, didn't come from LA.

"I'm not the face of the show," Hawley began, "I don't interact in the same way that these guys do, and so I don't see the popularity of the show on a regular basis. It was actually when we shot in Prague at the beginning of last season that I really saw it first-hand and really experienced it."

For those keeping track, Hawley is referring to the first episode of The Rookie season 8, which was both set in, and filmed on-location of, Prague, Czech Republic.

"You know," he continued, "People have come from other countries to try and meet you guys. To line up [with] signs and line up 4-deep outside. I mean, it's super powerful because [...] the show is the best for me, right? You work really hard in this business to try and get to a place where you have some control of the stories that you get to tell, and the way you get to tell them."

"I's a hard road," the showrunner concluded, "And to be in that position where I'm like, 'I wanna do something scary.? OK, let's do that.' Then everybody rallies me to do this thing... it's just, you know, I said rarified there earlier, but it is a really unique and special place to be."

The Rookie season 9 debuts on Hulu January 2027.

Want to catch up with Hulu's hit cop drama? Let Popverse share everything we know about The Rookie's season 9.