Parents' Guide to The Rookie: Feds

TV ABC Action 2022
The Rookie: Feds poster

Common Sense Media Review

Monique Jones By Monique Jones , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

Procedural highlights diversity and hot-button discussions.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 15+

Based on 14 parent reviews

Parents say the show struggles with its portrayal of female characters, particularly the lead actress, whose wardrobe choices focus excessively on revealing clothing, which many viewers feel undermines the show's realism and respectability as an FBI drama. While some appreciate the premise and character dynamics, the overwhelming sentiment is that the dress code is distracting and diminishes the show's potential.

  • unrealistic portrayal
  • wardrobe issues
  • character concerns
  • mixed reviews
  • distracting elements
Summarized with AI

age 13+

Based on 2 kid reviews

What's the Story?

THE ROOKIE: FEDS continues The Rookie franchise with Simone Clark (Niecy Nash-Betts), a woman who makes the switch from counseling high schoolers to becoming an FBI agent. She feels she must continuously prove her worth as she learns more on the job, balances her relationship with her father, and strengthens her friendship with fellow rookie, former actor Brendon Acres (Kevin Zegers).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 14 ):
Kids say ( 2 ):

The Rookie: Feds is, on the one hand, what you would expect from a primetime procedural drama (or more like dramedy in some aspects). It's lighthearted enough to watch while eating dinner or unwinding from a long day, but it's dramatic enough to keep you engaged. Like a lot of primetime procedurals, if you're a fan of the Blue Skies style of USA Network programs from the mid-'00s to early '10s, then The Rookie: Feds is right up your alley.

But while it does bring a lot of the same, it manages to embed some small, delightful surprises. First of all, the series itself is highly diverse, led by a Black, queer, female lead (Nash-Betts). Second, it manages to throw in some commentary on the ongoing issues between law enforcement and the Black community, particularly regarding how law enforcement regularly over-polices Black Americans. Some of the talking points seem shoehorned in, admittedly, but it's better they're there than for the show to miss a ripe opportunity. Overall, The Rookie: Feds is just right keep you engaged on a weekly basis.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Simone Clark's career. How does Simone utilize the skills she learned as a counselor in the field? How does it make her more compassionate in her cases?

  • How is Simone and her father's relationship? How does her job affect their relationship?

  • Why does Simone's father discuss the relationship the Black community has with law enforcement?

  • How do Simone and her co-workers show teamwork?

  • How do Simone and her team show perseverance?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

The Rookie: Feds poster

What to Watch Next

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate