Spoiler alert: The following article contains spoilers from The Rookie season 7, episode 5, “Til Death.”
After a disappointing season 6,The Rookiehas a lot to prove in season 7, and five episodes in, only two new characters can save it. The ABC police procedural series has had its fair share of ups and downs over the years. However, when it’s good, it’s exceptional. Some ofThe Rookie’s best seasons (for example, 2, 5, etc.) have produced riveting TV, setting high expectations for everything that follows, which is why season 6 was such a letdown. The good news is thatthere is still hope forThe Rookieseason 7 despite its early mistakes.
New episodes ofThe Rookieseason 7 air on Tuesdays at 10 pm ET on ABC.
As of the writing of this article, ABC has only released fiveepisodes ofThe Rookieseason 7, meaning there is space for improvement. While the show has made some head-scratching choices so far, there have been a few good moments, too. So, the writers must take what has worked and build on it in the future.Thirteen episodes remain inThe Rookieseason 7,giving the police procedural TV series plenty of time to right its wrongs and make this season one to remember.
Why The Rookie Season 7 Is Divisive Thus Far
Season 7 Has Mishandled Its Stories
Season 7 has experienced several problems throughout its first five episodes. For starters,The Rookie’s handling of Tru Valentino’s Aaron’s exitwas disappointing, to say the least. During the premiere, Celina revealed that Aaron transferred from Mid Wilshire to North Hollywood’s station after the ordeal with Dr. Blair London in season 6, and that was that. A couple of throwaway lines uttered over 30 seconds explained Aaron’s absence. Since then,Aaron hasn’t been mentioned, not giving the character the exit that he deserved.
Other issues in season 7 include mismanaging the cliffhangers fromThe Rookieseason 6 finale(Jason, Oscar, and Monica’s escapes) and Nolan’s frustrating (and hypocritical) behavior. Both Oscar and Monica are still in the win. The longer the episodes fail to mention the two villains, the easier it is for the audience to forget all about them and their potential. As for Jason, his return in episode 5 was overshadowed by the introduction of another antagonist, and his death was the furthest thing from impactful.
Patrick Kelehe
Seth Ridley
Of course,The Rookieseason 7 hasn’t been all bad. The return to an episodic format with “case of the week” mysteries has been a breath of fresh air following the serialized sixth season.The slow buildup to Tim and Lucy’s inevitable reunion has also served the show (and their relationship) well,given how rushed their breakup was and how great their first slow-burn romance was. Meanwhile,episode 4 was a highlight ofThe Rookieseason 7. The hour contained thoughtful character development for everyone and introduced an intriguing mystery that could redeem the season’s flaws.
Liam & Harrison As Villains May Be The Best Thing About The Rookie Season 7 Now
The Show Needs A New Big Bad
The Rookieseason 7, episode 4 introduced a big villain—Harrison Novak, played by Noel Fisher ofShamelessfame.He is a criminal who Wesley helped get acquitted of burglary and assault. However, in episode 4, the team learned that Harrison is a serial killer targeting young women. They were able to arrest Harrison, who later showed the LAPD where he buried his victims' bodies. When they got there, though, the officers found other corpses that Harrison swore didn’t belong to him. So, another serial killer was on the loose, and he was formally introduced in episode 5.
The Rookie Season 7 Makes Up For Aaron’s Exit (But Tru Valentino’s Departure Is Still Disappointing)
Tru Valentino exited The Rookie in season 7, and although his character’s departure is dissatisfying, the show is trying to redeem itself.
Seth Gabel’s Liam Glasser is the other serial killer who previously used Harrison’s dump site to hide his own victims. Although viewers couldn’t see his face, Liam attacked Nyla in episode 4, meaning she has extra motivation to catch him. As Mekia Cox toldTVLine, Liam is “constantly on [Nyla’s] mind.” Unfortunately, another man confessed to Liam’s murders.Harrison is in police custody, while Liam isn’t,which sets up two possiblebig villains inThe Rookieseason 7. Both could live up to Rosalind Dyer’s legacy, and the writers must take advantage of their potential to right the show’s ship.
How The Rookie’s Villains Can Make The Show More Exciting
Antagonists Have Always Enriched The Rookie
A big reason whyThe Rookieseason 2 is its best season is because of Rosalind Dyer,the greatest villain in the show’s history. Annie Wersching’s performance as the incarcerated serial killer, Rosalind’s devious plans, and her connections with severalRookiemain charactersmade season 2 so thrilling. Meanwhile, season 6’s overflow of forgettable antagonists bumped it to the bottom of the list. So, it’s easy to see how much villains affect the story. IfThe Rookiewriters play their cards right and successfully utilize Harrison and Liam, season 7 could be remembered among the series' best.
The Rookie
Cast
The Rookie follows John Nolan, a small-town man who embarks on a new career as an LAPD officer after a life-changing event. As the force’s oldest rookie, Nolan faces skepticism from superiors who view his pursuit as a midlife crisis.
