The Rookie Round Table: Chenford Has Arrived!

Chenford is really happening! The couple that shippers have been rooting for since The Rookie Season 1 is finally planning on going on a date!

Oh, and the winter finale had some other things, too, like neck bombs, Grey’s daughter being abducted, and a creepy clown.

Our TV Fanatics, Jasmine and Christine, are joined by The Rookie fan, Kate, to critique Lucy and Chris’ breakup, their hopes for Chenford, if Nolan has better chemistry with Bailey or Genny (Tim’s sister!), and much more…

Why do you think Lucy was dragging her feet over breaking up with Chris?

Jasmine: I don’t really know. Fear, maybe? Guilt, too. I think she and Chris got more serious than she intended, and then the whole thing with Rosalind happened, and she would’ve felt guilty if she left him after that since he only sustained those injuries because of his connection to her.

Kate: I’ve been there. We all have. She wants to date Tim, but she doesn’t want to hurt Chris. He didn’t do anything wrong, so it feels unfair to her that she gets the happy ending (hopefully), and Chris gets dumped. Plus, she hasn’t really done the whole breakup thing in a while.

I don’t blame her. It can be difficult. I’m glad she had Aaron and Tim to help her out, though.

Christine: It’s hard to dump someone who is nice and hasn’t done anything wrong. It makes you feel like the bad guy. Plus, you add in all the guilt of Rosalind targeting Chris, and Lucy was struggling.

But Lucy doesn’t love Chris, and she has serious feelings for Tim. So, keeping things going with Chris wasn’t fair to either of them. But knowing it’s the right thing to do doesn’t make it any easier.

Lucy and Chris broke up. Were you surprised by how Chris took the news? Do you think we’ll see more of Chris moving forward?

Jasmine: I don’t feel like we knew Chris well enough to predict how he’d take the news. I think I’ve grown used to more gracious responses that can feel unrealistic, whereas Chris’ reaction felt pretty realistic.

But this is The Rookie, and it’s Lucy, so part of me is always afraid he’ll become a stalker or something.

Kate: Chris works pretty close to them, so it’s possible we’ll see him. I want to see if Chris rants to Wesley since they work near each other now. Overall, I wasn’t shocked by how he took it, though.

Christine: I was a little surprised at how he didn’t wait for her explanation, but I guess once you realize someone you love doesn’t love you back, there isn’t much more to say.

But I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some blowback for Lucy in the future. At best, it’s going to be all kinds of awkward when they have to deal with one another at work. At worse, Chris could try to make those interactions as uncomfortable as possible. We’ll have to wait and see how he plays it.

Tim and Lucy agreed to go on a real date. React!

Jasmine: I mean, yay! We’ve been building to this for such a long time, so I’m happy they finally pulled the trigger on Chenford, and we’re making a go of it.

It’s been five years!! Infidelity is always one of those things that get under my skin, so I’ve often struggled with that aspect of things even as a Chenford fan, and I hate that pattern for ships this season. But I’m so ready to see this stage of Chenford.

I feel like Lucy has had the best evolution in the series, and she’s ready for this. And I love the vulnerability and all the different sides of Tim we’ve seen through his dynamic with Lucy.

I LOVE that they scheduled a date. Too often, with ships like this, they jump into an instant relationship without the romantic wooing and courting.

I’m delighted we’re getting a date and cuteness. I’m so excited about that. And I wonder if they’ll address the power dynamic.

Kate: Super excited, but a little scared too. With their jobs, will one of them move out of MidWilshire? Does that mean less screen time for them? The technicalities scare me, but I’m thrilled nonetheless.

Finally! After five and a half seasons!!! It’s definitely been my favorite slow burn I’ve seen on tv.

Christine: Wow! I kept expecting the show to continue to put this off, so I’m thrilled that Lucy and Tim have not only acknowledged their feelings but made plans for a real date.

I’m sure the path forward will still have obstacles, but if they work on them together, it could be a fantastic love story.

Would Thorsen make a good detective? Do you think that’s the right path for him?

Jasmine: I think with a little work and practice, he’ll be great. I love Thorsen, and his scenes with Harper and Lopez were some of my favorites.

I like that he has a clear-cut trajectory for his career, and while it’s inspired by his experience, they’ve steadily moved beyond that when developing him.

Kate: I think he’d be amazing. He definitely has the motivation. Also, I love him being ‘trained’ by Nyla and Ange.

Christine: Thorsen fits in well with just about everyone on the show, so they can take this character in a lot of directions. If that turns into him becoming a detective, I’m here for it. But he’s got a ways to go, so I’ll just sit back and enjoy the journey.

Does Nolan have more chemistry with Gennifer (Tim’s sister) or Bailey?

Jasmine: I am on record for having zero interest in Nolan’s relationship ever, but I dig the vibes between him and Gennifer, and he definitely has much better chemistry with her than he does with Bailey. I’d actually care a little bit.

Kate: I’ve never cared about Nolan much, no offense, but he and Genny were fun! I’d love to see more of them and less of Bailey.

Christine: Nolan and Bailey feel forced. It feels like all of their scenes revolve around some trope or funny gag, and it’s grown tiring.

Genny is just getting divorced, so she’s nowhere near ready to date again, but Genny and Nolan feel more like grownups with real things in common, and there seems to be a spark there. Then you add that she’s Tim’s sister, and this could be a storyline with a lot of potential.

Which character would you like to see more of on The Rookie?

Jasmine: This finale reminded me that we don’t spend enough time with Grey. I’d like to see more of him.

Kate: Genny! Specifically, Genny and Tim dynamic! I love their scenes together.

Christine: I love Sgt. Grey and I hope we get to see more storylines involving him moving forward. I’d also like to see more of Angela and Nyla together as partners. They make such a great team that I want more.

And can we get more of Kojo, Tim’s dog? I miss him.

What scene from these two episodes bothered or disappointed you the most?

Jasmine: As I alluded to before and in the review, I’m happy for Chenford but hate the whole Chris of it all… Lucy dragging out the breakup and how it was done felt needlessly cruel, honestly. I also hated how quickly they bypassed the blown-up woman thing.

Kate: Nolan and his lapses in judgment during the episode. Maybe it was just me, but when he was on the phone with the first woman with the bomb caller, he didn’t ask her nearly enough questions about who did this.

Telling her to open the door and ignore the sounds the bomb was making bothered me, too, like he was in a rush and not thinking about what could happen and just not thinking things through.

Christine: Yeah, Nolan consistently dismissing the concerns of the woman with the bomb around her neck was troubling. I know there was only so much he could do, but the more he told her everything was going to be fine, the more I wanted to scream at him.

And Bailey crawling around under the house and finding a creepy clown doll was kind of lame.

What was your favorite moment from The Rookie winter finale?

Jasmine: Thorsen delighted me with his humor. I also loved Luna. I don’t know if I had a specific favorite moment, though. Kate: I actually screamed when Tim asked Lucy out for dinner, so I’d say that explains that.

Christine: I loved Grey and Luna working together to find their daughter. They didn’t panic. They just put their heads together and figured things out as a team.

And I couldn’t be more thrilled that Tim and Lucy admitted how they felt to one another and didn’t try to backtrack or deny anything. That was wonderfully refreshing.

Now it’s your turn.

Hit that SHOW COMMENTS button below to share your thoughts on The Rookie winter finale.

Check out Jasmine’s The Rookie review here at TV Fanatic.

Remember, you can watch The Rookie online right here via TV Fanatic.

The Rookie returns Tuesday, January 3, at 8 p.m. on ABC.

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