Critic’s Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
3.5
We’re seven seasons in, and The Rookie still knows how to start with a bang.
Following the disjointed and cumbersome nature of The Rookie Season 6, it’s too early to determine this season’s vibes.
However, the show leaned heavily into what makes it exciting and fun during The Rookie Season 7 Episode 1.
We have three of The Rookie’s biggest villains still on the loose; Chenford has a bizarre but mildly entertaining reset, a nuke scare, and two brand-new rookies to contend with during an action-packed hour that still found a way to be far more humorous than it had a right to be.
Naturally, the premiere came with a time jump that served the hour well.
However, it did mean that we merely got a throwaway line about Thorsen transferring to North Hollywood to get away from the entire station knowing about being a victim of Blair.
It’s all we have about Thorsen’s seemingly random departure between seasons. But it worked out, nonetheless.
In turn, the premiere delivers two new rookies to add to the equation and to keep the series’ theme alive and well.
I’ll happily keep this pair; I’m dying to learn more about them.
Ridley is the sweetest, the greenest of the two, seemingly sweet, in the job for the right reasons, and the “virgin” seems almost too “nice” for the gig.
Out of anyone, you almost fear that there will come a point where the job “breaks” him, and a jaded Ridley would be an awful sight.
His energy thus far works well with Chen, who can and will be the best training officer for him, and with Celina, as both women know how to be utterly badass while also maintaining this goodness and innocence that make them aspirational as cops.
I have a soft spot for Ridley already, as he’s the bumbling sort who will likely spend the rest of the season having to grow into his role, find a backbone, assert himself, and prove his capabilities.
And damn if a girl doesn’t love a good underdog.
His most notable moment was at the hospital when he elaborated to Chen how and why he got sick and accidentally contaminated a crime scene.
The only thing worse than watching his prom date overdose in front of him was actively working to save her and failing.
It’s an incident that shaped and led him to become a cop. Ridley needs to learn so much about the job and all it entails; it will undoubtedly bring different facets out of him.
Sure, his bumbling and fumbling through awkward moments trying to impress Bradford and prove himself can have its amusing moments, but he’s genuinely a better fit with Chen. There’s a semi-endearing full-circle aspect to her training someone like him.
It serves her story well as we get to truly bask in how far she’s evolved as a character since The Rookie Season 1 Episode 1.
We get to see her employ some of what she learned and how she learned it through her experience with Bradford while tweaking things and coming into her own as an authority figure.
There’s more to Ridley than meets the eye, but the same applies to Penn. Initially, he comes across as cocky, arrogant, and obnoxious.
And he most certainly is all those things, in addition to being an impulsive know-it-all who always has something to prove.
For half of the hour, I found his actions irritating, but admittedly, he could talk me through some of anything with that delectable accent. I’d indulge in his BS without subscribing to it.
But beneath all that bravado, there’s a deeper story worthy of exploration, and hopefully, the season will do that. Penn has an apparent chip on his shoulder, and that’s apparent with this relocation to California from Texas.
Starting from scratch after some years on the job can suck.
Starting over is hard, but it also embodies the nature of what The Rookie is all about, and in many ways, Penn is a clever way of sticking to that theme refreshingly.
He’s wild and a total cowboy, though not unlike Bradford himself, as he noted in that high-speed chase. He needs someone to rein him in, but he probably has great instincts and will jive well with the others if he lets his guard down and stops all the bullcrap.
Penn should’ve become a hotshot in Texas, so this switch to California is puzzling.
He’s a character who presents as someone who “had it all together,” so it was fascinating to discover that he currently sleeps in his car. If he didn’t have my interest before, he does now, and I’m eager to learn the story behind all that bravado.
He’s a great rookie for Bradford, as you can already sense some similarities and how that’ll lead to them butting heads. But they’ll also push one another and help the other grow.
It was amusing to see Bradford in his T.O. mode again, more so in the OG way, as he was infinitely lighter and more easygoing with Thorsen and Juarez when he worked with them.
Since Tim is already in the betting game with Lucy, who wants to wager that the new rookie may end up crashing with him at some point?
Lucy and Celina are already living together, and there are no other options unless the newbies pull a Lucy-Jackson move and room together.
Speaking of Chenford, they were delightfully cheeky and fun during the hour, but it’s also a bizarre development for them.
It almost feels like we’re at a reset with their relationship — as if the series didn’t know what to do with them when they were officially together other than throw heedless obstacles in their way.
And now that they’re not together officially, but the feelings are still there, the show is reveling in the sexual tension and chemistry between the two, not so much taking us backward, but maybe veering sideways.
They’re not at ground zero as a couple, but we’re in this phase of casual flirtiness and light fun. Perhaps we’ll have a season of Tim trying to win her back.
Bradford wanted to go with her for the evening after shift, and she knew as much but was playing hard to get and going on her merry way. We love to see it! Make him GROVEL!
It seems we’re in a sexy cat-and-mouse phase with these two, and truthfully, I don’t know how to feel about it just yet, as I still haven’t resolved my mixed feelings about them breaking up just for Tim’s “growth” in the first place.
Did The Rookie need to break Chenford up solely to provide the ‘ship a fun, sexy reset? In my opinion, no.
Something is frustrating about the notion that love stories become dull over time unless they’re overwrought with needless drama or fast-forwarded to typical marital and familial issues.
However, Eric Winter and Melissa O’Neil have such great chemistry that it’s fun to see them play around with it and explore new layers. It feels like we’re in a playful stage for the two, sans the power dynamic of the early years and the romantic relationship they revoked on a whim.
As a result, they’re on equal standing, single, but very much still want each other, and I’m on board for that ride.
For the most part, the hour eased us into what will likely be an action-packed and emotionally wrought season. The second part of this opener will likely contain far more action.
But the pacing worked for the hour. Nolan still seems affected by Jason and Oscar out in the wind, and you can tell not having Bailey around is bothersome.
Celina is great at prodding Nolan and getting past all of his defenses, and it was also great to see him confiding in the newly promoted Grey about whether or not his head was in the game in the field.
But Nolan is good. If he’s dealing with any form of PTSD after The Rookie Season 6 Episode 10, it isn’t impacting his job negatively at the moment. And he certainly had a few badass moments.
We were light on our resident badasses (Harper and Lopez) getting to show out as usual.
Nevertheless, it’s more than entertaining that Wesley will work at the station for the foreseeable future. It’s hilarious that he had to listen to Angela’s colleague fantasize about having sex with her.
His jealousy was hilarious, especially since he’s not allowed to tell her anything or act on what he’s finding out in those tapes. But as long as he and Angela come home to one another at night, he doesn’t have anything to worry about.
As a side note, finding out that Angela is a spicy book reader was the perfect cherry on top of the hour. She contains multitudes. Can you imagine her on Booktok? Iconic!
The Rookie is off to a solid start. We’ve waited so long — it’s just great that they’re feeding us some content!
From the latest additions, Wesley’s involvement at the station, and Lucy’s new title, I’m intrigued by what’s in store. How about you?
Let’s hear it below, Rookie Fanatics! What are we rating The Rookie Season 7 premiere? What were your favorite moments? Sound off below!
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