Did the Thing 'The Rookie' Fans Were Hoping for Finally Happen in the Season Finale?

Apologies for the vague headline, but I didn’t want to spoil anything, although there’s apparently nothing to spoil. After seven seasons of The Rookie, the series feels so established that it no longer bothers to pull out all the stops for its finales. What was once an annual bubble show — its early seasons marked by shocking deaths or big cliffhangers (the kind that were instantly resolved in the next season’s premiere) — is now one of the top five shows in the 18-49 demo on network television. In fact, ABC currently boasts all five of the top slots: High Potential, Abbott Elementary, The Rookie, 911, and Shifting Gears.

So, was there a big “Chenford” moment now that Lucy (Melissa O’Neil) has been promoted to sergeant, freeing her and Bradford from those annoying HR issues? Sort of? As a sergeant, Lucy’s been put on the night shift with the “dream team,” which she quickly learns is so named because they literally take naps during shifts. Still, when it matters, they spring into action, as proven when a gang targeted rookie Miles Penn (Deric Augustine) via a dating app. (This is why you don’t mention you’re a cop on your profile, Miles!) The downside of Lucy’s night shift is that she and Tim are struggling to find time to connect. However, Tim does surprise her at her apartment to make breakfast after one of her overnight shifts and even asks her to move in with him. Unfortunately for Tim, Lucy completely misses the conversation because she falls asleep. Chenford is going to have to until 2026 (the series returns in January).

In the C-plot, Wesley and Angela investigate a man catfished into robbing a bank to pay for the heart surgery of a woman he fell in love with online. Spoiler: She was not real. Even better: she was actually his wife, who catfished him to get his half of their bank account so she wouldn’t have to split it in the divorce. Honestly, that’s kind of genius.

Meanwhile, the A-plot brings back recurring villain Oscar Hutchinson (Matthew Glave, best known as Glenn Guglia in The Wedding Singer). In pursuit of diamonds that he and his partner stole before going to prison, Oscar kills his partner and kidnaps John Nolan, forcing him at gunpoint to help track them down. After finding the diamonds — but before Oscar can kill John — Nyla shows up with a teenage boy they met while staking out the situation. The kid uses his drone to knock Oscar off balance, effectively saving Nolan’s life. Oscar does manage to escape in a helicopter, though not before later killing the pilot and the other passenger.

As for the “cliffhanger,” such as it is, recurring villainess Monica Stevens (Bridget Regan) is released from prison after cutting a deal with the feds. It’s not exactly edge-of-your-seat stuff, but honestly, The Rookie doesn’t need it. The show’s first-run episodes not only perform well on ABC and Hulu, but its back seasons on Hulu —- like Grey’s Anatomy and Suits — have found a huge audience. People just want low-key comfort TV with modest stakes and likable characters, and that’s Nathan Fillion’s sweet spot. After seven seasons, the show is in a well-worn groove that hasn’t yet slipped into a rut.

I like it because while it’s no Southland — nothing ever will be — it’s about the closest thing on television to it. And because, dammit, I want to see Tim and Lucy get together already. It’s been seven seasons! Will-they-won’t-they storylines should be capped at five seasons, max, before they will. Stop dragging your feet, Alexi Hawley, and make it happen.