Critic rating: 3.5 / 5.0
3.5
We’re in our seventh season, and the rookie still knows how to start off strong.
Following the disjointed and messy nature of The Rookie Season 6, it’s too early to set a tone for this season.
But The Rookie Season 7 Episode 1 leaned heavily into making the show exciting and fun.
(Disney/Mike Tyne)
Three of The Rookie’s biggest villains are still at large. Chenford has a strange but mildly funny reset, nuclear horror, and two new rookies battling it out in an action-packed hour, but still finds a way to make it far more humorous than it should have been.
Naturally, the premiere included a time jump, and they made it work.
(Disney/Mike Tyne)
But that meant we only got the throwaway line that Thorsen was transferred to North Hollywood to escape the entire bureau knowing he was Blair’s victim.
That’s all we know about Torsen’s random departure between seasons. But it still worked.
This time, the premiere introduces two new faces to add to the equation and keep the series’ themes alive.
I will happily keep this pair. I would like to know more about them.
Ridley is the sweetest, greenest of the two, and seems to be doing the job for a good cause, while “Virgin” looks far too “nice” for this gig.
Anyone watching would almost worry that there would come a point where the job would “break” him, and an exhausted Ridley would be a terrible sight.
(Disney/Mike Tyne)
So far, his energy has worked well against Chen and Serena, who could and will be the best training officers for him. Because both women know how to be thoroughly bad while maintaining a sense of goodness and innocence that fuels their ambitions as cops.
I already like Ridley. Because he’s probably the clumsy type who has to spend the rest of the season growing into his role, finding a backbone, asserting himself, and proving himself.
And damn if girls don’t love good underdogs.
His most notable moment came when he detailed to Cheng in the hospital how and why he got sick and accidentally contaminated the crime scene.
The only thing worse than watching his prom date overdose right in front of him was actively trying to save her and failing.
(Disney/Mike Tyne)
It was the incident that led him to become a police officer. Ridley has a lot to learn about the job and everything that comes with it. It will definitely bring different sides to him.
Sure, there are some really funny moments as he fumbles his way through clumsy, awkward moments in an attempt to impress Bradford and prove that he can have funny moments himself, but he’s really just Chen’s It’s more suitable. There is a semi-lovable side to her as she trains someone like him.
It serves her story well, as we get a true taste of how far she has evolved as a character since The Rookie Season 1 Episode 1.
We get to see how she took some of what she learned through her experience at Bradford and learned it while tweaking things and establishing herself as an authority figure. You can.
(Disney/Mike Tyne)
There’s more to Ridley than meets the eye, and the same goes for Penn. At first, he comes across as brash, arrogant, and obnoxious.
And he’s definitely all of those things, plus an impulsive know-it-all who always wants to prove something.
For half an hour I was irritated with his behavior, but sure enough, he talked to me about anything in that pleasant accent. I would enjoy his BS without subscribing.
But behind all that bravado, there’s a deeper story worth exploring, and hopefully the season delivers on that. Penn has a clear blemish on his shoulder, one that is evident in this move from Texas to California.
Starting from scratch after several years of work can be difficult.
As difficult as it is to start over, it also embodies the essence of The Rookie, and in many ways, Penn is a smart way to refreshingly stick to that theme.
(Disney/Mike Tyne)
As he pointed out in the high-speed chase, he is a wild and complete cowboy, though not unlike Bradford himself. He needs someone to keep him in check, but he probably has good instincts and will get along well with others if he lets his guard down and stops all his verbal abuse.
Penn was supposed to be popular in Texas, so this move to California is puzzling.
He’s a character who is described as someone who “had it all together,” so it was interesting to discover that he’s currently sleeping in his car. Even if you weren’t interested in him before, you are now. I want to know the story behind the bravado.
He’s a great rookie for Bradford and we’re already seeing some similarities and we can see how that could lead to a clash between the two. But they also push each other and help the other grow.
(Disney/Mike Tyne)
It was interesting to see Bradford again in TO mode, in the OG way, because he became infinitely lighter and more carefree when working with Thorsen and Juarez.
Tim is already in the betting game with Lucy, so who would want to bet that this newcomer might clash with Tim someday?
Lucy and Serena already live together and there is no other option unless the newcomers move Lucy and Jackson and room together.
Speaking of Chenford, that time was very cheeky and fun, but it was also a strange development for them.
It feels as if their relationship is being reset – as if the series didn’t know what to do with them other than throwing careless roadblocks when they officially got together.
And now, even though they’re not officially together, the feelings are still there, and the show revels in the sexual tension and chemistry between the two, veering sideways rather than taking us backwards. I might.
(Disney/Mike Tyne)
They’re not at zero as a couple, but they’re at this stage of casual flirtation and light fun. Perhaps there will be a season where Tim tries to win her back.
Bradford wanted to go with her the night after his shift, and he knew she was as well, but he was playing hard to get his way. we love seeing it! Let him be GROVEL!
We seem to be in a sexy cat-and-mouse phase with these two. To be honest, I still don’t know how to feel about this. This is because the complicated feelings about the two of them breaking up for just that reason have not yet been resolved. Tim’s “growth” in the first place.
Did The Rookie need to break up Chenford just to provide a fun and sexy reset to the ship? In my opinion, no.
(Disney/Mike Tyne)
There’s something irritating about the idea that love stories get boring over time unless they’re overloaded with unnecessary drama or fast-forwarded to typical marital and family issues.
But Eric Winter and Melissa O’Neal have such great chemistry that it’s fun to watch them play around with it and explore new layers. I feel like we’re in a playful phase for both of us, with the early power dynamics and romantic relationships we discarded on a whim gone.
As a result, they are on equal footing, single, but still want each other, and I’m along for the ride.
For the most part, this hour allowed us to ease into an action-packed and potentially emotional season. The second half of this opener is likely to include even more action.
(Disney/Mike Tyne)
But that pace worked for an hour. Nolan still seems to be under the influence of Jason and Oscar, and Bayley’s absence proves to be troublesome.
Serena was great at motivating Nolan and getting past all of his defenses, and it was also great to see him open up to the newly promoted Gray about whether or not his head was in the game on the field. .
But Nolan is good. Even if he’s suffering from some PTSD after The Rookie Season 6 Episode 10, it’s not negatively impacting his work at this point. And he certainly had some terrible moments.
We took lightly the resident badasses (Harper and Lopez) showing up as usual.
Nevertheless, it is very interesting that Wesley will be working at this station for the foreseeable future. It’s hilarious that he had to listen to Angela’s coworker fantasizing about having sex with her.
His jealousy was hilarious, especially since he wasn’t allowed to tell her anything or act on what he found on the tape. But as long as he and Angela get each other home at night, he doesn’t have to worry about anything.
(Disney/Mike Tyne)
As a side note, finding out that Angela is an avid reader was a great opportunity. She includes many people. Can you imagine her appearing on Booktok? Iconic!
The rookie is off to a good start. we have been waiting for a long time. It’s really great that they provide us with content.
With the latest additions, Wesley’s involvement in the station, and Lucy’s new title, I’m intrigued to see what’s to come. what about you?
Listen below, Rookie Fanatics! What did you think of the Rookie Season 7 premiere? What was your favorite moment? Mute the sound below!
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