The Rookie showrunner Alexi Hawley has revealed when viewers can expect Jenna Dewan’s Bailey to make her season 7 return. The hit ABC procedural, based on the real-life story of William Norcross, who joined the LAPD as a rookie in his mid-40s, debuted in October 2018. The Rookie boasts a strong cast, including Nathan Fillion in the role of John Nolan, as well as Alyssa Diaz, Richard T. Jones, and Shawn Ashmore. Dewan joined the show as a guest star in season 3, before progressing to a series regular, but her character has been absent so far in The Rookie season 7.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant’s Rachel Foertsch, Hawley reveals that Dewan will return in season 7, and discusses when viewers can expect to see the fan-favorite back on screens. After missing the premiere episode of The Rookie season 7, there was speculation that Dewan might be away for a while, but Hawley has revealed she is set to return sooner than expected. According to the showrunner, Bailey will return at the end of episode 3; check out her comments below:
ScreenRant: Jenna Dewan is obviously not in the premiere due to outside circumstances. Are you able to say when Bailey will return?
Alexi Hawley: Yeah. I mean, Jenna had a baby, so we see her at the end of episode 3, basically.
What These Comments Mean For Bailey’s The Rookie Season 7 Storyline
Bailey’s return will be very welcome, as her evolution from bland love interest into one of the show’s most interesting and engaging characters has made her the perfect companion for John. While it is unclear what her season 7 story arc will be, there is a good chance it will pick up from the cliffhanger ending of The Rookie season 6 finale, which saw Bailey’s ex-husband Jason Wyler escaping prison, and heading for Los Angeles, suggesting he might have revenge in mind.
There have certainly been no rumblings of Dewan looking to leave the show, so it’s safe to assume Bailey will continue to appear on the show, and will be a regular for The Rookie season 8
With Bailey’s absence from season 7, speculation has been rife about her character’s fate, but Hawley’s reveal that she is set to return at the end of episode 3 should be welcome news for viewers. Dewan has been absent due to having a baby, and it will be interesting to see how the show chooses to deal with (and explain) Baiey’s absence. It could be that the story will pick up with her being held somewhere by Jason, which explains why she’s not appeared so far, but whatever the storyline, there is bound to be a link to Jason’s escape.
Our Verdict On Bailey’s The Rookie Future
Bailey is a beloved character on the show, and it feels highly unlikely that she would be killed off. There have certainly been no rumblings of Dewan looking to leave the show, so it’s safe to assume Bailey will continue to appear on the show, and will be a regular for The Rookie season 8, should it happen. However, I suspect that her season 7 arc, which will heavily involve Jason, will cause her a lot of trauma, and could put strain on her and John’s marriage, and this could prove a dramatic storyline for The Rookie moving forward.
