The Rookie Season 7, Episode 2, “The Watcher” brings back an old concept from earlier seasons, which is much appreciated. After its diversion into big, splashy drama, “The Watcher” is a reminder that the show’s premise makes it stand out from the countless other cop shows on television. The Rookie has been in a rut for some time, but “The Watcher” proves that what made it great in the past still exists today.
Tru Valentino’s exit was described by Alexi Hawley as a creative “pivot,” and this episode suggests what Hawley meant by that. With three rookies and two rookie training officers, the series can again focus on the training angle that separates its stories from other procedurals. One of the best episodes in The Rookie Season 1 was “Plain Clothes Day,” in which the training officers wore civilian clothes to let their rookies essentially fly solo. The concept returns for Celina Juarez in Season 7, while the two new officers in the Mid-Wilshire precinct continue to find their places on the team. This episode scales down to focus on smaller stories that only The Rookie can successfully tell.
The Rookie Bringing Back ‘Plain Clothes Day’ Is Great for Celina and Nolan
The best evolutionary moment for John Nolan in The Rookie history was when he became a training officer in Season 5. His experience as a cop the entire force was rooting against positioned him as an excellent guide for new officers. “The Watcher” reminds viewers that despite his natural affinity in the role, he has to prove himself once again. If Juarez fails to excel on her “Plain Clothes Day” shift, it doesn’t just negatively affect her — it affects him, too.
Nyla Harper (to John Nolan): You’ve been training her for the past nine months; you’re invested in her success. But the only way she will succeed is if you give her the room to fail.
From the beginning, Celina Juarez was a challenging rookie; her unorthodox methods were only matched by the character’s charm. “The Watcher” showcases her evolution into a capable officer, including a satisfying action sequence in which she single-handedly takes down an angry motorist. She also is able to pull off scolding Nolan in a way other characters wouldn’t, for undermining her in a tense situation. As much as viewers want to see Celina succeed, one almost hopes she messes up so that the rookie/training officer dynamic between her and Nolan can continue.
Celina’s climactic scene in the episode, in which she talks down a grieving woman from killing a gang member, is also memorable. Everything from the action sequence preceding it to the plea itself flirts with melodrama, but that’s also part of the show’s charm — if done correctly. The Rookie is at its best when the show tells individual stories of how these officers engage with their community. It’s an element the series almost forgot in Season 6, but it seems to have returned in Season 7.
Nyla Harper’s Husband James Returns Awkwardly in Season 7, Episode 2
Before Jackson West was killed off, the story arc following his training with a racist officer was one of The Rookie’s best. With Wesley Evers as a defense attorney and the introduction of community activist James Murray, the show explored the negative side of policing. Like the personal touch in its stories, those elements evaporated in recent years, but in “The Watcher,” James returned to pick up that slack.
James and Nyla Harper got married and had a child — and then her husband vanished into the background after mid-Season 6. His return to the show feels more than overdue. However, The Rookie falls into a common plot chasm by suggesting that those fighting for the rights of the accused can be antagonists in their own right. Instead of examining how the LAPD can fall short sometimes, this story is more about creating marital tension between James and Nyla.
In fairness, James holding a meeting of angry community members — who ambush his wife immediately upon her return home — is not a great look. But the only mention of the corruption scandal in The Rookie has been how it inconveniences the officers. One small glimmer of hope is if the friction between James and Nyla continues, perhaps one of the future stories will highlight that police officers have to earn (and sometimes re-earn) the trust of their community.
The Rookie Season 7, Episode 2 Is Elevated by William Sadler
The Rookie is also able to highlight that community, human side of police stories — and the best moments in “The Watcher” feature MCU and Law & Order alum William Sadler as Walter Fields. Believing his home was being robbed, Walter locked himself in the bathroom and shot at the intruder through the door with a pistol. But when Nolan and Juarez arrive on the scene, they find his 17-year-old granddaughter dying on the kitchen floor. Sadler steals every scene. He imbues Walter with the fear and guilt any character who makes such a mistake would feel. He also captures the heartbreaking confusion anyone with elderly parents or relatives recognizes when their loved one’s confidence in themselves is shaken.
Nolan goes to visit Walter in the hospital waiting room while his granddaughter is in surgery, which expands on the latter idea. Walter talks about how his daughter wanted him to give up his firearm, but he refused because it meant admitting something painful about aging. Viewers aren’t given a resolution to this story — but it’s a reminder of how The Rookie’s patrol officers aren’t there just to solve the crime or save the day. They are there to help or, in this instance, just be present for the human beings who lives are affected by these tragedies.
‘The Watcher’ Is a Sign The Rookie Is Getting Back to Basics
The Rookie Season 5 shifted its storytelling to be more in line with other procedurals. Harper and Angela Lopez were promoted to detective, and Wesley became a prosecutor. This meant the series moved away from street-level stories to the more traditional procession from murder investigation to prosecution. “The Watcher” is a reminder of what the show lost when that happened. Miles Penn living out of his car and needing to find a home and Seth Ridley’s failures are examples of some of that old storytelling brought back for Season 7. Lucy’s moments getting past Seth’s nervous veneer are reminiscent of episodes like the one in which Tim Bradford helped a war veteran adjust to being stateside again.
The Rookie Season 7 is supposed to be a return to a more familiar iteration of the show. If more of the next 16 episodes are like “The Watcher” it will be a very welcome return. The Rookie is a network TV series in need of network ratings, so a big, splashy action movie-style episode is to be expected here and there. However, if the show returns its primary focus to the personal, character-driven stories it told for its first four years, Season 7 will be its best outing yet.
