The Rookie Season 6 finale, “Escape Plan,” brought the abbreviated sixth season to a close. Obviously, there were extenuating circumstances surrounding Season 6, which was delayed due to the recent actors and writers’ strikes, culminating in a much shorter season. As a season finale, “Escape Plan” lacked the punch and impact that a show like The Rookie should deliver. The ending for “Escape Plan” came off as abrupt and underwhelming. If the attempt was a huge cliffhanger leaving the audience dying to tune into the next season, it simply lacked the desired effect. It’s time to unpack why The Rookie Season 6 finale didn’t work.
Nolan and Bailey Learn About Oscar and Jason’s Escape From Prison
Throughout “Escape Plan,” it’s revealed that Monica Stevens (Bridget Regan) created the means for career criminal Oscar Hutchinson (Matthew Glave) to escape from prison in exchange for information about Eric Ramsey (Neil Hopkins). With help from Jason Wyler (Steve Kazee), the sociopathic ex-husband of Bailey Nune (Jenna Dewan), Oscar and Jason torture a prisoner who is part of Ramsey’s organization to obtain some information that Monica can use as leverage since Ramsey is conspiring to kill her. Oscar convinces Jason to help him by bringing him into the escape plan so he can visit both John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and Bailey to torture and murder them. Or as Oscar puts it, “How would you like to pay them a visit, unsupervised? Perhaps in the dead of night with a cattle prod and some zip ties?”
After delivering some key information to Monica, Oscar and Jason easily walk out of prison disguised as guards, with Jason informing Oscar that he wants to be dropped off in Los Angeles to find Nolan and Bailey. In the final scene of the episode, Nolan and Bailey are together at home, with Bailey scolding Nolan after he was shot rescuing Blair London (Danielle Campbell) earlier in the episode. Then, Nolan gets a call from Sgt. Wade Grey (Angus Johnson), who informs him of Oscar and Jason’s escape.
Jason and Oscar Teaming Up Just Doesn’t Make Sense
The return of Jason Wyler was disappointing. Not to mention, the series didn’t properly set up that Oscar and Jason were inmates at the same prison. Interestingly, the Season 5 episode, “The Enemy Within,” the last appearance of series villain Elijah Stone (Brandon Jay McLaren), depicts Stone meeting Oscar in prison, as Stone asks Oscar if he knows any good revenge stories. Elijah Stone has not been featured since this episode, even though his final scene teased a potential alliance with Oscar to get revenge on their common enemies at the Mid-Wilshire Patrol Division. The more natural storytelling approach would have placed Oscar and Elijah together next as a villainous team-up rather than Oscar and Jason.
Before this finale, Jason had not even appeared since the fourth season episode, “End Game,” which aired over two years ago in January 2022. His sudden reintroduction feels like it came out of nowhere and seems shoehorned in because the writers couldn’t use Elijah in the episode, or Brandon Jay McLaren simply wasn’t available. The idea of Oscar and Jason together in the same prison seems equally nonsensical. Is there only one prison in the state of California? It’s like The Rookie has become the DC Universe, where Gotham City can only put all the city’s villains into one institution, such as Arkham Asylum or Blackgate. The Rookie just dumps all the bad guys who are incarcerated by the heroes at the Mid-Wilshire Patrol Division into the same prison, so they can conspire to take their revenge. The setup for Jason and Oscar becoming acquaintances in prison should have been seeded better, so Jason’s reintroduction in the Season 6 finale is not nearly as jarring.
The Ending of ‘Escape Plan’ Played Out Like an Average Episode
The ending sequence of the episode unfolded too casually. There was no sense of suspense or urgency in showing Oscar and Jason’s escape, and the ending lacked an ominous foreboding tone to sell the dire situation that could await Nolan and Bailey. While Oscar and Jason are now out of prison, Nolan and Bailey have now been forewarned about their escape and potential arrival back in Los Angeles. They have ample time to either get to safety or convene with their allies to devise a plan to counteract Oscar and Jason.
It would have been far more suspenseful if Nolan and Bailey had not been warned in time, and the audience would have seen Jason stalking their home with bad intentions. Or perhaps, Nolan was not even home yet due to his gunshot wound when Jason attempted to break in or go after Bailey. The finale lacked that punch to truly deliver the climactic end to the season. Additionally, Nolan and Bailey relaxing and then finding out about the prison escape is not that exciting. It would have been far more suspenseful if, after Nolan ended his call with Grey, he and Bailey heard a knock at the door, and perhaps Jason and Oscar were outside the house. Perhaps, the audience never sees who it is, but the thought would now occupy the minds of Bailey and Nolan that people who want revenge on them have escaped from prison and could be coming after them. That fear would then transfer to the audience. Instead, the ending scene lacked emotional impact, resulting in the episode coming off more like a transitional episode than a penultimate one or true season finale.
This contrasts heavily with the show’s Season 2 Finale, “The Hunt,” which is one of the best episodes and finales in the show’s history. After confronting the corrupt detective, Nick Armstrong (Harold Perrineau), Nolan realizes Armstrong set him up for a frame job. The final scene shows a panicked Nolan taking an ax to the walls of his home, fearing Armstrong planted evidence there. He then discovers a hidden compartment in the bedroom wall, finding the evidence Armstrong planted, while sirens of arriving police units blare just outside Nolan’s home. The episode ends with Nolan realizing he’s been caught in Armstrong’s trap, the walls are closing in, and the audience has no idea what will happen next. That was a huge, emotionally compelling moment to go out on. Armstrong figured out a way to defeat Nolan and ruin his professional reputation and career as a police officer when he was still in his rookie year. That is the type of moment to bring home a season finale and leave the audience in total suspense so they cannot wait for the next season.
‘The Rookie’ Season 7 Premiere Could Redeem Season 6’s Finale
The good news is that The Rookie will be back for a seventh season. While the Season 6 finale was underwhelming, the season premiere will have a chance to redeem the finale and leave a better impression. The Rookie’s season openers are usually among the show’s strongest episodes. Hopefully, when things circle back to Oscar and Jason in Season 7, the authorities are already preparing to deal with them, or perhaps they are encircling Nolan and Bailey’s home to enact their revenge. With Nolan and Bailey already aware of their escape, the couple might potentially create a plan to trap and outsmart their enemies.
