‘The Rookie’ offers a sense of comfort to its fans through these important components.
At a time when many new TV shows scramble to make their mark before being canceled, The Rookie has accomplished the tough task of embedding itself into the cultural zeitgeist, airing its 100th episode recently. It’s an especially noteworthy achievement, as police procedurals are such a well-worn genre — but the show brought something extra from the very beginning. Currently airing its sixth season, The Rookie offers a sense of comfort to its fans through its endearing relationships and relatable characters, keeping them coming back for more.
‘The Rookie’s Characters Are Human Above Everything Else
The Rookie hit the ground running with a set of characters that felt likable and fully built up from the very first episode. This was perhaps the show’s greatest strength in its initial seasons, and for the audience, it felt easy to watch these newly introduced characters fit snugly into the show’s unique take on the procedural. Whether it’s the pilot introduction of Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) enthusiastically entering into her new role by arresting a criminal, or the single-episode appearance of Katie Barnes (Katy O’Brian), who captivated viewers with her depiction of service-related PTSD, characters in the show pass a very important test in that they do not seem as if they exist solely to fill certain roles on the show. Instead, they are real people, whose quirks and personal lives are constantly reiterated in moments that are all the more effective in making them relatable. The show elaborates on the personal lives of its characters in a way that goes beyond just the episodes dedicated to individual arcs, a mandatory but stifling convention of TV procedurals. The Rookie explores its characters’ personal lives naturally and effortlessly, through things like recurring mentions of personal hobbies and numerous scenes of the team winding down after a hard day at work.
‘The Rookie’ Builds Important Bonds With Effortless Warmth
The humanity that The Rookie infuses its characters with is one of the show’s biggest strengths, something that filters into its most endearing relationships. From the slow-burning romance of Chenford to the continual support John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) finds from his partner, the adventurous Bailey Nune (Jenna Dewan), the spark of warmth and wholesomeness that individual characters embody carries over into their relationships. Similarly, the dynamic between Sergeant Gray (Richard T. Jones) and his wife, Luna (Angel Parker), is a recurring aspect that always steals the show, with Luna’s self-confident and almost regal demeanor an unstated highlight of the entire series.
For Fillion, the procedural nature of The Rookie just happens to be a medium through which to showcase the series’ amazing relationships. Speaking at a panel at the Television Critics Association this year, Fillion shared that viewers “like the show because of the characters, because of the relationships, because of the interactions,” and that the procedural element is “just the form that our show takes.” And to be fair, good action doesn’t always guarantee a TV series a long runtime. The Rookie has its own charm that not only feels timeless but can even be more enjoyable after a rewatch.
This wholesomeness doesn’t just reflect in The Rookie’s romantic relationships, either; Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) hides a commendable sense of responsibility and compassion in his role as a Training Officer. Meanwhile, the oddly maverick Celina Juarez (Lisseth Chavez) has settled into the show’s established dynamics with surprising ease, despite appearing to stand out awkwardly in the beginning, and her relationship with her TO, John Nolan, allows this to happen so seamlessly. Over 100 episodes later, it is these relationships, more than any procedural aspect, that keep viewers coming back. There is an emotional warmth to The Rookie’s characters and relationships that make the show a comfort watch for viewers.
‘The Rookie’ Balances Lighter Comedy With More Intense Drama
The Rookie’s excellent writing can be seen best through the way in which its comedy and relatable relationships blend with the hardships of the policing job. Personal joys often clash with the harsh nature of the workplace within a single episode to illustrate the point that these characters are normal humans doing a dangerous job.
In fact, the real stakes and unpredictable thrills made the show exciting from the beginning. Yet as The Rookie expanded its scope to more fun and wackier ideas in later seasons, it became even more clear what its biggest strength was: the brilliant chemistry and the endearing quirks of the characters that make these episodes worth watching again and again. These same character relationships act as the critical glue for the more dramatic plots and perils that the show regularly deals with.
The Rookie’s blend of action thrills with its human, character-driven elements is why we keep coming back to the show season after season. It’s not a quality that wears off the first time around, but gets even better with subsequent rewatches. There is a sense of comfort to be had in the balance between rounds of thrilling action and the way The Rookie’s characters, with their deep and dimensional relationships, navigate these dangerous situations. As the show continues to chart a path through its sixth season, the journey these characters have gone through together makes it even easier to keep rooting for them.
