The Rookieis a comedic police procedural centering on John Nolan (Nathan Fillion), a forty-something man who pursues his dream of becoming a police officer after a life-altering incident. It sounds rather far-fetched, but the character was actuallyinspired by a real person. Along the way, he bonds with a group of fellow loyal cops—and also makes more than a few enemies. While the episodes can get pretty tense, they can usually be counted on to serve up a comforting ending, making it ideal relaxation viewing.
Most of all,the show benefits from not taking itself seriously.There is drama and occasionally action, but the main appeal is the lighthearted banter and steady stream of humorous scenarios. Fillion, as always,is great at playing this kind of jokey hero.The Rookieis full of procedural tropes and unrealistic situations, but Fillion and the rest of the leads are charming enough that it doesn’t matter. It’s popcorn TV done right, and here are its ten most underrated episodes.
The Rookie
10"The Hammer"
Season 6, Episode 2
“A fair fight for once.” ‘The Hammer’ is a more lighthearted episode, with a focus on personal relationships - particularly romantic ones - rather than the police procedural elements. Nolan and Bailey (Jenna Dewan) are set to be married. Meanwhile, Chen (Melissa O’Neil) wants to become an undercover detective, but she senses that Tim (Eric Winter) is against it. To prove himself, Tim lets Chen grill him while he’s attached to a lie detector, in an enjoyable scene.
The most action-packed scene is Tim’s fight with a baddie known as The Hammer, which he wins with ease (leading to an awkward moment where he almost looks like he’s proposing to Chen). The climax of the episode is the wedding, which gets interrupted by some crimes and sends all the characters switching into cop mode, butit remains sweet and sentimental rather than tense.Some of it is a little saccharine, like Sergeant Grey stepping in to officiate, but it’s great fan service. It’s nice to see all the major characters happy.
9"Double Down"
Season 5, Episode 1
“Oh, gosh. Remind me not to take a guy out while I’m wearing a robe. " Season 5, Episode 1 revolves around the trial of Rosalind Dyer (Annie Wersching), the criminal mastermind who has tormented the characters for years, particularly Nolan. Everybody is a little rattled as a result, even if they deny it. Everything’s fine until Rosalind launches a daring escape attempt, aided by her legions of acolytes. She’s like a Bond villain, able to pull the strings from the shadows in a way no one thought possible.
This is thus a very dramatic way to kick off the season, but the lighter moments are arguably stronger than the tense ones.For example, there’s a lot of awkwardness and sexual tension between Tim and Chen, who kissed for the first time in the previous episode. They go undercover as a couple to infiltrate a crime syndicate, which creates an intriguing dynamic. They claim to be pretending that they’re attracted to one another, but really they’re pretending to be pretending.
8"Follow-Up Day”
Season 2, Episode 13
“I know I’m nuts and everything, but I’ll figure it out.” “Follow-Up Day” offers a unique glimpse into the routine yet crucial aspect of police work—following up on old cases. Nolan and his fellow officers spend the day revisiting unsolved cases, leading to surprising discoveries and some long-awaited closure. In particular, Nolan’s seemingly mundane follow-up unexpectedly unravels into a breakthrough in a cold case.
It’s a reminder that,despite all his bumbling, Nolan actually has some skills as a cop; his powers of observation are keen when he’s actually paying attention.The episode also gets emotional for Nolan, seeing him inherit his deceased father’s Chevrolet Chevelle. Plus, he has a few fantastic scenes with the half-brother (Pete Davidson) he didn’t know he had. Davidson is typically wacky yet entertaining in the part, making the episode a standout. Both brothers harbor resentment toward their dad, but they’re able to find some solace in the fact that they understand each other’s experiences growing up.
7"Life and Death"
Season 4, Episode 1
“The breach team is ready.” In this one, Lopez is kidnapped by a vengeful cartel and taken to Guatemala, presenting the heroes with perhaps their toughest challenge yet. Lopez (Alyssa Diaz) must marshal all her wits to stay alive, while Nolan and lawyer Wesley (Shawn Ashmore) undertake dangerous missions to retrieve her, aided by Tim, Chen, and the rest of the gang.
The episode is jam-packed with great material, like a boobytrapped car, a fistfight in an orchard, and a Guatemalan villa that looks like it should be owned byBreaking Bad’s Don Eladio. Not to mention, there’s the palpable sexual tension between Chen and Tim. ‘Life and Death’ is also notable for marking the end of Nolan’s time as a rookie, with him being officially promoted to officer status. Finally, to cap it all off, the episode concludes with Lopez giving birth and naming the baby Jackson,in honor of the fallen Officer West(Titus Makin Jr.).
6"Control"
Season 2, Episode 17
“Hit ‘em hard, drive away fast.” “Control” is a fast-paced episode, juggling multiple storylines and featuring an intense shootout. Much of the drama concerns Nolan and his very first informant, Bianca (Eve Harlow), who has returned to the streets to sell drugs again. Nolan feels Bianca is not ready for the operation, and Nolan and his TO Harper (Mekia Cox) are sent undercover in her place. They pose as two buyers looking to purchase a multi-million dollar drug shipment; their scenes play out likeBreaking BadmeetsBrooklyn Nine-Nine.
So much happens in this episode: a woman is murdered, Chen develops a crush on a firefighter, there are two car accidents, and there’s a whole lot of double-crossing. By the end, Nolan is broken up over how things played out with Bianca. In a rare tender moment, Sergeant Grey commiserates with him and offers to buy him a beer. It’s a sweet scene between the two characters, who clearly have deep respect for each other - a far cry from Sergeant Grey’s initial skepticism and hostility toward the rookie.
5"Crash Course"
Season 1, Episode 2
“People are good when it’s easy.” A lot of shows struggle in the first few episodes, and understandably so. They have to cover a lot of ground, set the stage, and introduce the main characters and central drama, all while training to keep the viewer engaged.The Rookiepulls this off better than most, serving up enough jokes and silly situations from the get-go to hold the audience’s attention.
Indeed,by Episode 2 of the first season, the story is already in full swing, with Nolan trying to juggle all his new responsibilities as a ‘Boot’. In particular, he learns that he needs to reassess some of his moral beliefs in order to be a good cop. Meanwhile, Chen and Jackson face challenges of their own. They’re confronted by the parts of their personalities that will need work if they’re to get good at their job. In short, “Crash Course” makes clear that the rookies’ training will be far from easy, setting up the dramatic tension of the rest of the season.
4"The Checklist"
Season 1, Episode 19
“I’m not training a quitter, Boot.” The penultimate episode of the first season ups the stakes, with the Boots ordered to track down a specific set of crimes in a 48-hour period or risk failure. The pressure is on, and all the rookies begin to crack a little. However, this challenge also leads to breakthroughs and self-reflection for a few characters. Not to mention, this episode features a fun guest appearance fromwill.i.am.
On the more serious side, the most compelling subplot in this one goes to Bishop (Afton Williamson). She’s trying to deal with the fallout from lying on her background investigation paperwork when she joined the police force. She has a great scene with Sergeant Grey (Richard T. Jones), who is honest with her about her situation. Bishop cycles through denial and guilt, before finally resolving to take responsibility.It’s a solid character arc and one that feels believable, in large part due to Williamson’s performance.
3"Lockdown"
Season 3, Episode 5
“It would be nice to be applauded for something other than almost dying.” The central drama of this episode is Nolan being taken hostage by a would-be bomber named Graham (Josh Stewart). He’s parked outside the police station with a powerful explosive in his truck. He demands to get an associate sprung from prison, or else he will blow the whole precinct to smithereens.
Nolan is the star of the show, as he’s the one trapped with the unstable bomber. Once again, the rookie demonstrates his talent for connecting with people. He talks to Graham, tries to understand his point of view, and ultimately convinces him to do the right thing and call off his threat. In other words,Nolan defuses this most volatile of situations without a shot fired. This experience also makes him realize that what he really wants to do with his career is train the next generation of police officers.
2"Consequences"
Season 3, Episode 1
“Everything is a dumpster fire.” Season 3, Episode 1 picks up immediately where the Season 2 finale left off, with Nolan under investigation by the police because bent cop Armstrong (Harold Perrineau) has framed him for crimes he didn’t commit.Nolan is on a knife edge, with all the odds against him.He must draw on all his smarts and moral fortitude to clear his name and ensure that justice is done.
However, he does have the loyalty of his friends, who refuse to believe that he’s capable of what Armstrong claims. This counts for a lot. This is Nolan at his most heroic and selfless, in ways that are a little unrealistic at times but which certainly make for great TV. It’s fun to watch him using all the knowledge he’s gained as a rookie, like tossing a bag of decoy evidence into his neighbor’s yard because he knows the cops don’t have a warrant to search his neighbor’s property. If nothing else, “Consequences” proves that the goofy rookie is actually a force to be reckoned with.
1"The Hunt"
Season 2, Episode 20
“Armstrong is much smarter than you, John, and twice as ruthless.“The finale of Season 2isThe Rookie’s most intense and compelling installment. At the heart of it is crooked cop Armstrong, who has been blackmailed by gangsters into carrying out hits, cover-ups, and other misdeeds. Nolan suspects that Armstrong is dirty, so he and Harper work together to put pressure on him. Eventually, Nolan confronts Armstrong, but the corrupt officer is smart and well-prepared. As Harper says: “Cops make the best criminals.”
Armstrong has set a trap for Nolan, spreading lies about him and planting evidence in his apartment.The episode then ends on a cliffhanger, which is frustrating for the audience but also a skillful narrative choice. The closing shot is of Nolan’s worried face, as sirens wail outside his home and police lights flicker beyond his windows. Instead of ending on a triumphal note, as usual, “The Hunt” concludes with the protagonist at his lowest point yet. For this reason, it’s the show’s strongest episode.
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