The Rookie Series Premiere – “Pilot” Review. A Rough Start With Potential

Season 1, Episode 1
Air date: Tuesday, October 16, 2018 at 10/9c on ABC
Rating: ★★★★★

The thing I love and hate about series premieres is how much they pack into a single episode. I love the amount of information I’m getting but I don’t always like how it’s packaged. Sometimes, things about a character need to unfold slowly while others need to be unveiled immediately to help you understand the reason behind the story. While I enjoyed most of The Rookie’s premiere, dubbed simply “Pilot,” there is room for improvement. I will continue to watch because I absolutely adore Nathan Fillion who plays the lead character, John Nolan.

<i>The Rookie</i> Series Premiere – “Pilot” Review. A Rough Start With Potential 2

THE ROOKIE – “Pilot” –
Sgt. Wade Grey (Richard T. Jones) and Rookie Officer John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) — (ABC/Tony Rivetti)

At the start of the show, John is a bit down on his luck, reeling from a recent divorce, as he enters his local bank branch to drop off items for his safe deposit box. As seen in the trailer, the bank is held up by armed men and the event changes John. He decides to pack things up and move to Los Angeles to apply to the LAPD. The fast pace of this part of the story is great. It doesn’t dwell too much on John’s previous relationship and gets to the point of his reasons behind wanting to become a police officer.

The cards are stacked against John from day one. His commanding officer, Sgt. Wade Grey (Richard T. Jones), wants desperately to make an example of John. He thinks John is a walking mid-life crisis. If John can’t keep up out on the streets, he may cause his fellow officers to get hurt on the job. But despite it all, John holds his head up and does the best he can on his first day. I wasn’t a huge fan of the emotional moment John has when he rescues a young child but it’s understandable. As a viewer, I was a bit nervous for the child, but I didn’t expect John to get all choked up. Granted, it’s his first day on the job and anything involving kids can be sensitive. The writers wanted to show a deeper side to John but that had already been established in the bank scene.

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THE ROOKIE – “Pilot” – Three Training Officers – Angela Lopez (Alyssa Diaz), Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) and Talia Bishop (Afton Williamson) — (ABC/Tony Rivetti)

John’s training officer (T.O.) is Officer Talia Bishop (Afton Williamson). Her honesty is refreshing, especially when she points out that John is “old as hell.” Of course, being 40-something isn’t old, but it is when you’re a rookie police officer with the LAPD. Bishop doesn’t beat around the bush and doesn’t seem to care for John much; however, she needs to move up in the ranks. If she can pull off making the “oldest rookie” a good cop, she can move on in her career. Could her side agenda compromise her ability to train John properly or is she also hoping he’ll fail?

The main characters are introduced quickly but some of their stories didn’t need to unfold as rapidly as they did. Prime example is T.O. Tim Bradford (Eric Winter). His hard-ass approach to training new rookie Officer Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) seems slightly contrived. Of course, with any police training, there is no room for coddling when you’re facing criminals who are armed to the teeth. I appreciate the fact that Bradford doesn’t sugar coat things and is unapologetic about how he operates. The only downside to Bradford’s character introduction is having someone from his past show up, which subsequently makes him go into his feelings. I kind of wished they’d played Drake’s song, “In My Feelings.” This reveal could have been saved for another episode because now I think he’s a bit of a softy. I hope this isn’t going to be a regular thing because I enjoyed seeing Winter be a bit of an asshole.

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THE ROOKIE – “Pilot” – The Rookies (L-R) Jackson West (Titus Makin Jr.), Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil), and John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) — (ABC/Tony Rivetti)

Other notable main characters in The Rookie are Alyssa Diaz as T.O. Angela Lopez. Her rookie, Jackson West (Titus Makin Jr.), is a “legacy,” meaning he comes from a family of police officers. West’s father works in Internal Affairs. West is young and a bit too cocky but he gets that chip knocked off his shoulder that nearly puts both his and his T.O’s life in danger while out on the job. I adore Diaz. I loved her on CBS’ Zoo and am happy to see her back on the screen. Lopez doesn’t mince words when she scolds West about his actions out in the field. I’m curious to see how West redeems himself. He’s got a huge strike against him.

The Rookie definitely has potential as long as the writers keep the drama exciting and realistic and take down the romance just a bit. I’m all for love but sometimes, in a police procedural, there isn’t always room for breakfast in bed or on the patio overlooking the ocean.

For more on the show, go to the official site.

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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.