Spoiler alert: The following article contains spoilers from The Rookie season 7, episode 8, “Wildfire.”
Newcomer Seth Ridley has been a borderline villainous presence in The Rookie season 7, but I, for one, am glad of what he brings to the table, especially regarding Chenford. Played by Patrick Kelehe, Seth joined The Rookie’s cast of characters in the season 7 premiere. Along with Deric Augustine’s Miles Penn, Seth replaced the still sorely missed Aaron Thorsen following his poorly handled exit after three seasons. Assigned to Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil), Seth was quick to attract the distrust of countless fans, including myself. And that feeling has only turned to frustration and grown more fervent in subsequent episodes.
The situation with Seth took a turn into dangerous territory in The Rookie season 7, episode 8, “Wildfire.” The installment saw Seth once again struggling with the demands of his assigned station. In this case, he had to help highlight which areas were no longer safe during the spread of a titular wildfire. Seth’s inability to keep up meant that both Lucy and Tim (Eric Winter) were steered into a life-or-death situation. As they fought to survive, Seth destroyed evidence of his negligence. As infuriating as it has been to watch, I still think he’s contributed unique drama to the show.
Why Seth Is Such An Untrustworthy Character In The Rookie Season 7
Seth Has Been A Deceitful Presence Since The Rookie Season 7 Premiere
Initially, Seth seemed like yet another good-natured rookie with a tragic backstory. That backstory revolved around a previous girlfriend who had died from an overdose, and it was revealed after Seth contaminated a crime scene by vomiting. Though Lucy was empathetic, she soon overheard Seth claim to Miles that his girlfriend had died in a car crash. When confronted, Seth tried to talk his lies straight, claiming these were two different girlfriends and years apart, but Lucy was still suspicious. As a result, she went to his former school to get answers in The Rookie season 7, episode 5, “Til Death.”
