Once the oldest rookie on the force, Nathan Fillion’s John Nolan is now a veteran patrol officer for the LAPD. Since Season 5, Nolan has been promoted to trainer, effectively leaving behind his titular role. The series also opened itself up to bigger-scale stories than the street-level fare offered in the beginning. However, he is currently between trainees to guide, but there is still one new rookie officer: Deric Augustine’s Miles Penn, a former police officer from Texas under the tutelage of Eric Winter’s Tim Bradford.
As Season 7 heads into its final episodes, The Rookie is not slowing down. The second half of the season featured some intense episodes as the Mid-Wilshire Police Precinct dealt with fires, unruly prisoners, a bus hijacking and the near-fatal shooting of their “extended family.” While the previous week’s episode was a bit of a breather for the characters and the audience, things seem to be heating up as the series’ final five episodes unfold. It’s not just big police action either, as two characters are set to embark on an emotional and expensive journey to grow their family.
The Rookie debuts “Three Billboards” on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at 9 PM on ABC. Viewers who miss the live debut and don’t have their digital video recorders set can stream the episode on Hulu (or Disney+ if subscribed to both services) the next day. Yet, ABC has not renewed The Rookie for Season 8, so viewers will want to watch the episode as quickly as they can to win high ratings to keep the show on-the-air.
The Rookie official episode synopsis: When anti-LAPD billboards emerge throughout the city, the team searches for who’s responsible. Meanwhile, a car bombing prompts an investigation, Miles reconnects with an old friend, and John and Bailey assess their ability to adopt.
While a car bombing is no doubt a big deal, the official synopsis suggests this episode of The Rookie is not a big, action spectacle. Miles is still in training, so if he has time to reconnect with anyone, the precinct is in full-on action mode. Similarly, the episode will make space to advance the adoption storyline for Nolan and Jenna Dewan’s Bailey Nune, which had been teased since the previous season.
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Because of the show’s focus on patrol offices, The Rookie is unique from other police procedurals. Rather than one big case involving everyone, an episode can feature multiple smaller stories. Not only does this provide a great opportunity for character development, it also allows the series to showcase there is more to police work than shooting at and arresting suspects.
The episodes with a smaller focus, highlighting community interaction and officer training, are arguably when The Rookie is at its best. Sure, it’s fun to watch them rally to face a big threat like a fire or hijacked bus, but the characters thrive in moments. In the second episode of the season, for example, Nolan had a handful of touching scenes with a character played by the great William Sadler. These are stories other cop dramas can rarely pull off, if they even try.
3 Years Ago, The Rookie Fumbled 1 of Its Best Characters (& the Show Is Still Suffering Because of It)
When The Rookie introduced defense attorney Wesley Evers he was an advocate for the accused and becoming a prosecutor hurt the show and the character.
After “Three Billboards,” there are only five episodes left in The Rookie Season 7. This means the smaller stories are more likely to give way to big, action-oriented episodes as the show heads into May, seeking renewal. The Rookie’s ratings for the season fall in the middle of ABC’s scripted fare this year, so nothing is certain.
One salvation for TV series like The Rookie is the streaming audience on Hulu, which, like ABC, is owned by Disney. If the show performs well on the streamer, that can enhance its chance of renewal. Also, after seven seasons, the network would likely give the series at least a shortened final season to send off the characters properly. Still, even with good ratings, there are likely more seasons of The Rookie behind it than ahead.
