The penultimate episode of The Rookie Season 7 promises to deliver another fun episode by striking a balance between the series’ unique blend of police work and humor. While past seasons have used the second-to-last episode to set up the season finale, “The Mutiny and the Bounty” appears to be a mostly standalone effort. There are only two Tuesdays left for fans of The Rookie to see new episodes of the series until it returns to ABC for Season 8. After a strike-shortened Season 6, The Rookie made the most of its 18 episodes, which aired on ABC with only a single week’s break.
From high-stakes action to humorous digressions, The Rookie mostly returned to its street-level focus, training rookie officers and building character relationships. Earning its highest ratings in years, The Rookie appears to be a consistently strong series on the network, along with performing well on Hulu. What began as a show centered on Nathan Fillion’s John Nolan, the focus expanded into a true ensemble drama. While there have been a few cast shakeups, the principal characters continue to capture viewers’ affection. The penultimate episode brings back a familiar face to the show, and it will likely do some work to set up the Season 7 finale before the hiatus.
Where and When to Watch The Rookie Season 7, Episode 17, ‘The Mutiny and the Bounty’
Viewers Who Miss the ABC Debut can Stream It the Next Day on Hulu
Viewers can tune into ABC on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 9 PM for The Rookie Season 7, Episode 17, titled “The Mutiny and the Bounty.” As usual, the episode will hit Hulu the following morning. Fillion’s The Suicide Squad co-star Flula Borg is back as fan-favorite Skip Tracer Randy, who will again turn to his Mid-Wilshire Division friends for help. The eccentric bounty hunter has a new love interest who ends up missing.
The team helps Skip Tracer Randy when his new love interest is kidnapped. Meanwhile, Angela and Nyla enlist their mothers to help catch a con artist, and Wesley is threatened to drop a case.
Series creator and showrunner Alexi Hawley revealed Borg’s return in what he called “a really fun storyline.” This suggests that even with the Season 7 finale looming ahead, the episode itself will skew lighthearted, at least Randy’s portion of the story. Similarly, Angela Lopez (Alyssa Diaz) and Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox) using their mothers to help with in an investigation promises to be more silly than serious.
The heaviest story belongs to Wesley Evers (Shawn Ashmore), who faces pressure to drop a prosecution. If any aspect of the episode could lead into the finale, it’s likely this one. Throughout Season 7, The Rookie deployed some serialized storytelling, referencing the events of the past episode. In fact, if this story does tie into the finale, fans can likely figure out which case is the source of the drama, perhaps from a recurring villain with ties to Wesley’s past.
What to Expect from the Season 7 Finale of The Rookie
An Explosive Close to a Strong Season Before the Show Returns
The subject of Wesley’s case could be Denise Summers (Molly McCook), charged as the mastermind of The Rookie’s parody of Speed. The episode ended with Harper admitting the evidence of her guilt was thin, and viewers saw Denise actually working for Monica Stevens (Bridget Regan) who went from criminal attorney to attorney and criminal in the Season 6 finale.
The penultimate episode of The Rookie Season 6 revealed Monica’s larger plot to become an information broker. During her brief scene in “Speed,” that still seemed to be her goal. She used an access card stolen from a government employee on the bus to download secret government files. While viewers expected her return at some point, it appears producers saved Monica for the finale. With an eighth season on the way, it could even lead into a cliffhanger.
Adding fuel to this speculative fire is Ashmore, who promised “a powerful, strong” finale. While also an attorney, Wesley has a past with Monica. The two were engaged while in law school together. If Monica planned to target any of The Rookie regulars, Wesley would be the likely candidate. This story in “The Mutiny and the Bounty” will likely lead right into the finale.
