Calling all “Rookie” fans! The time has come to speculate, explore, and dig the internet to see if we can learn anything and everything new for the upcoming season. Well, search no more; here’s your ultimate guide! Season 7 ended quite…interesting, to say the least. When it comes to cliffhangers, the show and creators definitely don’t mess around.
Season 7 left us with stolen diamonds, not one but two (!) villains on the loose, and Tim Bradford whispering sweet nothings that Lucy Chen didn’t even hear. Now, with production on Season 8 officially underway, showrunner Alexi Hawley and star Nathan Fillion, who appeared at the San Diego Comic Con on July 26th, are promising something big! Like international-espionage-in-Prague big.
So, buckle up. Here’s everything we know, so far, about “The Rookie” Season 8. As Fillion said, “Let’s Grey’s Anatomy this b**ch.”
Challenge accepted.
Let’s rewind, shall we? Season 7 ended with John Nolan (Fillion) getting abducted by Oscar (Matthew Glave), the career criminal Nolan just can’t seem to shake. After a failed Vegas sting, Oscar tortured and killed a former accomplice to locate hidden diamonds and dragged Nolan into the desert for a twisted treasure hunt.
With a drone-wielding teen (two thumbs up for Gen Z), Nyla (Mekia Cox) saved the day. Oscar escaped via helicopter (because, of course, he did), but Nolan held onto the diamonds. If you think that plot thread is over, you haven’t been paying attention.
And for Chenford shippers? Lucy passed her sergeant’s exam, and Tim (Eric Winter) made her breakfast and poured his heart out. Unfortunately, she fell asleep before hearing it, because creators love to keep us in suspense. “To be continued,” Tim said.
That was not just a line; it was a promise.
Season 8 Premiere: Welcome to Prague!
This time around, it’s already a given, we can go ahead and forget precincts. As Fillion stated, Season 8 is going full Bond mode. Literally.
“We got on an airplane and went to Prague,” Hawley confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con. “You want to start with a bang… go to another country.”
Fillion agreed, only further enhancing the excitement. “It felt like we were making Casino Royale,” he said.” He even joked about the fancy suit and historic streets, saying, “These buildings were built in the 1800s, but behind them are the old buildings.”
This isn’t just a vanity stunt, oh no! It’s part of a creative shift. Hawley called it a “repilot,” a way to twist up the show without scrapping what fans love. And it might just work. Let’s face it, after 8 years, things are set to change in order to keep things interesting. Not that it already isn’t, but sometimes change does create wonders! So expect action-heavy set pieces, an international twist, and maybe even a new side of Nolan.
But don’t worry, the majority of the premiere still takes place in Los Angeles. Prague is just the spark and a new little extra twist that we’ll learn to love.
Who’s Back & Who’s Not
Who’s returning for Season 8 and who isn’t? Here’s what we know:
Nathan Fillion as John Nolan
Mekia Cox as Nyla Harper
Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez
Richard T. Jones as Sgt. Grey
Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen
Eric Winter as Tim Bradford
Jenna Dewan as Bailey Nune
Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers
Lisseth Chavez as Celina Juarez
Deric Augustine as Miles
So, who isn’t making it this time around? Patrick Keleher as Seth. He’s reportedly gone…maybe. Hawley teased, “Never say never,” so I guess that means we can’t necessarily cross him off completely.
Still, Season 8 will dive deeper into Monica’s sketchy immunity bargain. “There are other facets to that immunity deal,” Hawley said. “She’s not getting her law license back, so what now?”
Also on the radar, none other than Chen is going undercover again. With Tim still trying to get through to her, this could either heat up the Chelmsford drama or derail it completely. But let’s hope it’s the first one. Who doesn’t love a good love story, right?
And Oscar? He’s still out there with a helicopter and a grudge. But don’t worry, he’ll be back.
As for new rookies, don’t count on it. Hawley told Parade, “I’m not positive about a new rookie at all next season yet.” That leaves Miles as the last one with training wheels still on. But let’s be real, can we really trust this? Who says there won’t be some new surprises along the way, right?
