A certain The Rookie star has been active online lately, and one exciting post seems to tease some shocking developments in the upcoming season 8. Their posts strongly hint that their captivating character, Monica Stevens, a corrupt attorney, is coming back to stir the pot one more time after her ambiguous fate in The Rookie season 7’s ending.
She’s got the gorgeous red hair, the devil-may-care attitude, and the promise of untold evil to come. However, some people might have expected her to fade away after season 7. Fans, however, are curious about Monica’s fate, one of the biggest questions left by The Rookie season 7’s finale. They’re wondering if she died, and the cliffhanger ending has left fans on tenterhooks since.
Bridget Regan Is Back On The Set For The Rookie Season 8 As Monica
The Ultimate Villain Returns
Did Monica end up landing as gracefully as a cat with nine lives, or did she perish? It seems like she sailed through her latest firestorm of chaos, living to fight again after securing a sweet immunity deal. She traded stolen data for freedom from prosecution. In Bridget Regan’s Instagram post, as seen above, she jokingly taunts Monica’s haters, saying:
An Innocent Woman Sips Her Matcha
In the photograph, she’s stunningly beautiful; Regan appears to be glammed up as Monica. Her hair’s got that “professional blow out” look, her makeup’s soft and perfect (with pretty, berry-toned lips and a subtle smokey eye). She’s wearing a black suit jacket that gives her a true villain look.
The actress appears energized as she contemplates what’s coming next in her life. She sips her matcha, and frankly, in Monica’s shady guise, she looks about as innocent as an evil Disney queen while she mugs for the camera. It’s actually a very cute moment – she’s enjoying a little fun with her Instagram followers before doing a scene. It’s almost possible to see her psyching up for more The Rookie action while she sits there.
Monica also revels in playing an “innocent” woman. She loves to be bad while pretending to be pure-hearted. It’s like a game within a game. While some people might have wanted Monica’s story on the show to end in season 7, she’s not stepping out of the spotlight. This master manipulator is a fighter, using every tool in her arsenal to cause trouble and get everything she wants.
Why The Rookie Needs To End Monica’s Arc In Season 8
As Great As She Is, It’s Time To End
In the past, some aspects of Monica’s storyline have rubbed fans the wrong way – in fact, a lot of fans just don’t like her, as evidenced by a Reddid thread from user heemmothy. The name of the thread really says it all: “Am I the only one that can’t stand Monica?”
A wise voice in the thread played Devil’s advocate, arguing that hating Monica means she’s doing her job. They wrote:
Kind of the point of her character 😂 So I guess the writers and the actress are doing their jobs!
While Monica was defended by the fan whose comment is posted above, a lot of people just don’t want to watch her anymore. They seem to think she’s making the show worse. One Redditor on the thread stated:
I’m like you, I want to throw the remote at the TV whenever she comes on screen. The problem with her character is that she has no redeeming qualities. That does not make a good villain. The best villain is one who is nuanced and is not 100% satan, that’s just not real. Really good dramas will have villains who you find yourself rooting for sometimes because they’re human and multidimensional
Elsewhere online, there’s talk about the fact that Monica’s too cartoonish as a villain. She’s campy while backstabbing, lying, and playing the baddie. However, she doesn’t write the script. Regan does choose how to act to a degree, but a director’s always in the mix, telling her what to do.
It’s a testament to Regan’s abilities that she’s charismatic enough to get strong emotional reactions, whether they’re positive or negative. So, perhaps what makes her so easy to loathe is really her superpower. A TV villain walks a fine line – they need to get a rise out of viewers without being too campy. It’s actually difficult to walk this path. It’s all too easy to overdo.
Monica will resurface in The Rookie season 8, just like Zander Hawley’s Rodge Bronson. When she does, she may end up in Prague, Czech Republic. If the series’ new international twist energizes her story arc, it could be a great thing for everyone. The cast and crew really feel like they need to deliver this season, so bringing Monica back may feel like the safest choice.
Even so, this season must see her storyline come to a close. Monica has been the primary antagonist of the past few seasons, and while the European setting can bring new life to her role, there’s only so much to be done with her. She’s overly familiar to audiences now, and in a show that relies on drama and twists, a stale villain is a weakness The Rookie can’t afford to keep.
