While The Rookie season 7 had some highs, its lows outnumbered them, but the good news is that all hope isn’t lost when it comes to police procedurals. During the early seasons of The Rookie, the series was fantastic. There’s a reason why it’s still on the air seven years later, after all. But somewhere along the way, it lost its magic.
Perhaps The Rookie will turn things around in season 8 and recapture what made it so good in the first place. Or it could continue in its downward spiral. We won’t know until season 8 premieres. Until then, fans could rewatch some of The Rookie’s best episodes. Or they can check out ABC’s new show that will restore their faith in police procedurals.
The Rookie Season 7 Was A Flop
Season 7 Couldn’t Redeem The Police Procedural Series
Season 7 had potential at the start. Yes, the way that The Rookie wrote out Aaron Thorsen was disappointing, but some of the cases of the week were quite entertaining, and the ABC TV show introduced a couple of intriguing villains. The newbies — Miles Penn and Seth Ridley — were even interesting. However, things quickly went downhill after the midseason finale.
The Rookie season 7, episode 8, “Wildfire,” was undoubtedly one of the crime drama’s best episodes. It contained high stakes, thrilling storylines that all seemed to intersect, and a shocking ending that left viewers wanting to see what happened next. After “Wildfire,” though, The Rookie season 7 experienced a frustrating decline that even the midseason finale couldn’t redeem.
ABC renewed The Rookie for an eighth season, which is being held for midseason and will contain 18 episodes. It is expected to air weekly with little to no interruptions, barring any presidential addresses or other unavoidable hindrances.
The following episodes failed to deliver memorable plotlines and made big mistakes concerning a handful of characters and their arcs. For example, The Rookie season 7 mishandled Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen’s romantic reunion. They were the very definition of “hot and cold.” Tim and Lucy would hook up and then go back to normal like nothing happened.
The Rookie season 7 ended without Tim and Lucy getting back together. We didn’t even get to see them have a real discussion about their breakup and their relationship status. So, that was disappointing, as was Monica’s return. Her villain arc has been drawn out for way too long, and her appearance in the finale wasn’t surprising (even though it was meant to be).
High Potential Is The Rookie’s Perfect Replacement
ABC’s New Show Was A Hit During Its 1st Season
Overall, The Rookie season 7 was a disappointment. On the other hand, ABC’s police procedural series High Potential season 1 was a smash hit, and for good reason. The network’s new show received praise from critics and audiences alike, which is why it scored an early season 2 renewal and why it serves as the perfect cure for The Rookie blues.
High Potential surpasses The Rookie season 7 in many ways. For starters, it’s a fresh and exciting take on the police procedural genre, while still embracing all of its classic qualities. It has Kaitlin Olson, who was born to be a leading lady. Plus, High Potential season 1’s cases were captivating, and it has a well-executed mystery that hangs over the entire series.
Unfortunately, the Emmys snubbed High Potential and Olson, even though they surely deserved at least a nomination. High Potential broke records and was one of the most-watched network TV shows of the 2024-2025 season, after all. Nevertheless, the ABC police procedural TV series was an overwhelming success during its first season, and it could teach The Rookie a thing or two.
What The Rookie Can Learn From High Potential
The Rookie Can Redeem Itself In Season 8
By seeing how much of a triumph High Potential was during its first season, maybe The Rookie can take what worked in the newer series and apply it to season 8. Of course, not everything that happened in High Potential season 1’s 13 episodes can apply to The Rookie. However, the Kaitlin Olson-led show contains various qualities that the older series can replicate.
For starters, High Potential masterfully developed its overarching mystery (Morgan’s ex-husband’s disappearance more than a decade prior) over the course of its first season. It was teased in the pilot, then slowly but surely gained new ground as the season went on. By the time the High Potential season 1 finale came around, the audience was dying to learn more (and they did).
The ABC crime drama ended on a couple of suspenseful cliffhangers as a result. Meanwhile, The Rookie season 7 finale ended with a whimper, not a bang. Monica’s predictable entrance did very little to leave viewers wanting more. So, The Rookie
