Even as the finale for Season 6 of The Rookies came to its thrilling conclusion, which involved major takedowns and a jaunt to Argentina, it also left a big cliffhanger. Bailey’s (Jenna Dewan) abusive ex-husband Jason Wyler (Steve Kazee), along with Oscar Hutchinson (Matthew Glave), escaped from prison with the help of Monica Stevens (Bridget Regan). And he’s coming for her and John Nolan (Nathan Fillion).
When The Rookie returns, Bailey is MIA in the first two episodes, as Jenna was on maternity leave. So that storyline is on hold until Bailey ‘s homecoming from National Guard duty in Episode 3 when she reunites with her hubby.
“We come back strong,” Jenna tells Parade. “Because right away, Jason is on the run and looking for Bailey and threatening our lives and our relationship. I’m right away dealing with that and how we’re going to protect ourselves and capture him.”
According to showrunner Alexi Hawley, the Jason storyline will come to a head in the first half of the season. But during that time, there’s a definite threat of something dangerous coming for Bailey and John, and they will work as a team to stay safe.
“What I love of how the writers and Alexi have created Bailey as we’ve gone along is she’s really capable,” Jenna continues. “She is an independent woman who is very capable to handle herself. But at the same time, what I also love is the vulnerability of we don’t want to be here doing it all ourselves. You want to be able to have your partner and someone you love who protects you and is there with you through all the ups and downs.”
Even though the Jason storyline wraps up midseason, and Oscar isn’t captured at the same time, the two aren’t the only big bads this season. There’s a lot more to come.
“They are big, they are bad. I wouldn’t say that they are the big bads, but they’re certainly prominent,” Nathan tells Parade.
In the season premiere, we see John return to his job as TO (training officer) for Celina Juarez (Lisseth Chavez). But he may have come back too early after being shot in the butt in Argentina, and has to find workarounds to keep up with his rookie as they chase down criminals.
“I would say [he’s back early] because John Nolan finds true fulfillment in his chosen vocation,” Nathan says. “I think being a construction worker was out of necessity. He got his girl pregnant very young, and he had to do something about it, so he dropped out of school and started doing that. It wasn’t his dream, But now this is his dream. I think he’s literally fulfilled. It fills his heart, he feels purpose when he does this job. So I think he’s very excited to get back to it. It’s a calling.”
John’s newest excitement comes from being a newlywed. Remarrying wasn’t part of his plan when he moved to Los Angeles to join the LAPD as its oldest rookie. But it was definitely a meet cute when Bailey showed up at his house looking for help dressed only in a towel because she had locked herself out of her house next door.
“The infamous towel scene, it just immediately worked,” Jenna says. “We went, ‘Oh, wow, this is really easy to work together.’ And that’s rare, and that’s special. I think it’s just easy and flows and it’s fun. The combination of the two, John and Bailey, being so different but having this common thread of they’re on purpose in their work and they love what they do, and it is high-risk jobs. So I think there’s commonality as well.”
Adds Nathan, “I think we all know couples who have excellent chemistry. We all know those couples. John and Bailey are certainly very different. Bailey, like we said, is incredibly capable and just full of surprises. If she said, ‘Oh yeah, by the way, I’m also a…,’ and then threw something out there, I think he’d buy it. I’d think, ‘Oh, really? That makes sense with everything else you are.’”
