Hearts broke around the world for all Chenford fans last season of The Rookie when Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) broke up with Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil). Tim and Lucy’s romance is one of those rare, epic slowburns that can only come out of procedurals with many seasons. Over the course of four-and-a-half seasons, they went from rookie and T.O., to close friends, to a couple. As sad as it was to see their long-anticipated romance end after only a season, it’s always been clear that these two will find their way back to each other eventually — although I, for one, have found the wait to be very stressful.
In the aftermath of Tim and Lucy’s breakup, The Rookie has been very intentional about gradually moving them through the necessary stages to guide them towards their eventual reunion. They started out avoiding each other and being very awkward around each other due to the heartbreak, but things shifted in the Season 6 finale when Lucy saved Tim’s life. Season 7 has since brought back their old banter, showed Lucy confiding in Tim over her latest work problem, and now, most recently, shows them hooking up. We aren’t out of the woods yet, though. Chenford’s slowburn reconciliation is going to be the death of me, and I’ve never enjoyed angst so much.
‘The Rookie’s Latest Episode Brings Chenford Back Together — for Just One Night
Tim and Lucy are paired up to work together on Valentine’s Day in The Rookie’s latest episode, “The Gala.” Naturally, even though the two have returned to a relatively good place as friends and coworkers this season, old feelings arise throughout the episode. It doesn’t help that other people keep bringing it up to them. While working at the “Turn in Your Ex” booth together, Tim and Lucy are asked if they’re a couple. Later, Genny (Peyton List) suggests Lucy scope the gala for cops with her, leading Lucy to bring up the elephant in the room and say that she is not planning on ever dating someone from work again.
Even before the Police Gala, every moment between Lucy and Tim feels charged in this episode, from sitting at the booth together, to going on a stakeout together, to interrogating a suspect (Colton Dunn) together. It’s hard not to read between the lines as they work with a pair of exes, one of whom has turned the other in, and it clearly brings up memories of the breakup for them. Lucy is jealous when she learns that Tim is bringing a date to the gala but is relieved to see Genny there with him. Later, when Tim’s upper back gets cut, Lucy volunteers to help him tend to it.
While Tim and Lucy are in the hotel room, they share a moment. Just as she told him earlier not to look at her in a romantic way, she now talks about why it would be a bad idea, and he agrees. Nevertheless, Tim and Lucy hook up. The next morning, when Tim wants to talk about it, Lucy dismisses it as sex with an ex. Tim clearly isn’t expecting this and seems disappointed, but he is quick to follow her lead anyway. This interaction and their one in the elevator soon after is very awkward, yet it’s clear that feelings linger for both of them. They both agree that it can’t happen again but that they don’t regret it.
‘The Rookie’ Needs to Resolve Tim and Lucy’s Issues Before They Get Back Together
It would have felt a little too easy if Tim and Lucy had just gotten back together at the Police Gala after hooking up. They still have a lot of problems to work through before they get back together, and those things would break them up again if they got back together now. Tim needs to work past his own guilt and shame from everything that happened last season and to believe that he deserves to be with Lucy and that she still wants to be with him. Lucy, on the other hand, needs to know that she can trust Tim with her heart again and that he won’t leave her again the next time he is struggling.
Tim and Lucy have spent the season rebuilding their foundation by being there for each other as coworkers, and even as friends. They went back to their early-seasons dynamic by betting on their rookies and bantering over who would win. When Seth (Patrick Keleher) turned out to be a pathological liar, Lucy confided in Tim and asked for his thoughts on the issue. Even broken up, Lucy and Tim still make a solid team, and they clearly still enjoy each other’s company. Nevertheless, their chemistry and attraction to each other, while added to their existing friendship, are not enough to assure that Tim and Lucy won’t break up again. They need more time, for him to prove that he is ready to be there for her now and for her to show that this is still what she wants.
I’m Glad That ‘The Rookie’ Is Taking Its Time with Chenford’s Reconciliation
At this point, I am happy with every decision that The Rookie has been making for Tim and Lucy since their breakup. The heartbroken and angst-filled stage was natural for them after their split, but it wouldn’t have been sustainable. The playful return to their old dynamic was exactly what Tim and Lucy needed at the time, but that was too surface-level to really moving them back towards each other. Tim helping Lucy with the Seth situation served to show that she still trusts him in most ways, and that they can still be there for each other when it counts.
Tim and Lucy’s Valentine’s Day hookup is a fun way to show that the chemistry is still there, but I would find it unsatisfying as a viewer if they got back together right now. The buildup to their first relationship was so well-done, and the buildup to their reconciliation needs to be iconic as well. I want to see Tim really pining after Lucy and then actively trying to win her back rather than just waiting around and following her lead. The preview for the next episode shows Tim telling Nolan (Nathan Fillion) that he regrets letting Lucy go, so I look forward to seeing what comes next.
