The question of who Nolan ends up with in The Rookie is one of the most intriguing questions surrounding the hit crime procedural, as Nathan Fillion’s lovable newbie cop has had several lovers throughout the show. The Rookie follows John Nolan (Fillion), a man in his 40s who has decided to follow his lifelong dream of becoming a police officer. Nolan becomes the oldest rookie at the Los Angeles Police Department, but this doesn’t slow him down when it comes to solving crime. In addition to fighting crime, John Nolan has had several romantic storylines, and he is just as dedicated to his relationships as he is to the LAPD.
Nath Fillion’s John Nolan had several girlfriends in The Rookie, and while these relationships didn’t always work out, he appears to have ended up with the best match for him so far. Nolan hasn’t always had the best luck when it comes to matters of the heart, and it’s always been clear to audiences that some of John’s girlfriends in The Rookie are better for him than others. As a 45-year-old newly divorced man, Nolan has trouble dating in such a different environment than he’s used to, which causes a fair few funny mishaps as well as some tender emotional moments.
Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil)
John Nolan’s Police Academy Romance Had No Chemistry
While Lucy is easily the most likable character in The Rookie, her romance with Nolan is a facet of the show that most viewers don’t care to dwell on, and thankfully she’s not who Nolan ends up with in The Rookie. Out of all the John Nolan love interests, his relationship with Lucy Chen is the most forced from the beginning, and their chemistry is simply non-existent. Lucy and Nolan fall for one another at the police academy and continue to date in secret after becoming rookies at Mid-Wilshire.
The Nolan and Lucy only break up to protect Lucy’s career, but she eventually comes to realize she shouldn’t let the opinions of others dictate her actions. Regardless of her development, their feelings for each other haven’t been revisited since the first season. In fact, it’s easy to forget they dated at all. Nolan and Lucy’s relationship takes such a platonic turn, that it almost seems as if the show is actively trying to erase their romantic history.
Sarah Nolan (Emily Deschanel)
Nolan’s Relationship With His Ex-Wife Is Messy
Viewers first learn about Nolan’s ex-wife during The Rookie pilot, but Sarah doesn’t make an in-person appearance until season 3’s “Brave Heart.” While some shows toy with rekindling failed marriages, Nolan doesn’t end up getting back with his ex-wife in The Rookie. Emily Deschanel was a phenomenal choice for the role of Sarah, as her show Bones and Fillion’s Castle were both major crime dramas airing during the same time period. The leads finally get to share the screen, even if the circumstances of their characters are less than ideal.
The actors play off of each other well, and it could be entertaining to further explore their onscreen dynamic.
In one of the most tear-jerking episodes of The Rookie, Nolan and Sarah are forced to stand idly by while their son fights for his life. With Henry being the only thing that ties them together, it’s clear that the two aren’t compatible. They only got together when Sarah had fallen pregnant and John mentions in the pilot that he had seen the divorce coming for about two years. However, the actors play off of each other well, and it could be entertaining to further explore their onscreen dynamic.
Grace Sawyer (Ali Larter)
Nolan’s Season 2 Girlfriend Sadly Wasn’t Meant To Be
Grace (Ali Larter) isn’t the most popular character on The Rookie among viewers since she ended up breaking Nolan’s heart, but her relationship with him has a complicated history. While Nolan and Sarah have better onscreen chemistry, their marriage came from a place of obligation. The couple parts ways after high school, as Nolan falls for Grace during college. However, Sarah’s unexpected pregnancy changed everything.
Although his heart lies with Grace, Nolan marries Sarah, so they can raise Henry together. Grace and Nolan’s love story is left unfinished, so the show gives them a second chance and Grace becomes Nolan’s girlfriend again in adulthood. Much of Nolan’s character arc in The Rookie season 2 is linked to his old flame, making their relationship a pretty significant one. The two clearly aren’t meant to be, as Grace inevitably decides to rekindle her romance with her ex Simon. Nolan doesn’t end up with Grace in The Rookie, but at least he no longer has to spend decades wondering “what if.”
Jessica Russo (Sarah Shahi)
The fiery passion that nearly consumed him
Jessica (Sarah Shahi) has always been a good match for Nolan and the couple showed serious long-term potential. Not even Grace reentering Nolan’s life breaks them apart, as the bond they form is difficult to compete with. However, Nolan doesn’t end up with Jessica in The Rookie, despite many viewers viewing her as the best of Nolan’s girlfriends. Nolan and Jessica are forced to overcome several obstacles, but they always come out stronger on the other side. Jessica and Nolan break up due to circumstances outside of their control, which only makes their ending all the more heartbreaking.
Unfortunately, Jessica can’t afford to wait until Nolan is ready, causing them to call things off.
Jessica realizes that she wants to be a mom, and fears she’s running out of time to make it happen. Because Nolan has just uprooted his life to begin a new career, he isn’t in the right place to raise a child. He’s already a father and doesn’t feel the immediate need to expand his family. Unfortunately, Jessica can’t afford to wait until Nolan is ready, causing them to call things off. Although their breakup is upsetting, as she was definitely the audience-favorite The Rookie Nolan girlfriend, it’s better they split amicably than risk resenting each other down the line.
Bailey Nune (Jenna Dewan)
The Rookie Season 4 Introduced The Best John Nolan Romance
Not only she Nolan’s best love interest, but it’s Bailey who Nolan ends up with in The Rookie (as of the end of season 5, at least). Jenna Dewan’s The Rookie character’s storyline is often independent of Nolan, and she seamlessly fits into the narrative. Bailey isn’t reduced to the main character’s love interest — she just happens to be in a relationship with him. Her job as a firefighter and past in the army reserve makes her heavy presence in the show organic and believable. First responders work together more often than not, and Nolan and Bailey can interact both on and off the clock.
Out of all of the John Nolan love interests, Nolan’s romance with Bailey appears to be the most promising, and season 5 saw the couple getting engaged and then married in season 6. She’s the most stable love interest he’s had throughout The Rookie, and it’s hard to imagine them breaking up. The couple faces plenty of issues but is always on each other’s side at the end of the day. Nolan stands by Bailey when her husband tries to frame her, and Bailey supports Nolan in whatever he chooses to take on next.
While John Nolan’s relationships have been some of the most gripping in The Rookie, there have been plenty of other couples in the show – many of which fans have enjoyed perhaps even more than any of Nolan’s romantic entanglements. In fact, while Nolan is the central character and, thanks to Nathan Filion’s incredible performance, a key reason why The Rookie has become one of the most popular cop procedurals currently on TV, his relationships don’t represent the best the show has to offer.
When it comes to the best relationships in The Rookie, there are two in particular that stand out as being much more engaging to watch than Nolan and any of his partners (even Bailey Nune, who has been a celebrated addition to the show). While Nolan’s relationships are certainly entertaining, none are as endearing as the love stories of Tim (Eric Winter) and Lucy (Melissa O’Neil) or Angela (Alyssa Diaz) and Wesley (Shawn Ashmore).
Tim and Lucy are considered by many to be the main attraction when it comes to romance arcs in The Rookie. When the show started, Tim was Lucy’s training officer, though the chemistry between them was obvious. Watching them slowly come to terms with (and try to deny) their feelings for one-another was incredibly satisfying, as was the moment they finally gave in to their mutual attraction and became a couple in season 5 – holding out for multiple episodes even after their steamy kiss in The Rookie season 4, episode 22.
The other fan-favorite The Rookie relationship is that of Wesley and Angela, though for completely different reasons. The reason this pair is so watchable is simply because of their character dynamic. It’s incredibly entertaining watching Wesley and Angela rile one-another up, and also heartwarming during the many moments when they show just how committed to each other they truly are. All in all, both relationships in The Rookie seem to resonate much more with fans than any of Nolan’s, despite his character arguably being the most popular in the show.
