The Rookie Season 8 Should Continue This Narrative Trend That Has Fans Seriously Divided (But I Have One Big Concern)
The Rookie will be back on the air in January 2026, and after so many plotlines were teased at the end of season 7, it’s definitely tough to wait. Besides being frustrated with the season 8 premiere delay, fans are nervous about the state of Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) and Tim Bradford’s (Eric Winter) relationship. I agree that it’s been hard to watch these characters dance around each other and ignore their true feelings. But even though there are several more months to go until the season 8 premiere, I’m sure the wait will be worth it as The Rookie is one of the funniest and most charming procedurals on the air.
If The Rookie fans all want Chenford to get back together, they can’t agree on whether Seth Ridley (Patrick Keheler) should come back. Fans have debated another memorable element of the ABC procedural, and while I think it’s a fun narrative device that should be used again, I have one main concern.
The Rookie Season 8 Should Continue The Show’s Documentary-Style Episodes
The Rookie has featured a few documentary-style episodes, most notably season 7, episode 15, “A Deadly Secret.” Fans are torn about whether this works. For some, they’re entertaining. For others, they’re an unnecessary departure from that season’s plot.
Here’s What I’d Like To See If The Rookie Season 8 Has A Documentary-Style Episode
If The Rookie season 8 has another documentary episode, I think it would be a great opportunity for the show to lean into its signature sense of humor. It would be fun to see a famous guest star like Pete Davidson in this kind of episode. Nolan and his half-brother Pete (Davidson) could witness a crime and be interviewed about it, or maybe they could participate in a documentary about people who find long-lost family members.
What are The Rookie’s documentary-style episodes?
“True Crime” (season 3, episode 7)
“Real Crime” (season 4, episode 16)
“Double Trouble” (season 5, episode 18)
“A Deadly Secret” (season 7, episode 15)
This kind of episode could also allow Tim Bradford to experience some character growth. Throughout The Rookie season 7, Tim struggles to share his feelings about his breakup. Although he makes some progress by the finale, it would have been great to see this happen earlier. I’d be happy to see another documentary being filmed on the ABC drama, but it should feel like an important part of the plot and not a standalone episode.
