It was tiring to watch Tim and Lucy dance around their feelings in The Rookie season 7, but as bad as it might’ve been, their story could’ve been much worse. Despite breaking up in season 6, it was obvious that the fan-favorite couple would eventually reunite. Many expected that to come in The Rookie season 7. Unfortunately, that would be incorrect.
By the end of The Rookie season 7, Tim and Lucy hadn’t had a proper conversation about the state of their relationship and what led to their breakup. Instead, Tim expressed to Lucy that he wanted to rekindle their romance. He even confessed that he wanted them to move in together. Lucy was sleeping, though, meaning this major development must wait until season 8.
Why Tim & Lucy’s Relationship In The Rookie Season 7 Is So Frustrating
They Never Had A Real Talk
Perhaps “Chenford” are on the verge of getting back together in The Rookie, but the road to getting there was frustrating. There was nothing wrong with the ABC show taking it slow regarding Tim and Lucy’s inevitable reunion. In fact, a slow burn was ideal. That’s what Tim and Lucy are good at, after all.
Ultimately, Tim and Lucy never had the all-important, in-depth talk they so desperately needed.
However, the way The Rookie approached the couple’s season 7 arc was disappointing. Tim and Lucy both needed to take steps before they could be ready to rekindle their romance. Instead, we hardly saw Tim in therapy, and Lucy often toyed with Tim’s feelings by engaging in spontaneous hookups with him.
Ultimately, Tim and Lucy never had the all-important, in-depth talk they so desperately needed. One might count their drug-induced confessions to one another during The Rookie season 7, episode 15 as “the talk.” But the audience hardly got to see that discussion, and what they did see was through body cameras and surveillance videos.
A Love Triangle Would’ve Exacerbated Tim & Lucy’s The Rookie Season 7 Arc
The Writers Were Wise Not To Introduce New Love Interests
On the bright side, Tim and Lucy’s story in The Rookie season 7 never included any new love interests. Consequently, fans didn’t have to deal with love triangles (or love rectangles). During an interview with Deadline, The Rookie’s showrunner, Alexi Hawley, addressed why he chose not to bring in other characters for Tim and Lucy to date. He said:
“I worked on Castle for several seasons, and it always felt like the attempts to introduce a love triangle, or even somebody else that either one of them is dating, never felt good on the show. The fans didn’t like it and it was not successful.
And ultimately, for us, I think it was that the issue wasn’t about they broke up because somebody wanted something else. It was he ruined it. And then, ultimately, didn’t feel like there was a need for to introduce something else into that dynamic.”
Hawley was smart not to introduce a love triangle featuring Tim and Lucy in The Rookie season 7. The extra obstacle would create unnecessary drama and wouldn’t be realistic. It’s hard to imagine a world where Tim and Lucy jump into new relationships right away, especially Tim. So, we should be grateful that The Rookie didn’t go down that route in season 7.
The Rookie season 8 won’t premiere until early 2026 on ABC.
