Season 7 of the hit television series, The Rookie, has seen a major change in John Nolan’s (Nathan Fillion) first training recruit, Celina Juarez (Lisseth Chavez). In Season 7, Episode 7, “The Mickey,” Celina graduates from her probationary period and becomes a full-fledged Los Angeles Police Department officer. Celina has shown more subtle changes throughout this season as well. When Celina joined the cast in Season 5, she demonstrated a passion for astrology and the supernatural, which used to be a defining aspect of her personality. In the last two seasons, the character of Celina has significantly evolved, culminating in the latest episode, “Mad About Murder,” which showcases her amazing character growth. It’s time to unpack the emergence of Celina Juarez as a standout character in The Rookie.
Celina’s Latest Case Hits Close To Home in ‘Mad About Murder’
Celina’s impressive evolution into a more serious character is exemplified in Season 7, Episode 14, “Mad About Murder.” The episode features Celina and Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) taking the lead in an investigation involving a young pregnant woman who has gone missing. The case hits close to home for Celina, whose sister, Blanca, was abducted and murdered when they were both children. Before Celina took the case, her childhood trauma became a story on a true-crime podcast, where her mother was interviewed by the host, Heather Marie (Amanda McCants), infuriating Celina.
Celina and Lucy ultimately rescue the missing woman and her baby. Near the end of the episode, Celina confronts the podcast’s host, Heather, in an incredibly, emotionally satisfying scene. She explains that she takes Blanca with her wherever she goes, and Blanca’s memory serves as her reminder to always do what’s right. The subplot and resolution play like an incredible breakthrough for Celina, who has greatly transformed into a stronger, more serious, well-rounded, and interesting character than her earlier appearances. The episode showcases a more grounded, serious side to Celina, highlighting that Nolan’s training has been effective. Case in point, Celina was the first one to notice a bloody cloth held by the suspect, Greta Wooston (Emma Lahana), who kidnapped Aria Griffin (Julia Rose) and Aria’s baby, holding them against her will.
The Latest Episode Showcases the Amazing Growth of Celina and Lucy’s Relationship
“Mad About Murder” also serves as an excellent vehicle for the dynamic between Lucy and Celina, who have grown quite close this season. The Rookie has been steadily developing Lucy and Celina’s relationship since Celina became Lucy’s new roommate earlier in Season 6. The recent episode highlights how well Lucy and Celina work together as they partner to uncover Aria’s whereabouts. They make a great team, and the subplot allows for some nice self-reflection on Lucy’s part. Lucy’s affinity for true crime has been a recurring plot point throughout the series. Lucy’s listening to a true-crime podcast also becomes the catalyst for the investigation to find Aria. However, the incident with Heather Marie causes Lucy to feel guilty, since Lucy admits that Heather’s show blurs the line between entertainment and exploitation.
Celina graciously accepts Lucy’s humility, understanding that the true-crime space can bring much-needed attention to cold cases and unsolved murders. It’s something Celina dealt with for many years until Joel Chambers (Don McManus), the murderer of her sister, was exposed and killed by Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) in the fifth season episode, “A Hole In The World.” It’s nice to see Lucy take some time to pont out that the true-crime genre she adores does not always pay the highest respect to victims and families, and sometimes crosses the line into exploitation. Chavez and O’Neil gel together tremendously well throughout Season 7, and it’s been amazing to watch how close they’ve become as friends and police officers. They backed one another up in this case exceptionally well, and they both complemented their roles when the situation called for it. Lucy and Celina would both make a great detective duo based on their work in this episode.
‘The Rookie’ Season 7 Downplays Celina’s More Superstitious Beliefs
Overall, Season 7 has done well, not necessarily walking back, but downplaying Celina’s beliefs in clairvoyance, psychics, horoscopes, and astrology. Episodes like the most recent one illustrate that Celina is a capable officer who uses good observational skills and hones her strong intuition in her police work. During her earlier appearances in Season 5, Celina’s superstitions were played for comedy, but the writers overemphasized her superstitious beliefs and interest in things like auras and clairvoyance too heavily.
Season 7 does not undo Celina’s beliefs, but they no longer dominate her work as a police officer. The writers aptly moved away from those character traits and emphasized other sides of her character, which has paid off beautifully this season. Now, Celina plays like a much more well-rounded character, who can be more serious when the situation calls for it. Celina made mistakes and had her screw-ups during her probationary training, but ultimately, she emerged as a much sharper and more skilled police officer, making the character’s evolution one of the most rewarding experiences of Season 7.
It’s amazing to witness Celina’s stunning growth from her first appearance in the Season 5 episode, “Dye Hard,” to the latest episode, “Mad About Murder.” At first, many fans were not enthusiastic about Celina’s more one-dimensional character. However, since her first appearance, the show’s writers have exceptionally built up Celina as a multi-faceted character, whose personality encompasses more than her superstitious beliefs. It should be fun to watch Celina’s growth in the series continue, with the show’s recent renewal for a landmark eighth season.
