Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen’s relationship in The Rookie is undoubtedly a fan favorite, but aside from audience demand, there are many reasons why the two should get back together. Tim and Lucy met seven years ago during the police procedural’s pilot. He was her training officer, and she was his rookie (or, should I say, his “boot”). Given the dynamics of their relationship, a romance between Tim and Lucy couldn’t happen right out of the gate. As time continued, though, the two Rookie characters’ chemistry only got stronger until they could no longer deny their feelings for one another.
Although Lucy was still in Tim’s chain of command, they started dating in The Rookie season 5. Tim’s transfer to Metro alleviated the worry about power dynamics, and the couple was stronger than ever heading into season 6. Unfortunately, everything started to go wrong when someone from Tim’s past returned. The situation got messy, with Tim lying to everyone (including Lucy and his bosses), and he realized he shouldn’t be in a relationship. He needed to work on himself before he could be good enough for anyone. So, Tim broke up with Lucy in The Rookie season 6, episode 6.
Tim & Lucy Make One Another Better As People & As Cops
The Rookie Characters Balance Each Other Out
The Rookie season 7 is almost halfway through, and Tim and Lucy still haven’t gotten back together. The delay in their reunion makes sense given the nature of their breakup. However, it’s only a matter of time before they resume their relationship, because they simply make each other better people and better police officers. As Melissa O’Neil (who plays Lucy) told Us Weeklyin February 2025, Tim and Lucy are a “good team” and “balance each other out.”The Rookie season 7 is finally getting into a groove as episode 7, “The Mickey,” seamlessly handles many stories while remaining entertaining.
Even when Tim was Lucy’s training officer and she was his rookie, they made one another better. She helped him with his Isabel problems, and he made her into a great cop. Lucy is just the kind of person Tim needs as she’s stubborn and relentless, forcing him to tear down all his walls. And vice versa — Tim is great for Lucy because he pushes her to reach her full potential and is incredibly sweet at his core (maybe just for Lucy, but the point still stands). So, Tim and Lucy’s journey in The Rookie season 7 must end with a reunion.
Tim & Lucy Have The Best Chemistry Out Of All The Rookie Couples
No One Can Beat Chenford
One of the best things about Tim and Lucy in The Rookie is their incredible chemistry. Many fans picked up on it before the writers did, resulting in a five-season slow-burn romance that was tantalizing from start to finish. The sparks between Tim and Lucy are undeniable. Compared to other couples in The Rookie, no other duo comes close to the chemistry that Tim and Lucy share, which is why their getting back together is inevitable.
Angela Lopez and Wesley Evers probably come closest to Tim and Lucy regarding chemistry, but they can’t compete with the fan-favorite couple. Even when Tim and Lucy are apart, no one can deny the magnetic pull between them. Ultimately, Tim and Lucy’s separation just shows how much fantastic tension exists between the two. The Rookie season 7, episode 6’s Chenford tease (aka their hook-up on Valentine’s Day) proves that in spades.
Tim Has Already Made Significant Personal Improvements Since Season 6
Tim Has Been Going To Therapy
The reason why Tim broke up with Lucy in The Rookie season 6 is because of his fragile mental state. He believed he wasn’t in a place where he could be good enough for Lucy. She might have disagreed with that, and Tim didn’t exactly approach the situation as gracefully as he should have. Nevertheless, Tim left her and started attending therapy.
Tim’s first therapist turned out to be a mole, but that didn’t stop him from working on himself in the ABC police procedural series. And he has already made several improvements since he sought help. Tim’s The Rookie season 7, episode 7 opening scene at group therapy and his advice to John Nolan regarding his marital issues crystallizes how much he has changed from the man he was at the show’s beginning. Tim is becoming the person he believes he needs to be in order to be good enough for Lucy.
Tim & Lucy Are Still In Love
The Rookie Duo’s Connection Is Undeniable
The biggest and most obvious reason why Tim and Lucy have to get back together in The Rookie season 7 is that they’re still in love with each other. Their rendezvous in episode 6 shows that. Yes, Tim and Lucy brushed it off as “Valentine’s Day ex-sex,” but it was evident that the two Rookie season 7 characters were both holding back about wanting the hook-up to mean more.
Tim and Lucy aren’t moving on from their relationship anytime soon, suggesting they will rekindle their romance by the time The Rookie season 7 ends.
Tim and Lucy being in love with anyone else but each other just doesn’t make sense. They care for one another so much, and their feelings have proven that time and time again throughout every season of The Rookie. Tim and Lucy aren’t moving on from their relationship anytime soon, suggesting they will rekindle their romance by the time The Rookie season 7 ends.
