The Rookie Sees a Significant Breakup and a Proposal in the Same Episode
Some police procedurals are all about the cases and how everything relates to a single protagonist — but that’s not The Rookie’s modus operandi. While its early seasons focused on John Nolan, it now boasts a true ensemble cast so strong that some fans think Nolan is the worst character on the show. That was reinforced in Season 5 after The Rookie ignored the perfect chance to transform Nolan into a much more complicated protagonist.
But even if it’s harmed Nolan’s character, having an ensemble cast has been good for the ABC series. It allows for multiple important storylines highlighting other people. In the first few episodes of Season 5, The Rookie has addressed the escape of Rosalind Dyer, Wesley Evers’ new job at the District Attorney’s office and Nolan’s new trainee Celina Juarez. Season 5, Episode 5, “The Fugitive” returned to the show’s real focus on relationships and how they affect everyone — not just Nolan.
Bradford’s Breakup Points To Chenford
The Rookie couple many fans want to see is Officers Lucy Chen and Tim Bradford. The hypothetical pairing has been dubbed “Chenford” by fans, and there have been significant strides towards their relationship in Seasons 4 and 5. Yet The Rookie has enjoyed stringing fans along by constantly adding reasons why Chen and Bradford can’t be together. At this point, fans want the show to make Chenford a reality or let it die completely. “The Fugitive” pointed toward the former as it addressed a major roadblock between them.
Bradford took down a suspect, which caused a fragment from an old bullet wound to shift. That pinched a nerve and caused him considerable pain, leading to emergency surgery. When Bradford woke up, he learned that he was going to make a full recovery, but he also learned something else much less pleasant. His girlfriend Ashley had watched her mom worry about her cop dad all her life — and she didn’t want that for herself. Even though she loved Bradford, but she couldn’t be with a cop.
Ashley broke up with Bradford on the spot. While that was cold and untimely, it meant Bradford was officially single. Now The Rookie has to find a way to address Lucy’s relationship with ADA Chris Sanford if it’s finally going to make Chenford an official couple.
Bailey Proposes To Nolan
While Bradford was getting dumped, Nolan was busy getting engaged. He and Bailey were sitting on the sofa enjoying a drink after a long day when they started talking about Bailey’s near-death experience in Dyer’s water tank from the prior case. She said that she was afraid to die because she was afraid of losing valuable time with Nolan. That made her pop the question.
With her ex-husband back in jail, it was only a matter of time before The Rookie did something to move Nolan and Bailey’s relationship forward. That meant it wasn’t surprising when Bailey proposed, but it was a welcome plot development. And with their romance moving full speed ahead, that may free up The Rookie to focus more on developing Chenford and addressing one of fans’ biggest criticisms. Nolan isn’t the only character who deserves a happy ending.
