The Rookie Season 7, Episode 6 was titled “The Gala,” and it saw love feature at the center of proceedings while John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) grapples with his wife, Bailey Nune, played by Jenna Dewan. There was another round of emotional drama going on with Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) and Tim Bradford (Eric Winter). The episode saw the squad attending a charity gala put together by Lieutenant Wade Grey (Richard T. Jones), and this meant everyone needed to look their absolute best. Chen did not disappoint, though the officer’s choice of jewellry did send some tongues wagging.
Donning a beautiful dress, Chen opted for a necklace that Tim had gifted her previously. Given their tumultuous relationship history, which ultimately ended in Season 6, that seemed a deliberate decision. Speaking to ScreenRant in an interview, O’Neil confirms that the accessory choice was in fact, a deliberate move inspired by showrunner Alexi Hawley. A significant item to Lucy, Hawley explained to O’Neil that Lucy was making a statement in response to learning Tim was bringing someone else to the gala. “Because I saw it in the script,” O’Neil explains. “I was like, ‘Hold on a minute. Why is she wearing this? What is this about?’ because we don’t exactly address it in the episode. Alexi told me that that was kind of her response to knowing that Bradford was bringing someone to the gala–that she was like, ‘I’m going to put on a really nice dress and I’m going to put on my necklace from him because I don’t know who’s coming.’ I kind of love this sassy subtext that we never really address, but is there.”
Chenford Will Have To Manage the Fallout of That Action
While the show might not have addressed the subtext specifically. The way the rest of the evening eventually plays suggests that perhaps, seeing Lucy wearing that necklace might have played on Tim’s mind. Despite not being in a relationship, and besides their better instincts, Lucy and Tim ultimately spend the night of the gala together. “It’s going to be interesting to see the consequences of this action that they’ve taken,” O’Neil explains about the potential repercussions of that action. “How it affects them in their frequently path-crossing spaces at work, and how they’ll navigate that inner tension. I like to think that they probably had a really good time and it’s a nice reminder of everything that’s sweet about them.”
Chenford is one of the most beloved couples on television, and while they understand one another so well, a romantic reconciliation won’t be so easy to come by with Lucy interested in Tim taking some responsibility for how the relationship has evolved so far. Will Lucy and Tim ultimately return to being a couple?
