So as a Nathan Fillion fan I had to check out the Rookie… at the time of writing, the show is now halfway through the 5th season.
The Rookie is such a fun, heartfelt and entertaining show.
Nathan Fillion’s character John Nolan is a well written character with big heart that just makes it easy to like him, his story is well written and he is given a well rounded character until around season 4, his story seems to take a back seat to many of the other characters on the show but for the most part he seem to be in the back seat of his new girlfriends story (I am still hoping that will change).
His relationship with his best friend, Ben, is such a healthy portrayal of how two men can actually talk to each other about vulnerable things and be supportive and help each other understanding the complex feelings one might be dealing with.
Also his relationship with his son, Henry, is wonderful and later with his sons fiance, Abigail, even with his ex-wife, those relationships are wonderfully written and make John such a likeable character and the people around him, hopefully these characters show up some more from time to time in the show.
His romantic relationships are… well the first one… I do not even want to mention that one as it makes me cringe! The next 2 relationships he has are with Jessica Russo and then with Grace Sawyer, both relationships are sweet and wonderful but it is also very clear what Johns character is struggling with in those relationships. His current relationship is with Bailey Nune and unfortunately John ends up kind of taking a back seat for his girlfriends character, he has faded to the background in the show. I am not a fan of the Bailey as a character, i will just admit that, I want to but I just can’t. The relationship itself between John and Bailey is cute and they are fun together as a couple but the character, Bailey, is just written in a way that makes her unbelievable and unlikable and it puts a damper on the relationship and wanting it to last.
Angela Lopez what a fantastic character and so well written. Her ‘kick some Ass’ attitude is such a fun one as she is still very feminine and likes to be feminine. Her friendship with her coworker Tim Bradford is a great one as they are very similar, though, honest and softies deep inside. She does not have a drastic character development but she grows, she is still her but so much more. As she meets her husband to be Wesley Evers and they embark on a relationship, opposite attracts, that makes them work together to find a way to meet in the middle and grow together. And having a child did not change them, it just made them grow and become more and better versions of themself.
Wesley Evers is also a great character that brings support to the other characters on the show, he is a kind man that just wants to help but is not a pushover, he stands his ground and is able to stand up to Angela, which is why they are so great together.
Tim Bradford a complex character that has been written very well. He might be tough and rough around the edges but he is a very honest and straight forward character. As his backstory comes to light it is easy to see how his persona might have been shaped by his past but it is also well written and his character is well rounded, not just this one dimensional tough guy. He has plenty of character development even if he does not change very much as a person, he becomes a better version of himself and the softer sides of him show up more often than before, especially when it comes to a very important person in his life. To be honest this person also brigs it out in him, because of her bubbly persona and as the story continues she is not afraid to stand up to him. She also teases him at times… she is the only one that seems to get away with it, he seems to enjoy her teasing, she means a lot to him and it makes him come out of his shell.
Luchy Chen what a wonderfully written character. She starts out less confident in her ability’s but grows into this amazing strong woman and a cop. She has a such a bubbly personality that survives the hardships she faces. Even if she has a big character development she still holds true to who she is and the changes that occur in her are natural developments to the things she faces and she grows as a person. The relationships she has with the people around her show how kind and supportive she is and that she will not go down without a fight be it for herself or the people she loves.
Talia Bishop was a interesting character but left the show after season 1 and then Nyla Harper showed up with a bang! She has this crazy backstory, as an undercover cop, it is both her driving force but also her worst enemy at times. Her character development is evident, as the show continues she has to let go of the past life she had lead and find her footing in a normal life. Her story is such a beautiful one and she is such a strong character. It is fun to get to know her and she makes a splash joining the station, she also has a neck for making many of the other characters see the value in the people around them.
Jackson West was a great character but was more of a ‘in the background’ character, even if he got some great story lines he still did not get to the forefront as much as maybe was intended. He had some struggles to overcome and it made for a good story and it felt like the characters around him got a better deal out of those stories.
Wade Grey what a delightfully written character. He is such a well rounded character and his stories are almost always great. His stories, relationships and growth is not filled with big bumps in the road but hurdles to overcome and makes sense to the person he is and the stories he gets are great because life is also made of all the small things that fit together. He gets some big stories as well and they are great to but the smaller once shine through when it comes to his character and growth.
Aaron Thorsen has become, at times, this funny but kind and helpful character that everyone can count on. He stared out not really showing the audience who he really was but he has come into his own and now is such a good addition to the team.
Officer Smitty is a comic relief and he is such a fun and silly character that is somewhat a flat character but he serves his purpose and the audience get a glimpse into his life at times. Like officer Smitty, James Murray, serves his purpose, as Nyla’s boyfriend and later husband, and he has his moments in the show that make him a wonderful extra character to root for. There are many more recurring characters like Tamara, Genny, Isabel, Donovan, Lila, Nelle and last but not least Luna Grey, these characters serve their purpose to move the stories along and make a great addition to the show, they definitely enrich the stories and make the show great. But I also want to mention Fiona in this list of extra characters that just added something great to the show (I am adding her as I really liked her and John together, the friendship they had, I also liked them as potential couple but…).
To sum it all up:
I can say that this show is wonderful, very entertaining and not to forget, full of great cast.
The show has so many fantastic characters, wonderful character developments and stories. The stories are great and at times fun and/or emotional but as many cop shows that run over longer periods the stories loose its shine. But The rookie does not slack on the characters stories, backstories and their relationships, that is still well written even if the “cop” part has bumps in the road. The writers definitely know how to write relationships, be it family, friendship or a romantic one (short or long term romantic relationships), the writers are capable of doing that incredibly well. The couples do not loose their shine even if they embark on a long term relationship, it is still fun and exciting to see them grow, together.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ – I will give it 5 stars out of 5.
As I can watch this show over and over again and it still entertains me and makes me feel the feels.
