‘The Rookie’ season 7 will fix that less than impressive season 6 finale

The last season of The Rookie fell short of its usual standards, with Season 6 struggling to maintain momentum due to a shorter episode run and a convoluted villain arc that failed to resonate with viewers. However, Season 7 is poised to address these issues and bring back the show’s strengths.

As a staple in ABC’s lineup for six years, The Rookie has followed John Nolan (Nathan Fillion), a man who boldly switches careers in his mid-40s to become the LAPD’s oldest rookie. While the show leans on classic procedural drama tropes, it has managed to carve out its own space by developing engaging character arcs and storylines. Season 6, however, deviated with its main antagonist, Monica Stevens (Bridget Regan), a corrupt lawyer whose storyline felt rushed as her rise and fall unfolded over just ten episodes.

The season finale added to the confusion by reintroducing previous villains, which created a chaotic and rushed narrative. This approach left many fans dissatisfied, especially since the show’s hallmark episodic storytelling was replaced with a serialized format.

In a recent interview with The Wrap, Hawley revealed that Season 7 will return to a more episodic format, saying, “We’re looking forward to going back to a bit more standalone storytelling. We’ve always had serialized stories, but we don’t necessarily need to touch them every week. So I do like the idea that we can go back to a more ‘What are we doing this week?’ vibe.”

With an extended order of 18 episodes, Season 7 promises more room for long-form storytelling, giving popular arcs, like the “Chenford” relationship, more space to evolve organically. Additionally, the new season will address the cliffhanger from Season 6’s finale, involving Bailey’s (Jenna Dewan) ex-husband’s prison escape just as she and John considered adoption.

The last season of The Rookie fell short of its usual standards, with Season 6 struggling to maintain momentum due to a shorter episode run and a convoluted villain arc that failed to resonate with viewers. However, Season 7 is poised to address these issues and bring back the show’s strengths. As a staple in…