I Watched All 7 Seasons of The Rookie in 28 Days (And Now I Have Opinions)

John Nolan running during a chaotic police scene, symbolizing his non-stop bad luck on The Rookie.

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⚠️ Spoiler Alert

If you’re not caught up on The Rookie — especially you, [REDACTED FAMILY MEMBER] — maybe hit pause on this post. I’m talking about character exits, guest stars, and the kind of plot points that will absolutely ruin a season finale if you’re still in Season 3.

You’ve been warned. Proceed with caution. Or just finish binging so we can talk about it like adults.

I Watched All 7 Seasons of The Rookie in 28 Days (and Now I Have Opinions)

Let’s get this out of the way:
I am not a Nathan Fillion fan.

There are certain actors who could post a 90-second video of themselves opening a can of soup and I’d rewatch it obsessively. (Hi Ryan Reynolds.) Nathan Fillion is not one of those actors. In fact, I’ve historically avoided projects he’s attached to — no offense, I just… don’t vibe with Castle Energy™.

But when my daughter came to visit, she practically begged me to watch The Rookie with her. I agreed to try two episodes. That was June 10.

By July 7, I had finished all seven seasons.

So yeah. I’ve got some thoughts.

Don’t Ride With John Nolan

Of all the cops in this show, John Nolan is the last person you want to ride with. The man is a chaos magnet. If there’s a hostage situation, a random sniper, or a 30-car freeway shootout — he’s already there.

This isn’t a dig on Fillion. It’s just a fact.
The most statistically dangerous place in Los Angeles is the passenger seat of Nolan’s patrol car.

Skip Tracer Randy Forever

I’ve been a Flula Borg fan since sometime around 2013 — I don’t even remember where I first saw him, but I do remember yelling “FLULA!” when he popped up in Pitch Perfect 2, and my daughter looking at me like I’d lost my mind.

So imagine my joy when he showed up in The Rookie as Skip Tracer Randy — a role so weirdly perfect for him I can only assume it was written while someone was high on Red Bull and YouTube playlists. Absolute icon. I would watch a spinoff tomorrow.

Season 4 Was… Not Great

Something happened in Season 4. The showrunners got a little experimental, the tone got a little off, and the flow just wasn’t there. It wasn’t unwatchable, but it definitely had “mid-life crisis season” energy.

Thankfully, they redeemed themselves with Season 5, which brings us to…

Daddy Cop Deserves a Grammy

Zander Hawley showing up as Kojo / “Daddy Cop” in Season 5, Episode 13?
Unhinged brilliance.

I laughed so hard I had to pause the episode. Then I went to Apple Music and added the song to my favorites. No regrets.

If you’ve never heard the song, please enjoy this glorious mess of a bop:

And yes, the rest of Season 5 — and even more so 6 and 7 — built on that momentum. They figured it out. The storytelling matured along with the cast. It’s rare to see a procedural actually evolve as characters get promoted, burned out, or reassigned. I appreciate the growth.

Justice for Jackson West

Let’s talk about Titus Makin Jr. and the way The Rookie wrote him out.

The real-life reason? He stood up for what he believed in. He made a choice not to continue portraying a cop on TV after everything that unfolded in 2020, and I respect the hell out of that. He did what he needed to do to sleep at night.

But the way they handled Jackson West’s exit? Cold.

Not a transfer. Not a reassignment. Just—boom, cold open, he’s gone. Compare that to Tru Valentino’s quiet one-liner exit. It felt like they could’ve done right by Jackson with the same courtesy. He didn’t even get a montage. He deserved better.

And while we’re here:
I really hope Aaron Thorsen returns. His arc had a lot of potential, and I liked what he brought to the team dynamic.

Is That Accent Real?

Speaking of other rookies:
Can someone please confirm if Deric Augustine (Miles Penn) actually talks like that?

Because that accent had serious The Departed vibes — and not in a good way.
Which reminds me: Why do guys from Boston have to fake Boston accents for roles? You’d think being from there would be enough. But apparently, everyone wants to sound like they just robbed a Dunkin’.

Whole other post incoming:

“Not Everyone Needs to Sound Like They Just Threatened a Wahlberg”

The Show Hole Strikes Again

Of course, now I’m sitting here in the post-binge void. The dreaded show hole.
I was emotionally unprepared. I told myself I’d wait until fall for Season 8. Then I read Screen Rant and apparently it might not return until midseason.

MIDSEASON.

I don’t want to be dramatic but I’m spiraling.

That said… I also have a blog post listing 30+ unfinished shows, so the idea that I have “nothing to watch” is a complete lie. The show hole is an illusion. A trick of the mind. I’m just being a little extra about it.

Again.

Final Thoughts (For Now)

The Rookie surprised me. I went in reluctantly, stayed for the writing, and left with a new appreciation for a cast that grew into their roles without losing the show’s momentum. It’s a procedural that somehow kept its heart — and its sense of humor.

Would I recommend it?
Yeah, honestly. Just maybe avoid riding with John Nolan.

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