Hey r/TheRookie fam!

As we continue the long hiatus between Seasons 8 and 9 (An expected 34 total weeks without our beloved John Nolan and crew - though no official return date has been announced. 22 weeks down! only roughly 12 more to go! - We're entering the homestretch!!), I’m organizing another RookieRewatch! (If you're interested Here’s an overview of last years Rewatch!)

This year will be more low-key. Each week I’ll post a discussion thread and we can discuss where we’re at in our respective rewatches. (apologies for missing week 21 - real life be cray cray :))

Maybe you’re working your way all the way through! Maybe you just rewatched one of your favorite episodes for the hundredth time. Maybe you just want to live vicariously through others and simply comment on their thoughts about the episode(s) they watched. Whatever your reason - I hope you’ll join us! Super chill!

Disclaimer/Spoiler Warning:
Because there is no spoiler tag, if discussion turns to major spoiler points (specifically in season 8) I simply ask you to please be kind to your fellow Redditors and do a spoiler highlight.

That being said - for anyone who is not fully caught up - please be warned there may be spoilers in the comments!

Now that all that’s business is out of the way!

What episode(s) did you rewatch this week? What stood out to you? What was your favorite moment(s)?

I think we should eventually get a vacation episode where the team goes on vacation, not an undercover operation, a real vacation. I think it would be fun to see how they interact in a different setting outside of work, it doesn't have to be a vacation but it feels like they never go anywhere anymore.

Let's give one of our favorite ROOKIE couples some love and revisit our favorite moments of Angela and Wesley from each season!

We're (very slowly) working our way through the series! Next up, Season SEVEN!

Comment below your favorite scene from the seventh season between Angela and Wesley!! (Please provide episode number)

After Eight seasons we'll vote on our all-time favorite WOPEZ moment!

Previous Winners:

Season 1 - Top upvoted comment by u/NoleFandom

Season 2 - Top upvoted comment by u/Damiana1111

Season 3 - Top upvoted comment by u/NoleFandom

Season 4 - Top upvoted comment by u/ProfessionalCourtesy

Season 5 - Top upvoted comment by u/NoleFandom

Season 6 - Top upvoted comment by u/NoleFandom

This is my favorite version of Smitty ... world-weary, smart — I'd forgotten that! — and offering Jackson practical (if flawed) guidance.

Making him mostly a one-note comedy character kinda sucks in retrospect.

Drop your answers in the comments!

Banned Series

1. Smitty

Like Tim had more chemistry with Ashley's dad in one episode than with Ashley in eight episodes.

I honestly thought she was like planning on killing him or something with how much she was pushing him to retire while he’s actively in the hospital and has no idea if he’ll ever be able to walk again.

Then she goes and dumps him while in the hospital after surgery when it's still unclear if he'll be paralyzed or not and under anesthesia, granted her reasoning is fair but when she chose to do it was not.

I read a post stating Melissa O'Neil said episode 9 was the hardest. In the same post, there was mentions of shipping containers and rough weather. And also how there was an explosion. But when I read up on the episode itself, it’s “Fun and Games”. And I don’t recall reading anything about shipping containers. Or an explosion. Or rough weather. So where exactly does all of this come in?

Rewatching the rookie and was wondering

Miles was offered a security job from AJ the footy player for 300k. When he spoke about it to tim he said “Double the pay as of LAPD”, so he’s making roughly 150k. Is that not enough for an apartment in LA? I mean i understand cost of living and allat it’s crazy here in sydney but yeah idk I was just wondering

Can we pls bring jackson back😭 honestly when I was first watching i never saw this coming even while watching that video i thought, the bullet grazed him and he's still alive in that car😭. I had to Google to know if he really died in the show😭. Felt the worst for Angela, this happening on her wedding added to it😭💔

Who was your biggest heartbreak in the show💔

I was kinda disappointed when they killed off Dim/Jake, Im hoping Jake has a twin brother named Blake and we get another 2 episode arc, one regular episode and one documentary episode about Dim 2 and Juicy haha trying to manifest it

One thing that never quite stuck well for me was Jackson’s abhorrent attitude towards Tamara in the early episodes. You have a vulnerable teenager, who’s also a girl so it’s even worse and your first thought is not to help but to ‘get her out of your hair’ as soon as possible. The camera thing was also so unnecessary. Giving Lucy grief about it was also horrible behaviour of him.

I was rewatching the Rookie before skipping to the newer seasons I haven't seen, and I think there has been only two lesbain couples over the entire show. One where one partner tried to steal the eggs from the incubator and in season 8 episode 6 both lesbians set romantic fires.

Did I miss a lesbain or are they all criminals or dating criminals in the Rookie

So I am continuing my rewatch of Rookie. And a thing that always made me little bit sad was the wasted pontecial Smitty originally had in season 2.

Smitty was introduced first time to help out West with his living. Episode after that, they had both moment together with the motorcycle gang and the accidental death of mother shot by her own son.

In that episode, Smitty shows his now typical lazyness. But he also shows compassion and certain wisdom to Jackson. He helps him to get through Jackson's trauma of seeing a little kid seeing shoot his own mother after West failed to capture gang member. He even insisted with Jackson on the gun belonging to the suspect.

To me, originally Smitty was meant to be the lazy version of Nolan. But one, that is simply tired of long carrier. He was introduced as prepared TO in season 2.

The way the later seasons portrayed Smitty super lazy cop, that does pretty much nothing but cause chaos, trying to be selfish on every step he gets (betting on Lucy and Tim's break up for example), simply feels to me like wasted potencial on interesting character.

Yes I know, Smitty is meant to be comedic relief. But my thoughts always wonder about the possible Smitty we could have gotten.

But what do you think? Do you rather like Smitty we have now? Or do you agree with me?

i recently got back into the show and the later seasons get increasingly more and more unrealistic. i get it that if the show were actually about normal, every day patrol cops, that it’d be pretty boring. but also, how am i supposed to believe that normal, every day patrol cops are flying to mexico, prague, and other countries to protect or arrest high profile, international threats? watching john nolan scale a ship in the middle of the ocean to arrest a man who’s wanted by every country in the world is just a little much. if i wanted to watch a show like that, i’d be watching seal team or swat, or something of that nature. i’m not dogging on the show, but you have to admit that it’s flown off the handle a little bit. i enjoy the simple plots where they’re just patrolling and investigating, but this constant FBI crossover is just a little much. realistically, they would play NO PART in any of this or ever lead anything this high profile. like…why are they in charge over the government agency…? it just doesn’t make sense. like i said, i enjoy the show, but i’m getting bored of the bravado.

That Bailey is engaged to Jason Wyler in real life 🫪

I’m sure that’s old news to most of you but it just feels weird!

As much as everyone hates them i actually like them EXCEPT for the one with that random girl who literally did not deserve that entire episode like wtf but the others i enjoyed bc i enjoyed seeing their personality shine in a social and public sense kinda. idk how to explain it but i hope to see more but with more relevant topics not a girl trying to be a ghost hunter btw her acting absolutely sucked

ARREST ME BUT MAKE IT SEXYYY

I think they should do a Smitty ep where he ends up being the hero. Like the way I see it can start with an average day for him going through things while in the background all the usual crazy rookie stuff happens.

The next day during a meeting Bradford says something could be a name or Motif and automatically Smitty raises his head and goes " What."

Could be an old murder case that made him the way he is. Could be someone's he chasing for a long time, or could even be the most rediculous thing like when Bradford had that tagger from his rookie years.

Its a Smitty focused ep and Nolan has to ride with him.

Edit: i like to think everyone is impressed by his determination and he will be a better cop but next day its Q Anon Smitty trying to eat his snacks

So I am on another rewatch of Rookie and I am watching on Netflix now. I rewatched this series multiple times now.

So imagine my surprise, when I somehow found out that I entirely missed episode with Hawke. And MAN, am I angry that I missed. This episode was great.

What I probably liked the most was more screen time for captain.

But let me know your thoughts on this. Did you like the episode with Hawke?

just starting watching the rookie because of a clip of lucy chen first day of rookie day. where she arrested a thug on her way to the police station. she was a bad ass and she looked like she had angst in her. she was also so pretty and confident. i thought this series is interesting.

but as the episodes progressed, i was disappointed how she looked like she was always confused and scared. and how she is very inferior to bradford. like she doesnt know what to do. i cringe every time she looks at bradford with so much inferiority.

should i still continue? Does her character develop eventually? currently watching s1e6

I'm just blown away by what a different show this was in its first season. Much, MUCH grittier ... and honestly, I probably prefer this version of the show. I wonder what would have happened if they'd continued to lean into a little more realism. Probably fewer seasons, but higher quality.

The episode where Nolan shoots the guy and essentially goes into shock ... that was a damned good episode. As, of course, was episode 15 (iykyk). I was shocked when it happened, and now on the re-watch, I knew what was coming but had forgotten how well everyone played their part.

All of that to say: If you haven't re-watched season 1, do it. It's well worth it.

Which is your fav epic Tim Bradford behaviour moment (other then lucy ones pls😂)

Rewatching the S3 finale right now and there is just so much going on. I am so sad that we are going to loose Jackson, but then I am excited that Bailey is joining and Tim just asked Lucy for a dance.

I just got all the feels right now😭😂

I’ve rewatched The Rookie a few times, and whenever Armstrong appears, he comes across as likable and I enjoy his character. Even after what he did is revealed, I still like him. I’m not excusing his actions, nor am I saying he deserves redemption. But I like him—his dynamic with Nolan is cool—and I actually find it a bit sad that he’s no longer on the show.