After a week's hiatus, The Rookie returns to resolve a deadly cliffhanger from the previous episode while introducing myriad other investigations. As James Murray (Arjay Smith) fights for his life, an investigation into his wife, Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox), creates even more drama. Meanwhile, Celina Juarez (Lisseth Chavez) shows investigative initiative, while John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) clears Harper and a civil rights activist wanted by police.
This latest season presents a return to form for The Rookie as it balances the street-level stories this show does best with larger, spectacle-driven episodes. The introduction of two new trainee officers has allowed the show to lean into the dramatic opportunities training provides. From helping the community to less-involved cases, The Rookie uses its premise to distinguish itself from other police procedurals. There are also the odd exceptions, such as episodes focused on a pair of serial killers and the previous episode's response to a Los Angeles wildfire. With "The Kiss," the story The Rookie tells is a mixture of both approaches. While it does feature some great character moments, the episode does feel a bit too crowded at times.
The Rookie Cast Rallies to Clear Harper's Name and Catch James's Shooter
In 'The Kiss' the Characters Are Perhaps Pulled in Too Many Different Directions
Despite the one-week hiatus, The Rookie picks up right where "Wildfire" left off. James and his friend Kylie Thomas (Maria Zhang) fight for their lives as Juarez tries to save them. Detective Angela Lopez (Alyssa Diaz) immediately identifies the correct shooter. However, because Nolan saw Kylie kiss James, Harper has to be investigated. Her arrest of the shooter, Connor (Levi Meaden), 18 months ago actually makes it seem more likely she was involved.
Given how much happens in "The Kiss," there isn't a lot of time for character introspection. The way Nolan throws himself into the investigation of his former training officer actually fits. Knowing his responsibility for Harper's legal situation, he is motivated to help her. When he discovers a photo of James with an activist wanted for arson, he sets himself on a path to solve that case, too.
As Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) and Lucy Chen (Melissa O'Neil) focus on Connor — despite suffering smoke inhalation and almost dying — the majority of The Rookie's ensemble cast work to clear Nyla. The resolution happens quickly, which is ultimately good. Yet, the number of side stories in the episode could make this solution feel rushed or unearned. For her part, Nyla is sidelined, torn between worrying for her husband's life and her future as an officer.
Despite Its Effect on the Plot, 'The Kiss' Doesn't Spend Enough Time on the Resolution
James and Nyla Have Struggled This Season, but the Episode Rushes Past Their Reconciliation
Image via ABC
Cox's performance is worth noting because, despite not getting much to do, she makes each scene matter. Harper balances her fear for James, her uncertainty over the titular kiss and her indignance at being a suspect. A standout moment comes when James's best friend Wesley Evers (Shawn Ashmore) talks to her about everything she's facing. It's a reminder of his days as a defense attorney, when Wesley's empathy made Lopez (and the fans) fall in love with him.
Another great story choice is when James immediately tries to confess what happened with Kylie to Nyla. It's the first time the two saw each other since it happened. It underscores that despite the arguments and distance the couple endured throughout the season, they are a good pairing. The Rookie is beloved by its fans not for the police work, but rather the character relationships. Despite how much the romance in the show can be a source for drama, The Rookie doesn't belabor James and Kylie's kiss.
Again, despite the lack of narrative breathing room, Harper's near-immediate forgiveness for James fits nicely. Having almost lost him, it would have cheapened their overall characters if she held onto anger or doubt about him. A moment with Nolan returning Harper's badge and gun is also bolstered by his emotional declaration she's his hero. Lucy Chen is also the only one who thinks of Kylie, who is at the hospital recovering alone, which is a nice reminder of why she is the heart of The Rookie.
This Rookie Episode Features Serveral Cases, and Gives None Their Due
Despite the Crowded Storylines, the Characters Are at Their Most Clever
Because of the street-level focus on The Rookie, it's not uncommon for an episode to feature multiple "cases." Unlike more legal-focused police procedurals, booking the suspect is where their story usually ends. In "The Kiss," the Mid-Wilshire Precinct cops arrest an elderly woman's maid for trying to rob her, two kids who robbed a meth lab, an arsonist and James's shooter. It made the episode a bit crowded since most of the investigative work took place off-screen.
- In Season 2 and 3, The Rookie featured two bad cops: Harold Perrineau's Nick Armstrong and Brandon Routh's Doug Stanton.
- In Season 6, Danielle Campbell's Dr. Blair London was a department therapist who provided tapes of her sessions to Bridget Reagan's Monica Stevens, who corrupted cops.
The most entertaining one was the meth-lab robbers, which was the first arrest made by newly-promoted Celina Juarez. No longer a rookie, Nolan's wife Bailey Nune (Jenna Dewan) put her onto the suspects. With a risky bluff, she gets a confession out of the criminals, though the fact that one of them appeared to be in pain and dying helped. His affliction? He hid stolen money in the ol' "prison purse," which caused him physical distress. It was a light-hearted side story, and it was good for Celina. Yet, it wasn't the most honorable bust in hindsight.
The arrest of a white supremacist arsonist who framed James's police activist friend was a satisfying one. By analyzing video footage, Nolan discovers the culprit is Brock Shohausen (Spencer Rich). Because of Brock's penchant for fighting police, Nolan tricks him into reporting to the hospital and confronting him with the LAPD's "MMA team." It's an example of how The Rookie characters care about giving suspects the benefit of the doubt. Yet, again, because of all that happens in "The Kiss" it's not really highlighted.
While 'The Kiss' Is a Solid and Emotional Episode, It Highlights a Familiar Rookie Problem
The Series Frequently Paints the Checks and Balances on Police as a Bug, Not a Feature
Image via ABC
Since the death of Officer Jackson West (Titus Makin, Jr.) The Rookie sometimes fumbles police accountability storylines. Assistant District Attorney Vivian Eckhart (Necar Zadegan) appeared in a previous episode as a careerist attorney looking to move up the ranks. She is assigned to investigate Nyla's involvement, and she does so aggressively. Despite her seeming genuinely pleased that two outstanding cases are closed, she is painted as an antagonist. In reality, she was the only one who was unbiased when looking at the possibility of Nyla's involvement.
In fairness to The Rookie, its central characters have proven to be truly moral police officers of a kind too rarely seen in real life. Nyla obviously wasn't involved, even if viewers hadn't seen the full picture of James's and Kylie's shooting. Still, Vivian was just doing her due diligence because, as she rightly points out, the Mid-Wilshire Precinct was home to more than its share of corrupt cops. Even with the smarmy Zadegan's performance, Vivian wasn't wrong nor did she try to impede the prosecution of the actual guilty parties.
This is a minor quibble, bordering on being upset with a TV show for being a TV show. Still, when it goes for it, The Rookie is one of the better series highlighting that a police officer is not automatically a hero. Similarly, both the meth-lab robbers and the maid arrested earlier in the show were not over-the-top villains. With more time, the storytellers could have mined this nuance for drama and a worthy message. These are just examples of how the ambition in this episode short-changed some of the stories. Not enough to torpedo the episode's quality, but enough to highlight an area where, even after seven seasons, The Rookie can still improve.
The Rookie debuts new episodes Tuesdays at 9 PM on ABC, and the episode streams the next day on Hulu.
