The Rookie delivered what might be the most solid episode of the back half of the season with “The Return.” This hour tackled second chances, accountability, and the ripple effects of broken trust — all while raising some compelling ethical questions. But while the plot was tight and well-paced, it continued a familiar trend: missed emotional beats, especially for the show's lead characters.
Right out of the gate, the central conflict takes shape when Seth unexpectedly returns to Mid-Wilshire. His re-entry — made possible by a lawsuit claiming his doctor misdiagnosed him with cancer — shocks everyone. Grey informs Nolan, Lucy, and Tim that Seth has to be allowed back into the TO program, though he’ll be under close watch. Nolan ends up assigned as his training officer after Lucy, understandably, wants no part in it. Thankfully, the writers spared her the added emotional chaos of being pulled back into Seth’s orbit in that way.
To the show’s credit, it handles the department’s reaction with subtlety. When Seth steps onto the office floor and every officer silently turns their back, it’s one of the season’s most striking moments — simple, powerful, and clear. It perfectly captured how difficult it is to rebuild trust once it's been broken.
Nolan’s approach to mentoring Seth is thoughtful and balanced — firm, professional, and not easily manipulated. While he’s not known as the toughest TO, and there was concern Seth might exploit that, the episode shows that Nolan’s not easily fooled. Instead, he takes on the role of moral compass, staying grounded in the belief that people can change, but only when they’re willing to face consequences.
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| “The Return” – THE ROOKIE. Pictured: Patrick Keleher as Seth and Eric Winter as Tim Bradford. Mike Taing/ Disney ©2025 Network. All Rights Reserved |
Meanwhile, Lucy is blindsided when Tamara shows up at the station — not only still dating Seth, but defending him. Lucy, ever loyal to the people she loves, agrees to host a dinner to get to know him better. It’s a big ask, and while Tamara and Lucy’s bond is one of the show’s more meaningful dynamics, this move felt inconsiderate. Tamara may believe Seth has changed, but knowing what Lucy went through, it wasn’t fair to put her in that position.
With Lucy’s apartment too cramped, she enlists Tim to co-host at his place. And let’s be real — it doesn’t take much to get Tim to say yes. He’ll do anything for Lucy, and this is no exception. The dinner itself is exactly what you’d expect: awkward and tense.
Celina and Rodge are also in attendance for some reason — and once again, Rodge’s inclusion feels like a misstep. His character continues to bring little to the table, lacks chemistry with Celina, and seems to take up space that could be used for underutilized characters like Angela. It’s hard not to feel that his continued presence comes at the cost of more meaningful storytelling.
And then, the real bombshell drops: Lucy notices an engagement ring on Tamara’s finger. What was meant to be a peace-making evening turns into a full-blown confrontation, sending Tamara and Seth packing — and casting serious doubt over Lucy and Tamara’s friendship going forward.
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| “The Return” – THE ROOKIE. Pictured: Deric Augustine as Miles. Mike Taing/ Disney ©2025 Network. All Rights Reserved |
“That’s what happens when you let a liar back on the team. It infects the team, and pretty soon, everyone’s a liar.”
Elsewhere, Nolan and Seth respond to a robbery involving a man named Gene, initially painted as a reformed citizen who bravely talks down a gunman. The twist? Gene was mistakenly released from prison due to a clerical error. He’s since built a stable life — family, job, a home — but now faces being sent back. Desperate, Gene tries to flee by reaching out to old criminal contacts.
Nolan and Seth arrive just as the deal goes sideways, leading to a shootout. Seth instinctively shields Nolan and is shot in the leg — an injury so severe it requires amputation. In the aftermath, Seth finally comes clean to Tamara, admitting he lied about the cancer diagnosis all along. She doesn’t say a word, just removes her engagement ring and walks out. It’s a quiet, gut-punch of a moment that says everything.
The show leaves Seth’s future open-ended, but his arc gets more complexity here than expected. Whether his sacrifice marks a real turning point or just another loop in a cycle of self-sabotage is something only future episodes can answer.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper Rookie episode without checking in on Chenford. Tim driving Lucy to her Sergeant’s exam was a sweet gesture and shows how much he loves her, but it didn’t quite hit the emotional high note it could have. Once again, the show told us something meaningful happened — but chose not to show us. A study session between the two could have been a great callback and a perfect moment of intimacy. Instead, viewers were left to imagine the work Lucy put in, and what this step meant to her. For a character as central as Lucy, her inner world continues to feel under-explored this season.
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| “The Return” – THE ROOKIE. Pictured: Melissa O'Neil as Lucy, Nathan Fillion as John Nolan and Patrick Keleher as Seth. Mike Taing/ Disney ©2025 Network. All Rights Reserved |
The final scene between Lucy and Tim at the food trucks brought things to a quieter, more hopeful close. Lucy reiterates that she didn’t take the exam for him — and that needed to be said. Her career matters to her, and the show was right to respect that. Still, it’s clear they’re both thinking about what comes next. The trust between them has been slowly rebuilding, and this moment suggests they may finally be ready to move forward — if the circumstances allow it.
Final Thoughts: The Return was one of the stronger hours this season — narratively sound, emotionally charged in key moments, and full of character-driven tension. It still suffers from some frustrating pacing choices and underdeveloped emotional arcs, but it also shows what The Rookie is capable of when it leans into the grey areas of loyalty, redemption, and personal growth.
Let’s just hope the show follows through on the arcs it’s been setting up — and starts showing us more of what it keeps telling us.
