If you want to learn how to write, take a look at this show.
It is rather undeniable that the cop show has lost a bit of luster in recent times. While certain shows like NCIS seem to be unstoppable juggernauts, the entire genre has been bogged down by the same old plots, no shortage of sermonizing, and an apparent need to always be “ripped from the headlines.” Fortunately, the boys and girls over at ABC have found a way to shake things up with a sophomore show called The Rookie.
Long story short, it’s impressive. Most impressive.
This Isn’t Nathan Fillion’s Show. Not Entirely, Anyway.
Oh my word, these characters are somewhat normal! YAY!
When the show first premiered, I was initially drawn in by Nathan Fillion because I’ve been a fan of his since the premiere of Firefly, so there is a rather obvious bias here. With that said, I was thrown for a little bit of a loop because his portrayal of Officer John Nolan is way more down-to-earth than any of his previous roles. His effortless charm mixes well with the “ordinary man” that he brings across on screen, which is quite nice because it gives the audience a good reason to sympathize with the character during the more heroic and intense moments of each episode.
With all of that in mind, the show does a good job of developing the other members of the main cast, and the actors and actresses are more than up to the challenge. Of course, there are standouts that I’ve found to be a bit more interesting than the others, but you might feel a bit differently, dear reader.
Down on the ground, Melissa O’Neil and Titus Makin, Jr. do well as Lucy Chen and Jackson West. As the other rookies who sit alongside Fillion’s Nolan, they offer a little bit of contrast and demonstrate some of the problems that a new officer might face on the job. O’Neil’s Chen seems to be a young and female version of Nolan, whereas West is a legacy applicant who struggles with accusations of nepotism and the need to live up to his father’s ideals. I don’t want to give anything away, but I can say that neither one of them will make you want to fast-forward through their sections of the show to get back to Fillion. That’s a win in my book!
The training officers and senior staff are a teensy bit less developed, but that’s to be expected when some are typically forced to sit behind a desk. In Season 2, we spend the most time with Training Officers Angela Lopez (Alyssa Diaz), Tim Bradford (Eric Winter), and Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox). Each performance is unique in its own way, but all three of them have to play along with their teaching role until certain dramatic moments compel them to open up. Thankfully, the writers managed to strike a good balance between the two sides of the template.
Would You Care For A Short Story?
Annie Wersching’s take on a serial killer is genuinely disturbing.
In many ways, many episodes of The Rookie bear a striking resemblance to the format of 9-1-1. Most of the time, the show adopts the short story format in which the various rookies and their training officers respond to some calls, explore the ethics of policing, and deal with personal dilemmas. This format gives the writers an uncanny ability to keep things fresh and interesting, especially since they have the chance to play with an endless list of bonafide stars. At any moment, you might see fan favorites like Mitch Pileggi, Jon Huertas, Joel McHale, Sean Maher, Seamus Dever, Stephen Lang, or even Alan Tudyk. Most of them are given a lot more to do than simply popping in, waving to the camera, and leaving, but it’s always fun to see them play in the sandbox for a while.
But recently, a bona fide star by the name of Annie Wersching came along, stole the show, and ran away with it.
Sure, the show has pulled off a few gut punches already, but Season 2’s “The Dark Side” and “Day of Death” show off this show’s true potential through the introduction of its Joker. In the two-parter, Wersching plays a serial killer by the name of Rosalind Dyer. At first, she just seems to want to save herself from the death penalty by pointing out where the bodies are buried, which gives Nolan his first face-to-face interactions with someone far more cruel and sadistic than the usual. However, nothing is quite what it seems, and this particular woman has a plan.
I REALLY do not want to give anything away here, but I will say that these two episodes remind me of The Dark Knight. That’s how good they are!
But Are There Flaws?
TO Bradford just so happened to have a high school rivalry with a member of the Los Angeles Rams. Right.
Are there things that I don’t really like? Eh, only mildly.
On some level, I’m aware that the show distributes quite a bit of plot armor in certain episodes, but one could easily excuse that because police typically don’t die on the job. On top of that, there is a main character death outside of the two-parters and finales, so it’s not like the writers haven’t thought of ways to put the audience on their toes.
And yes, the writers threw in a few cop show tropes that might make you laugh or roll your eyes, but the show’s premise and format help to eliminate any serious problems. After all, this show is about rookie cops, so some of the most obvious ones are a Hollywood reflection of real issues.
Lastly, there are a few ridiculous moments in this show, and some of these are more questionable than others. However, most of them can be easily excused because of writing concepts like the Rule of Cool, the fact that most people might not know every little scientific fact, or the need to insert a comedic moment somewhere.
Conclusion.
This is going to become a meme. I can feel it deep in mah bones!
No show is perfect, but The Rookie comes damn close. I have a feeling that you, dear reader, will grow to be genuinely attached to the characters and thrill as they deal with all of the absurd and mundane aspects of being a cop. The show is a genuine love letter to our first responders, and I sincerely hope that it runs for as long as it can.
Give this one a shot. You’ll love it!
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