‘The Rookie’ Season 1, Episode 9 ‘Standoff’ Recap: Outgunned

It is a common misconception that the police do not face charges when they kill someone on the job. When The Rookie fires at the armed mugger, he became the suspect. An investigation on whether or not it was a justifiable homicide spring from the incident. Meanwhile, a drug operation goes wrong as their asset loses cover.

In this week’s episode of The Rookie, Officer John Nolan resumes duty but remains off the field. Meanwhile, a follow-up task force, led by Officer Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) pursues the drug personality, Vance (Christopher James Baker), who shot their asset, Tim’s wife, Isabel (Mircea Monroe).

Heavy Hitter

Mitch Haaseth/ABC

Since Vance knew that the cops were onto him, the force decides to launch a follow-up operation. A day after finding and sending Isabel to the hospital, Detectives Kevin Wolfe (Demetrius Grosse) and Elijah Vestri (David DeSantos) team up with Officers Bradford, Angela Lopez (Alyssa Diaz), Talia Bishop (Afton Williamson), and Rookies Jackson West (Titus Makin Jr.) and Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil). Their target was in an apartment complex loosely called Bronson Estates, known to be housing criminal elements.

Bronson Estates

Mitch Haaseth/ABC

Officers Bradford and Chen find the suspect’s girlfriend, Cesiah Olivo’s (Madalyn Horcher) apartment immediately. Cesiah is pregnant and is due in a week, so at first, she did not wish to give Vance up. When Bradford finally convinces her to make the call, it was too late. Officer Bishop finishes talking to one of Vance’s men when Vance suddenly open fires in her direction as she left. Also, the men activated signal jammers, preventing Officers Lopez and West from calling backup.

Mitch Haaseth/ABC

The entire operation goes south in a few minutes. Officer Bradford tries to hold Vance and his men back while Chen delivers Cesiah’s baby. Meanwhile, Officer Bishop suffers gunshot wounds to the arm, but she manages to save Detectives Wolfe and Vestri, wounded victims of an elevator ambush. However, Vestri dies moments later. Officers Lopez and West eventually find a way to the basement. As soon as they shut the power off, they now fought for their lives as two armed men who stood guard open fired. Luckily, Bishop radios for back-up.

Within minutes, all available officers responded to the scene, including Sergeant Wade Grey (Richard T. Jones), Commander West (Michael Beach), and Officer Nolan. Sergeant Grey and the SWAT team apprehends Vance while Commander West and Officer Nolan arrive just in time to save Officers Lopez and West. Before they left, Officer Bradford talks to Vance, swearing that with the help of his wife’s testimony, he will face time in jail.

Morals

After managing to subdue the home invader, Officer Nolan immediately calls the police. They arrive and do standard crime scene procedure then leave. The next day, Officer Nolan resumed duty but works on the front desk. A second investigation happens because of the home invasion, so Nolan remained at the station.

Throughout the shift, Nolan receives strange clients, such as a man claiming that William Shakespeare stole his literary works. Also, a divorcing couple set the police station as their meeting place for when the father picks up his son from the mother. However, the mother had to leave for work or risk getting fired, so she placed her son in Officer Nolan’s care.

Officer Nolan has a change of perspective when he tries to lie about the boy’s father. The boy’s father came to the station drunk and disorderly, so Nolan had him sober up in one of the cells. However, the boy understood Nolan’s reason for lying but is tired of having been lied to by his parents. This situation made Nolan reevaluate his statement about the home invasion since he did not tell anyone that Lucy was with him that night. Still, Lucy stops Nolan from making a wrong move that would cost them their careers.

When Nolan returns to the station with the rest of the force, Captain Zoe Anderson (Mercedes Mason) and Commander West announce that the investigation is over and that may now return to full duty. Surprised, Nolan was unsure of what to say at first, but he thanks them before he ends his shift. The day ends with him and Lucy rekindling their relationship as friends.

‘The Rookie’ Season 1, Episode 9 ‘Standoff’ Final Verdict

This intense episode gave us more share of the action than usual. The fight scenes had perfect choreography, and the tactics employed by the police were shown here skillfully. Also, the actors artistically portrayed the weight of the losses that each member of the team suffered. Their characters are forever changing with all the experiences they gain, making their roles highly progressive, which is a nice change to the cliche, static ones often portrayed in other cop shows.

The Rookie returns Tuesday, January 15th with ‘Flesh and Blood’ at 10/9c on ABC.