‘The Rookie’ Season 2, Episode 15 ‘Hand-Off’ Review: Unpredictable

One of the best things about The Rookie is its understanding of human emotions. It never runs out of storylines that tug at the audience’s heartstrings or make them cry out of laughter. After the LAPD takes on a mission that bigger than them, the attention shifts to their personal lives. The past is something hard to rediscover and the present is something hard to keep up with.

On Sunday’s episode of The Rookie, Officer John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) has a strange day as someone steals his identity. On the field, Officer Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) meets his girlfriend, Rachel Hall’s (Jasmine Matthews) dad, Colin Hall (Tom Wright). Elsewhere, Sergeant Wade Grey (Richard T. Jones) and Officer Angela Lopez (Alyssa Diaz) testify at Russell Scanlin’s (Michael Esparza) parole hearing.

Man of The Hour

Christopher Willard/ABC

While everyone else was out on the field, Officer Jackson West (Titus Makin Jr.) With his training officer out on official business, Jackson spends his time at the precinct. Sergeant Grey gave him orders to make sure that the Station is up to regulation standards. Of course, the eager officer takes his job to the letter. Throughout the day, Jackson goes around notifying fellow officers of minor incursions they should work on. Besides Officer Smitty (Brent Huff), none of them were receptive.

The tide finally changes when Jackson stumbles upon an open-ended case. What initially looked like a minor vandalism incident becomes a solved homicide. The homeowner, Tony Coulson (Steve Monroe) accidentally killed the vandal whose fingerprints Jackson lifted, hence finding his unsolved murder. Sure, Jackson’s energy almost drops when Sergeant Grey reprimands him on not finishing his direct order but he gets a nice ‘Good job, son’ from the watch commander.

Paradox

Raymond Liu/ABC

Nathan Fillion and guest star Seth Green’s Castle reunion made this episode arguably the funniest in the season. Officer Nolan starts the day with a sudden financial crisis. It did not take him and Detective Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox) realize that someone stole his identity and is using his money. When they do find the suspect, Jordan Neil, they also find 40 other people Jordan stole from. This includes an angry mid-tier criminal named Daxton Reid (Sala Baker), driving past Jordan’s house.

Eventually, Daxton abducts Jordan as soon as he gets out of prison. Luckily, one of Jordan’s irresponsible expenditures serves John and Nyla well as they trail the vehicle. That is, up until Daxton decides to decapitate Jordan’s hand off. The episode’s action sequence does not run out of comedy, either, especially with John’s interactions with Daxton. The entirely crazy ordeal ends as Jordan gives John a fast way of getting his son’s college fund back.

Redemption

Richard Cartwright/ABC

This episode’s heavy drama part involves the least expected characters. Sergeant Grey lost his partner, Dennis Rowland on his last day of patrol. Incidentally, it was Officer Lopez’s first day as a rookie. While Wade’s involvement was revealed during the first season, Angela’s involvement was not. Initially, Wade felt nothing but distaste for Russell. Angela, on the other hand, felt quite nervous about the unexpected parole hearing.

Everything changes as soon as Wade and Angela arrive at the correctional facility. Russell’s wife Alyce Scanlin (Monica Ruiz) and son, Charlie Scanlin (Kaden Alejandro) were present as well. A crucial detail made Wade’s firmness shake as he made his statement. Earlier, Angela mentions that Officer Rowland, also a recovering alcoholic, had alcohol in his breath as he died in her arms. Previously, Wade did not know of this. Seeing that Russell was trying out his chance at redemption, Wade accepts the fact that people change. He urges Russell to raise his son right.

‘The Rookie’ Season 2, Episode 15 ‘Hand-Off’ Final Verdict

This episode of The Rookie is a rollercoaster of emotions. We have a glimpse of a chaotic precinct under Jackson’s watch, and then he solves a homicide single-handedly. John ends up saving the man who stole his son’s college fund. Tim finds out about Rachel’s possible lifetime sickness but still decide to pursue their relationship. Finally, we have Wade and Angela, who are usually portrayed as LAPD’s toughest, breakdown and get emotional.  Perfectly capturing the complexity of human emotion, this episode presents how things, both good and bad, happen simultaneously within the span of a day.

The Rookie continues Sunday, April 5th with ‘The Overnight’ at 10/9c on ABC.