‘The Rookie’ Season 2 Premiere ‘Impact’ Review: Transition Phase

The Rookie continues his last shift before taking the evaluation exam; facing a biological terror threat endangering Los Angeles. As soon as the LAPD has the incident under control, we take a time jump of two weeks after the event. Once the Administrative Leave period ends, the cops head back to work. At this point, the test results become the least of their worries as the rough LA streets bring quite a task.

On Sunday’s season premiere of The Rookie, Officer John Nolan (Nathan Fillion), Officer Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil), and Officer Jackson West (Titus Makin Jr.) receive their Field Training Exam scores. Two weeks after the biological terror threat, the cops head back to the streets. As the day progresses, the police officers discover an imminent attack on the LAPD. With that said, the police force decides to involve Homeland Security once more.

Fake Cops

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A significant blow to the LAPD may have occurred if it was not for Officer Nolan and Sergeant Wade Grey’s (Richard T. Jones) discovery. Initially, the crime appeared strange. Stealing a large number of police uniforms tells Sergeant Grey that the culprits will likely use them for the illegal drug trade. However, the situation quickly develops into something more than drugs. When a missing person case ties up to the fake cop mayhem, the endgame becomes apparent. The criminals are after a truckload of adjudicated evidence, not limited to drugs, counterfeit money, and weapons, headed for disposal.

The stakes get higher every episode, given all of the things that transpired in the first season. In a spectacular display of special effects and realistic action, the season premiere gives us a good dose of the show’s trademark cop action. Also, it was not merely action alone. The intricacy of the case provided the detective feel necessary in a cop show. The admittedly quick closure of last season’s cliffhanger felt rushed, but it sufficed. After all, keeping the thrill of wondering what happens next is what finales are made to do.

Self Reflection

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Nobody expects Golden Boy to pass the Field Training Exam haphazardly. Jackson’s upbringing, along with a lifetime worth of training, should have kept him from incurring an almost failing score. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and Jackson took the blow badly. When tasked with speaking to police cadets at the station, Jackson goes on an emotion spree that causes the extension of his Field Training Program.

Jackson is a work in progress. In the previous season, he went through a lot of life-changing situations and made many improvements to himself. Both as a cop and as a person, Jackson still has much to learn. His Golden Boy reputation and know-it-all tendencies stand in his way, but one can infer that he can go past such obstacles. He is a young man with the potential to become a good cop, if not greater than his father.

Cop Eyes

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Passing the Field Training Exam does not change Officer Chen’s standing towards her training officer, Officer Tim Bradford (Eric Winter). Lucy’s mood quickly drops as Tim makes her feel like she does not know anything, watching her complete his tasks anxiously while she second-guesses herself. At the end of the shift, Lucy snaps, citing what Tim did for his wife turned addict, Isabel Bradford (Mircea Monroe). The next day, however, Lucy performs impressively well, leaving Tim speechless. The duo has not tackled the issue yet, so the next episode will likely discuss their dynamic.

Lucy is one of the brightest cops that the LAPD has under its wing. Pairing her with Tim sharpens her skills, but Tim’s unorthodox methods may sometimes cross lines. Most of the time, Lucy accepts Tim’s treatment, but this time, it was different. Although not as emotional as Nolan, Lucy has a personal connection to Tim. She knows the man behind the uniform and cares for him as a friend, too, so his degrading training methods finally pushed Lucy to the edge.

Input Control

Rick Rowell/ABC

Officer Nolan’s age is no longer his primary concern. Over time, the man proves himself competent and suited for the job. However, his problem now is his capacity to empathize, to feel connected to the people he encounters on the line of duty. Nolan is highly compassionate, and he does not have much experience when it comes to the gore of police work. With that said, he decides to seek the counsel of Sergeant Grey, who gives him substantial advice. At some point, Nolan felt inferior to how his current girlfriend, Jessica Russo (Sarah Shahi), handles the police life better. Eventually, Nolan realizes the truth about himself: he cannot suppress his empathy on the job, and he has to accept what it does to him.

Nolan’s journey as a rookie is quite a rough one. People his age do not usually go through the stresses of police rookies. Somehow, Nolan managed to take it all in and succeed in the path he chose. Also, his personality is something he cannot change anymore. Of course, he manages to adapt to the demands of the job, but he cannot choose not to let its challenges affect him as a person. Despite such dilemmas, Nolan proves himself as one of LAPD’s most exceptional, kindest cops in a world full of tragedy and apathy.

‘The Rookie’ Season 2 Premiere ‘Impact’ Final Verdict

The Rookie made its smooth return with ease and grace. The quick transition between the events of the first season only lacked a bit more time. Other than that, the premise in which the episode runs on is excellent. Having a showdown between fake cops and the real cops is quite uncommon, and the show implored the right mix of cinematography, choreography, and special effects to the sequence. Continuing in this direction means well for one of the best cop shows to date.

The Rookie continues Sunday, October 6th with ‘The Night General’ at 10/9c on ABC.