I’m So Frustrated With Nolan’s Reckless Behavior In An Already Tedious Episode

Spoiler alert: The following article contains spoilers from The Rookie season 7, episode 3, “Out of Pocket.”The Rookie season 7 appeared to be making progress after its lackluster premiere, but episode 3 derails any of its headway with a rather forgettable and disappointing hour. ABC’s police procedural has been successful and intriguing enough to make it to a seventh season. However, it’s failing to capitalize on any qualities that made it so great in the first place. The characters in The Rookie season 7, episode 3 make mistakes that are more irritable than relatable; the “case of the week” is nowhere to be seen; and the setup of future villains fails to have much impact.

In “Out of Pocket,” Nolan obsesses over protecting himself and Bailey from Jason. Meanwhile, the two new rookies — Miles and Seth — ignore direct orders that land them in hot waters, Rachel moves back to Los Angeles to crash on Lucy’s couch, and Detective Graham’s crush on Angela continues to torment Wesley. All in all, though, not much happens during the episode of The Rookie that is particularly memorable or seemingly important for the story going forward. The hour doesn’t even have an interesting, worthwhile case.

The Rookie Season 7, Episode 3 Highlights The Irritating Special Treatment Nolan Gets

Nolan’s Recklessness Is Overlooked, While Miles & Seth’s Disobedience Isn’t

It’s no secret that Nathan Fillion’s Nolan can be one of The Rookie‘s most frustrating characters, and his actions in season 7, episode 3 certainly don’t do him any favors. After the events of The Rookie season 6 finale, Nolan has been on high alert. Jason’s escape from prison has made him paranoid, and he wants to ensure his and Bailey’s safety, which is completely understandable. However, the lengths that Nolan goes to in episode 3 to do so are irresponsible, and the show doesn’t even acknowledge his recklessness, confirming an exasperating double standard exists regarding Fillion’s character.

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The Rookie Season 7, Episode 2 Review: I’m Thrilled About Nyla & Angela’s Substantial Screen Time After Their Neglect In Season 6

Although The Rookie season 7, episode 2 continues ignoring past cliffhangers, the hour does a great job bringing the show back to its episodic format.

It seems the writers weren’t even aware of the hypocrisy concerning Nolan’s actions while writing the episode. Earlier in the hour, Grey reprimands Miles and Seth because they fail to follow orders. The only reason they aren’t fired is because they start trending on social media as “rookie heroes,” and the LAPD can’t afford any more bad press following the corruption scandal.

Meanwhile, Nolan goes rogue and leaves a civilian bleeding out on the floor to chase a suspect who might know where Jason is. He doesn’t get punished, although the suspect gets away and the civilian almost dies. So, when juxtaposed with Miles and Seth’s storyline, Nolan’s arc is quite aggravating and does little to make us want to root for The Rookie‘s main character.

Rachel’s Return Is Exciting But Adds Little To The Story

It’s Unclear Why Lucy’s Friend & Tim’s Ex Is Being Reintegrated Into The Show

An important segment of the episode is Rachel’s return. Rachel is Lucy’s friend who used to date Tim before moving to New York City in season 2. However, they broke up, and Rachel hasn’t been seen or heard from since. In “Out of Pocket,” though, Rachel moves back to Los Angeles and informs Lucy that she lost her job and is in the middle of a crisis. So, Lucy agrees to let Rachel sleep on her couch while searching for a place. While it’s nice to see a familiar face from The Rookie‘s best season, Rachel’s return is confusing.

Her place in the story doesn’t make much sense (at least for now). Rachel doesn’t seem to be back to propel Tim and Lucy’s journey in The Rookie season 7 forward. She and Tim make amends, with no indication of a possible reunion between the two that could impede Tim and Lucy’s inevitable reconciliation. Perhaps that changes in the coming episodes, but in the meantime, Rachel’s place in season 7 is seemingly insignificant, begging the question of why she’s back. At least Tim and Lucy’s slow-burn reunion continues in episode 3, which will make their eventual getting back together sweeter.

The Episode’s Foreshadowing Of Jason’s Return Fails To Garner Any Intrigue

Nolan’s Actions Are Simply Frustrating

Throughout The Rookie season 7, episode 3, Nolan focuses on finding Jason. He makes little progress in tracking down Bailey’s criminal ex-husband, and his actions don’t exactly bring us to the edge of our seats, anxiously awaiting Jason’s arrival (although they’re supposed to). Instead, Nolan’s actions are eye-roll-inducing, making one eager for this Jason storyline to be over. Perhaps the drunk blonde who stumbles onto Nolan’s doorstep will play an important part in Jason’s return, making it much more interesting and clever. However, with all the known facts as of The Rookie season 7, episode 3, Jason’s arc is just frustrating.

New episodes of The Rookie season 7 air weekly at 10pm ET every Tuesday on ABC.

The Rookie

Release Date

October 16, 2018

Showrunner

Alexi Hawley

Directors

Tori Garrett, Chi-Yoon Chung, Michael Goi, Sylvain White, Lisa Demaine, Lanre Olabisi, Bill Johnson, David McWhirter, Liz Friedlander, Daniel Willis, Toa Fraser, Anne Renton, Jon Huertas, Cherie Nowlan, TK Shom, Rob Seidenglanz, Valerie Weiss, Barbara Brown, Charissa Sanjarernsuithikul, SJ Main Muñoz, Nelson McCormick, Marcus Stokes, Adam Davidson, Anna Mastro

Stream

Pros & Cons

• More screen time for Angela, Nyla, and Wesley
• Tim and Lucy’s unavoidable reconciliation continues to be a slow burn

• Nolan’s recklessness is strangely ignored
• Rachel’s return feels like it is out of left field
• The episode doesn’t build much intrigue surrounding Jason’s inevitable return