Following its season 7 finale,The Rookiehas released a total of 126 episodes, butnew and old fans alike only need to watch 10 to catch up on the show’s current events.Alexi Hawley’s police procedural series premiered in October 2018 and is still going strong. In the wake of a successful seventh season,ABC renewedThe Rookiefor an eighth season. Unfortunately, there will be a long hiatus between seasons 7 and 8, but that just gives viewers more time to rewatch the show’s most essential episodes.
The Rookieseason 8 (andWill Trentseason 4) premieres in early 2026. PerTVLine, season 8 will contain 18 episodes that air weekly with no interruptions, with a possible exception or two, depending on outside factors.
AlthoughThe Rookieis more of an ensemble series, it began with Nathan Fillion’s John Nolan. The protagonist was a middle-aged police officer fresh out of the academy. As the oldest rookie in the LAPD’s FTO program, Nolan was subject to scrutiny from those around him. As time went on, though, Nolan built a rapport with his coworkers, and now, he’s a training officer himself.A lot had to happen to get Nolan to this point,but fans only need to watch 10episodes ofThe Rookieto understand his and the other characters' stories, at least on a surface level.
10The Rookie Season 1, Episode 1
“Pilot”
Of course,The Rookie’s first episode ever is necessary in any rewatch, if only to get a lay of the land. The audience’s introduction to the ABC crime drama and its characters begins withNolan’s first day as an LAPD cop,alongside his two friends from the police academy — Lucy Chen and Jackson West. Sergeant Grey assigns the rookies to their training officers. Nolan is paired up withTalia Bishop (who leaves afterThe Rookieseason 1and is replaced by Nyla Harper in season 2), while Lucy is stuck with Tim Bradford, and Jackson with Angela Lopez.
Over the course of “Pilot,“viewers get acquainted with important characters such as Nolan, Lucy, Jackson, Tim, Angela, and Grey.They form their first impression oftheRookiecastand the story. So, it’s safe to say that watching the series premiere is mandatory when trying to catch up withThe Rookie.
9The Rookie Season 5, Episode 6
“The Reckoning”
Based on the state ofThe Rookie’s plot heading into season 8, fans can skip ahead to season 5, episode 6 in their rewatch (or first watch). “The Reckoning” might seem like an inconsequential episode compared to others. However, it introducesThe Rookie’s most prominent villainright now.Monica Stevens, played by Bridget Regan, makes her debut in the season 5 episode,marking the beginning of her long-winded journey that isn’t over yet, as she will undoubtedly return to wreak more havoc in season 8. However, at the start, Monica was simply known as Wesley Evers' bitter, mean-spirited ex.
8The Rookie Season 5, Episode 8
“The Collar”
Tim and Lucy’s relationship inThe Rookieis, without a doubt,the fans' favorite dynamic (which they have dubbed “Chenford”)and the show’s most important pairing. The two characters' connected story began with Tim as Lucy’s training officer. However, as the seasons continued, they couldn’t deny their strong chemistry or their growing feelings for one another for very long, and it all came to a head inThe Rookieseason 5, episode 8.
I won’t venture too much into spoiler territory just in case. Let’s just say"The Collar” marks a turning point in Tim and Lucy’s relationship inThe Rookie.Lucy was dating someone else, but was also conflicted about her feelings for Tim, resulting in one of the couple’s most memorable scenes. Just a forewarning, though, one might want to alsowatchThe Rookieseason 5, episode 9, given how episode 8 ends.
7The Rookie Season 6, Episode 2
“The Hammer”
Hitting the 100-episode mark is a major milestone for any TV show,andThe Rookiecelebrated with a wedding. In season 6, episode 2, Nolan and Bailey Nune’s wedding day finally arrives (after a season of waiting), but not everything goes to plan, making them doubt whether they’ll actually make it down the aisle. Elsewhere, Tim and Lucy take a big step in their relationship, and an iconic guest star returns. All in all,The Rookie’s 100th episodeis a must-watch as it serves as a celebration of the series and features many memorable moments.
6The Rookie Season 6, Episode 6
“Secrets and Lies”
Even thoughThe Rookieseason 6, episode 6, is a tough one to get through, it’s essential to the show’s overarching plot. More specifically,“Secrets and Lies” is important to Tim and Lucy’s story.During the hour, Tim confronts his past, which, in turn, leads to him reexamining his relationship with Lucy. The episode ends in heartbreak, and to this day, Chenford is trying to pick up the pieces of their connection that broke on that unfortunate night in season 6.
5The Rookie Season 6, Episode 10
“Escape Plan”
The Rookieseason 6 finalemight not be the ABC police procedural show’s best outing, but it contains a lot of important developments relevant to the plot. For starters,“Escape Plan” is the last episode that significantly featured Monica.In fact, the finale’s events influence Monica’s current arc inThe Rookie. Plus, the hour contains a few good Chenford scenes, a handful of cameos fromThe Rookie: Fedscast, and reveals how two villains break out of prison (resulting in them terrorizing the other characters in season 7).
4The Rookie Season 7, Episode 1
“The Shot”
Similar to the season 6 finale,The Rookieseason 7 premiereisn’t anything to write home about. Nevertheless, it explains Aaron Thorsen’s absence (albeit in a brief, wholly frustrating way), gives an update on the whereabouts of Monica, Oscar Hutchinson, and Jason Wyler, andintroduces two new characters — Miles Penn and Seth Ridley.Miles and Seth are the crime drama’s newest rookies, meaning they play a major role in season 7. “The Shot” also informs the audience of Tim and Lucy’s relationship status following the events of the season 6 finale, making it an integral episode to watch.
3The Rookie Season 7, Episode 8
“Wildfire”
The Rookieseason 7, episode 8serves as the midseason finale (and also just so happens to beone of the ABC series' best episodes). The stakes are high as the characters respond to a wildfire crisis during the hour. All the while, Harper is trying to prove that Liam Glasser, a new and intriguing villain played by Seth Gabel, is a serial killer.
Viewers will likely also want to watch the following episode because of how the midseason finale ofThe Rookieseason 7 ends.
That only grazes the surface of what happens in “Wildfire.” Nevertheless, includingThe Rookieseason 7, episode 8 on the rewatch list might be a bit of a cheat. Viewers will likely also want to watch the following episode because of how the midseason finaleofThe Rookieseason 7ends.
2The Rookie Season 7, Episode 16
“The Return”
As mentioned above, Seth, Lucy’s rookie, plays a big role inThe Rookieseason 7. Unfortunately, for him, his story comes to a tragic end in episode 16. Before “The Return,“Lieutenant Grey fired Seth because he lied about his cancer coming backand refused to prove it.Seth returns inThe Rookieseason 7, episode 16, though, when he successfully sues the LAPD and gets reinstated in the FTO program. This time, Nolan takes over as Seth’s training officer, much to his dismay. However, Nolan (or anyone else) seemingly won’t have to worry about Seth anymore following the hour’s ending.
1The Rookie Season 7, Episode 18
The Rookieseason 7 finaleis arguablythe most important episode to watch when trying to catch up on the show ahead of the season 8 premiere.It contains numerous incidents that will come into play in future episodes. In “The Good, the Bad, and the Oscar,” Nolan locates Oscar, but before he can take the longstanding villain into custody, he kidnaps the police officer first. By the end of the finale, Oscar remains in the wind.
Deric Augustine
Miles Penn
Elsewhere inThe Rookieseason 7, episode 18, Lucy starts working the night shift, making it difficult for her and Tim to find time to discuss the state of their relationship. The two had been building towards a reunion all season. Sadly, Lucy’s sergeant promotion presents them with another obstacle to hurdle.The Rookieseason 7 finale also ends withthe return of a notorious villain,leaving the audience wondering what comes next for her and the main characters.
The Rookie
Cast
The Rookie follows John Nolan, a small-town man who embarks on a new career as an LAPD officer after a life-changing event. As the force’s oldest rookie, Nolan faces skepticism from superiors who view his pursuit as a midlife crisis.
