Lucy Chen’s evolution fromThe Rookiepilot to now has been profound, but one recently ignored relationship could take her even further. Chen has a lot hanging in the balance afterThe Rookieseason 7 finale, facing major struggles in both her personal and professional life. But one member ofThe Rookiecastshould be able to help out immensely.
While it feels less like the focus of the show ever since characters like Chen and Nolan graduated from training,The Rookieis first and foremost supposed to be about its characters learning to become better cops, even when facing major flaws in the system. Coming intoThe Rookieseason 8, Lucy’s going to need guidance with that once more.
Nyla Acted As Lucy’s Mentor In The Rookie Seasons 2 & 3
She Taught Chen Things That Bradford Couldn’t
Although she was primarily trained by Bradford, Chen’s time with Harper accounted for some of themost important episodes ofThe Rookie.They first rode together inThe Rookieseason 2, when Nyla had to teach Lucy to toughen upafter she was overtaken by a suspect. Nyla forced Lucy to the ground before dispensing harsh words of wisdom:
“Stay down, and get used to that position. Because in case you didn’t know, you are not a 6’2”, 180-pound man. Now, Tim might be a good TO, but he can’t teach you to fight like a girl. We get a higher show of force, especially from men. So, guess what, sweetheart? You are always going to be tested, and when you are alone against a desperate suspect, and you are between them and freedom, your thoughts can never be, ‘Oh, my, he’s bigger than me.’ Look here, Not Nolan, if you are going to survive these streets as a 5’6” woman—and one of color, no less—you better learn what these boys don’t know to teach.”
Nyla would show her softer side after Lucy was kidnapped and buried alive by a serial killer later in the season.Nyla went out of her way to take Lucy from Tim for the day, so Chen could relate to another woman, and this, along with their first ride together, helped establish Lucy’s desire to emulate Nyla by working undercover.
When it came time to train Lucy for undercover work, Nyla brought out her harsher side again. With the help of another undercover cop named Mark Murray,Nyla fooled Lucy into thinking she was being tortured for information to see if Chen would break character. Lucy wasn’t thrilled about the deception, but she earned the right to begin undercover ops.
Sadly, the mentor relationship between them largely fizzled out after this. Although there’s an undeniable camaraderie between all the show’s longest-running characters,Lucy doesn’t really turn to Nyla for guidance anymore in the way that she once did. However, with everything happening in Lucy Chen’s story right now, it might be time to revive that aspect of their bond.
Why The Rookie Season 8 Is The Perfect Time To Bring Back Nyla’s Mentorship
Lucy And Tim Have Other Things To Discuss Right Now
Following her promotion to sergeant, it seems that Chen could use a word of wisdom or two on how to take command of her team.Lucy’s night shift squad has been letting her take calls alone while they spend all night sleeping in the parking structure, and she hasn’t made a particularly compelling show of force to alter their behavior.
Lucy’s squad did roll out immediately when she called for help saving Miles inThe Rookieseason 7 finale, butit shouldn’t require another cop to be endangered by a violent street gang for Lucy’s patrol to do their jobs. And since that’s the last we’ve seen of them, there’s no reason to believe this change in behavior will last.
Theoretically, Tim would make a better mentor than Nyla in this regard, since his career trajectory is a lot more similar to Lucy’s. However,Lucy and Tim’s relationship inThe Rookieis no longer strictly professional.They’re in the middle of navigating their emotions as they rekindle their romance, which will likely make work discussions feel more personal than usual.
It’s also important to rememberwhy Chenford broke up inThe Rookieseason 6.Bradford was dealing with insecurity issues about whether he was deserving of Lucy’s affection, and he hadn’t entirely proven that he sees her more objectively yet. Nyla can be almost unbearably tough at times, but she’s given Lucy better and more objective advice than anyone else.
What Made Nyla And Lucy’s Mentor Relationship So Compelling
Harper Helped Chen Become The Person She Is Today
The most obvious benefit to Nyla’s relationship with Lucy is thatHarper has a more relatable perspective than Tim’s generally able to offer someone like Chen. Although Nyla never belittles Tim’s own experiences as a cop, she makes the valid point about their first day together that Bradford can’t really advise Chen on the nuances of being a non-white, female officer.
Many of Chen’s best moments inThe Rookie’s recent seasons can be attributed to Nyla as well. Using Lucy’s experience as a hostage to try and traumatize her into breaking cover was unquestionably devious, butChen has since become more associated with undercover work than any other series regular. Nyla’s methods seem borderline abusive at times, but they get results.
And those results remain visible to this day.The Rookieseason 7’s documentary episodesuggests Chen and Bradford have difficulty working together without things getting personal. This isn’t always the case, butTim was nowhere around when Lucy dove headfirst through a window to keep a baby from getting stabbed. Her time with Nyla helped harden Lucy into that person.
Nyla even had a lasting impact on Chen’s personal life.It was during her first undercover training operation that Lucy first met Tamara, with whom she’s since become close friends. Harper isn’t just part of Chen’s cop DNA. She and Chen are inextricable parts of each other’s lives. It wouldn’t hurt forThe Rookieseason 8 to revisit their history.
How The Rookie Season 8 Can Resurrect Nyla’s Mentorship Of Lucy
She’ll Need To Bring Out Her Harsher Teaching Methods
Lucy’s undercover work inThe Rookiealready provides an easy pathway to putting her and Nyla on a case together, although showrunner Alexi Hawley has previously saidthe creative team hasn’t finalized a plan for how to incorporate undercover ops into Lucy’s role as sergeant. Nonetheless, like she did after Chen’s kidnapping, Nyla could catch on that Lucy’s currently overwhelmed.
In fact, with so manyrecurringThe Rookievillainsrunning around free right now, it’s possible thatLucy taking so many calls solo could put her in a more dangerous position than ever before. Last time something like that happened to Chen, Nyla was extremely forceful with Tim that she needed to be the one to help Lucy through it.
But if either of these circumstances come to pass, Harper shouldn’t address Lucy with her rarely worn kid gloves. Harper and Chen’s mentor relationship inThe Rookiehas always revolved around Lucy finding her inner strength. Now that Chen’s in a leadership role, Nyla should be hammering in that lesson harder than ever until it finally takes hold for good.
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.
