Critic’s Ranking: 4.3 / 5.0
4.3
Seth got here, and he went!
It shouldn’t be that shocking that The Rookie Season 7 Episode 16 discovered a technique to reintroduce this character and kick him to the curve in 45 minutes or much less, but it nonetheless caught me off guard how they resolved his arc.
However the hour marks a “return” in additional methods than one!

Seth’s Return Ratcheted Up Rigidity
Nobody wished Seth to grace the partitions of the police station after his antics, and all of us suspected his departure throughout The Rookie Season 7 Episode 10.
His storyline didn’t really feel full, and he left that open door when he implied that he could be preventing his termination, they usually wouldn’t hear the final of him.
But it was nonetheless jarring to see him waltzing into the locker room as if nothing had occurred and attempting so exhausting to enchantment to folks as in the event that they didn’t have a proper to be offended.
Seth’s entitlement was outstanding. And Miles, specifically, had each proper to really feel offended at Seth’s reappearance.
He confirmed again up on the station as if he belonged there, scored $10K in again pay, and thought folks would embrace him with open arms.
Miles Combined Emotions Felt Sincere and Actual
He by no means ought to’ve crossed the edge if he couldn’t take some hostility and jabs. The truth that he didn’t really feel folks ought to have house to be offended is mind-boggling.
He and Miles coming to blows within the locker room was precisely what you’d anticipate from this state of affairs, and extra measures ought to’ve gone into place to maintain Seth far-off from the folks he had points with most.
Thankfully, we didn’t should cope with Seth using with Lucy. It will’ve been unfair to stay her with him, and albeit, Nolan was the perfect individual he might’ve been with on his first day again.
Nolan can pull off being skilled, and whereas he didn’t take care of Seth’s antics both, he was in all probability the one one that might compartmentalize that and stick with the job.
He even handled Seth pretty when Seth’s earlier actions would’ve given him each motive to not. Nolan was fairly spectacular in that regard, and it was a robust hour that confirmed us how nice a cop he will be when it issues most.
Nolan Shines in Dealing with of Seth
It was fairly good to have him preserve it actual with Seth, give him recommendation, and nonetheless take his obligation to point out him the ropes and the best way to be an honest cop critically.
In doing so, we additionally had somebody whom Seth might bounce issues off of and function a sounding board so viewers might higher perceive the character higher perceive the character.
However it’s secure to say there was by no means a shot of him profitable Lucy over, and his pathetic makes an attempt had been extra irritating than anything. Utilizing Tamara to orchestrate this dinner was infuriating.
Then he confirmed up with flowers and all these little makes an attempt at small speak, and I couldn’t assist rolling my eyes. After we realized that he and Tamara had been engaged, I used to be each bit as infuriated as Lucy.
Tamara’s Naivete Concerning Seth Feels Pressured
Tamara is a lot smarter than this, and whereas the sentiment that possibly due to Lucy, she’s softened up and realized to belief was candy, it additionally didn’t ring true.
It felt like they didn’t know what to do with Tamara, so that they entangled her needlessly on this Seth plot, and he or she suffered narratively and by way of her characterization in consequence.
Even when Tamara has grown snug with Lucy and the thought of a household, it doesn’t erase her pure instincts and a want to learn folks after so lengthy of residing on the streets.
I want they didn’t should dumb Tamara down for this a part of the story, particularly since Seth confessed to her by the top of the hour, and he or she broke up with him anyway.
Hell, I nonetheless don’t consider Tamara would get engaged to somebody she in all probability solely knew for a few months.
Seth’s Redemption Doesn’t Let Him Off the Hook
What The Rookie does get proper with Seth right here is discovering a technique to redeem him with out essentially promoting the narrative that all the things is ok now.
All through his time with Nolan, he tried to enhance as a cop, though he was nonetheless a legal responsibility. Due to his clumsiness, all the things went pear-shaped at that warehouse with Gene and the others.
He precipitated the chaos there, however he additionally saved Nolan. His first day again was his final on the job, and he grew to become the hero he all the time wished to be.
Sadly for him, it got here with a value — his leg.
The second they confirmed his leg, it was evident he’d be dropping it.
Nothing was salvageable about that. And it sucked to see him in a lot ache, though admittedly, I discovered his wailing a bit jarring and distracting, not as a result of folks wouldn’t be in excruciating ache throughout that, however as a result of the pitch or one thing bought to me.
The Seth Nuance Makes His Return Work
Nonetheless, as a lot as we didn’t like Seth, nobody needs to see an individual endure what he did, and I beloved that Bradford took his second within the hospital with Miles to speak about the way it’s okay to really feel conflicted about all of it.
And to suppose, they went via all of that over a case the place poor Gene ought to’ve simply been capable of be free within the first place. I’m nonetheless irritated by that, and I don’t actually blame the person for fleeing. He shouldn’t have confronted punishment for a clerical error.
It nonetheless appears like Angela and Wesley haven’t had a lot of a storyline this season, however the struggle in opposition to the obnoxious social media influencers was amusing all the identical.
The mob of individuals attempting to movie Angela and her son was so agitating, however the perfect payback was interesting to Tulsa’s girlfriend.
She clearly had an agenda from the beginning, and utilizing footage of him ragging on his fan base to cancel him was ingenious.
Chenford’s Breakup is Nonetheless a Complicated Mess Headed Towards Reunion
I don’t actually have a lot to say concerning the Chenford of all of it.
They’re on this pathway towards reconciliation, and it all the time appears like we’re lacking out on some key steps.
Now, fairly abruptly and randomly, they’re promoting us the notion that what’s saved them from correctly reuniting isn’t a lot what Bradford did or the work they wanted to do as a pair, however the energy dynamic scenario.
They spent their scenes collectively, and this chemistry flowing between them instructed that when Lucy passes her sergeant’s examination, they’ll have fun horizontally as friends who don’t have to fret about HR or anything.
However I didn’t notice these had been issues they had been frightened about within the first place.
No matter. It appears that evidently by the finale, Lucy and Tim will possible be again collectively once more and wonderful, assuming that her take a look at goes effectively. But when it doesn’t, what is going to they do subsequent?
I’ll go away you with one last item you’d by no means anticipate from me: regardless of my rantings and ravings about Bailey and Rodge, they had been amusing throughout their scenes.
Granted, they each felt shoehorned in, however not less than they weren’t overtly obnoxious.
Over to you, Rookie Fanatics.
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