The Rookie Season 7 lastly premiered on the 2025 TV schedule at first of the 12 months, and it’s been bringing on some new characters whereas saying goodbye to outdated ones. Within the premiere, followers discovered the place Tru Valentino’s Aaron Thorsen went (the North Hollywood division). There’s additionally a brand new detective at Mid-Wilshire, who has been a enjoyable impediment for Wesley. Most not too long ago, viewers have been handled to the return of Lucy’s school good friend, Rachel Corridor, and I’ve at all times puzzled why they wrote her out. Seems the EP had a very good motive.
Jasmine Matthews’ Rachel was launched amid The Rookie‘s second season and shortly started seeing Tim. Whereas they dated for a lot of the season, not with out issues, Rachel landed her dream job in New York. Regardless of attempting to make a long-distance relationship work, the 2 break up. Contemplating Rachel had a variety of promise as a personality and maintained good relationship swith each Lucy and Tim, I used to be shocked she was written out so immediately. Creator Alexi Hawley informed TVLine simply why she left and, as I simply discovered, some logistics have been concerned:
Jasmine [Mathews], who performs Rachel, was such a fantastic addition to the present, however she was tremendous busy, so a part of the rationale that Rachel went away [at the end of Season 2], at the very least for us, was to try to get forward of Jasmine being unavailable to us.
Scheduling can positively be an enormous complication on the subject of Hollywood productions. So far as TV goes, it may trigger main shakeups inside casts. As a lot as I did not need to see Rachel go away The Rookie, I can perceive the producers eager to usher the character out earlier than Jasmine Matthews possible opted to depart on her personal. Had the inventive crew not gotten forward of the scenario, it is doable that Matthews might’ve requested to depart at a time that was extra inopportune.
What I additionally appreciated is that Rachel was written out in a way that wasn’t tragic. Certainly, that additionally made it simpler to convey her again to the present because the producers happy.
Season 7, Episode 3, “Out of Pocket,” noticed Rachel stunning Lucy at Mid-Wilshire 5 years after her departure to inform her that she misplaced her job and house in New York. With that, Lucy allowed Rachel to briefly room along with her. Rachel additionally reconciled with Tim, however the two are remaining platonic. Alexi Hawley talked extra about Rachel’s return and opting to not preserve issues civil Chenford followers cope with Lucy and Tim’s breakup:
I used to be at all times in search of a method to convey her again. With Tim and Lucy damaged up, it felt like a very good alternative to do this — however to not do the anticipated, which is to make it a love triangle. I assumed that may finally be manipulative to the followers in a approach that I don’t prefer to be. … However as any person who finally ended up ghosting the 2 of them [Tim and good friend Lucy], is there extra there to search out out in later episodes? There may be. In order that was actually what it was about. It appeared like a very good alternative to stir the pot a bit, but in addition to get Jasmine again on the present.
Tim and Lucy have already got sufficient on their plate with their breakup, and followers (myself included) are anticipating a Chenford reconciliation. So it will be harsh to have Tim not solely get again along with an ex but in addition somebody who’s longtime pals with Lucy. For the reason that two have a singular bond that isn’t diminishing even with their breakup, the hope is that they may get again collectively later down the road and, hopefully, that will probably be quickly.
All of that apart, it’s unknown simply what number of episodes Jasmine Matthews will probably be showing in, nevertheless it seems like this might be only the start of a brand new chapter for Rachel. See how every little thing performs out when new episodes of The Rookie air on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC. You can too stream them the following day with a Hulu subscription.