What To Know
- Fans are debating whether Tim and Lucy (Chenford) should move in together at the start of The Rookie Season 8, following their near-reconciliation at the end of Season 7.
- The series left their future on a bit of a cliffhanger, with Lucy falling asleep while Tim was talking about their next steps.
- Some viewers feel it’s time for the couple to take this next step, while others argue they need to have deeper conversations and resolve past issues before cohabiting.
The Rookie Season 8 is going to see Tim (Eric Winter) and Lucy (Melissa O’Neil), the fan-favorite couple known as Chenford, back together, if nothing’s changed after showrunner Alexi Hawley‘s comments from last spring. But should the new season, premiering on Tuesday, January 6, kick off with them ready for or already taking a major step, or is it too soon? That’s something fans have debated.
At the end of Season 7, Tim and Lucy were on the verge of getting back together, after an honest conversation (thanks, truth serum) and some hook-ups in previous episodes. One of their obstacles was even dealt with, with Lucy now a sergeant. But it was because of that promotion that the conversation that the two needed to have about moving forward didn’t happen. Tim brought up the possibility of moving in together, but Lucy, working the night shift as the newest person in her rank, fell asleep.
After the finale, Alexi Hawley confirmed to TV Insider that Tim and Lucy would be getting back together, though wouldn’t say when. He also said that we were on the right track asking if the two are on the same page about what their next steps, i.e. moving together, are. “That is the question that we’re talking about in the room going into Season 8. But that being said, I do think that we’ve put those characters through a lot on their journey back, and I think we’re almost there,” he said in May.
Now, ahead of the Season 8 premiere, a person has asked on Reddit if fans want to see Lucy move in with Tim, calling it “kinda weird that he kinda sprung that on her,” especially since viewers didn’t see the two getting back together. “I think him asking that is contributing towards the messiness of their relationship which we need to leave behind in season 7,” the person argued, suggesting that the cohabitation happens into the season or by the middle of it.
At least one person is fine with the two moving in together sooner rather than later, pointing out where the couple was in their relationship prior to the breakup. “If they truly reconcile, going back to ‘dating’ doesn’t make sense,” that fan argues.
Another agrees, adding that this wouldn’t be anything different for the show with its romances: “Everyone else dated and moved in with their partners so fast but it’s somehow wrong for Tim and Lucy to do it? They may not have officially got back together by dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s but apart from the conversation, there’s nothing left to stop it.”
But there are fans who agree with the original poster. “Even though I love Chenford, I don’t think it’s a good idea for Lucy to move in with Tim because they haven’t talked about the breakup yet,” one points out, also suggesting it happen later in the season.
Another person also wants to see them “actually have that bloody deep and meaningful conversation that they should have had a long time ago,” explaining, “They need to have clear expectations about their relationship and a real commitment to their relationship. I want them to move in together but I’m sick of the important parts of their relationship being glossed over.”
Still others have just had enough of the back-and-forth, will they/won’t they. “At the end of Season 7, I just wanted Chenford to either move in or move on. Like most viewers, I was exhausted watching a messy angsty teen drama between two adults,” one person wrote.
Another agreed: “I feel like it’s been drawn out for so long, that it’s about time they ‘s**t or get off the pot,’ to put it bluntly. It’s been obvious they were still in love since the moment they broke up, and she’s been testing the waters with him, but also not willing to let him in yet. The fact that he asked her to move in, finally, to figure out if they were in it or if it was time to move on, I think will be the best way for them to move forward, either together or apart.”
One fan is looking to the future, to the next step for the couple after living together: marriage. “I also really hope we get a decent amount of time before Tim proposes, but still in this season,” that person shared. “I’m hoping it’s in the finale, but it might be earlier because I think their wedding will be in 9×4 because that’s the 150th episode (Bailan’s was in the 100th episode).”
But what do you think? What do you want to see for Chenford when Season 8 begins? Let us know in the comments section below.
The Rookie, Season 8 Premiere, Tuesday, January 6, 2026, 10/9c, ABC