Last week we had a heart-racing nail biter of an opener, and now we are back to business. If only it were that simple or straightforward.
Shall we get into it?
Earning back some trust
Nick Armstrong’s last act was leaving the trust he broke all over our officers after the truth blew up. Thankfully with Sergeant Gray at the helm, he wastes no time setting straight some new ground rules.
Out in the world though, it’s never as simple as people want it to be, and police officers are no exception to that. Chen, and Bradford right out the gate are dealing with a runaway teen in her stolen car, while Nolan is getting called out for having good intentions.
Office John Nolan is the cop who honestly always wants to help, but that’s not always a straight line. Especially when you are a privileged police officer who keeps making assumptions about what a diverse community needs.
His T.O. hit the nail on the head pointing out he can’t be their white savior, and that, ultimately, it can boil down to asking them what will really make a difference. When the chance comes up he and Harper don’t hesitate to help make sure they don’t make a criminal out of someone who does not deserve it.
Office Lucy Chen understands that as well, thankfully when she decides to help instead of automatically arrest the teenager who stole her beloved (ancient) car. Whatever frustrations she had about tracking this girl down, when she meets a challenge she never fails to rise and meet it.
In this case, it meant giving away the one place she felt secure after Caleb buried her alive, to make even a small safe space from someone who’s had it rough. I’d be surprised, but Lucy Chen has a heart of gold no matter how much Tim Bradford gives her a hard time for it.
Seeing what we want to
Our point of view in the world generally speaking depends heavily on the experiences we’ve had. Cops are no exception, and in the case of West’s new training officer Doug Stanton, his experience speaks a little too much.
Starting off the new T.O. treats him like a partner instead of someone under his charge until Jackson makes a stand on how he treats a family who had their house broken into. Then he decides he’s got to teach his new rookie the ropes as he’s learned them.
This apparently translates into talk about how cops used to be the ones people trusted, respected, and that he can call out a gang member after knowing someone barely five minutes. Experience has always been a teacher, but that doesn’t mean it’s universal across the board.
I don’t know how West is going to handle his trigger judgment T.O. but I trust he’ll call out trouble when he sees it. No matter whose feathers he ruffles, above him in the process.
On the lighter side of a point of view, it takes exactly one case for newly minted Detective Angela Lopez to show she means business. Despite being sent off for coffee and food, she manages to solve what appeared to be a case of unsolved cremation.
I definitely felt for her trying to prove herself before her new boss and team finds out she’s pregnant. So I hope (being the keyword) she continues to keep the respect she grabbed onto even after the news comes out.
Final Thoughts
- I’d be lying if I said I missed the obvious callouts about the distrust, and assumptions coming from police in our society. In my opinion, though, it was refreshing to have them there, and I hope we continue to see this reflected in the writing.
- I hope Tim Bradford understands when Lucy says (flirts) she will take any challenge he throws her way during her last 30 days she really means it. Even when that means de-escalating a drunk guy out of a car without resorting to using her weapons and only her words.
- Wesley and Angela fighting over food, and being supportive of each other’s work continues to be the best thing ever.
- Only Lucy would consider Nolan’s house properly clean after she’s cleansed it of its bad energy. Another reason for the exceedingly long list of why Lucy Chen is my favorite.
- I’m going to enjoy all the lightness from this episode as next week looks to be another heart-wrenching hour.
The Rookie airs on Sundays at 10/9c on ABC.