{"id":493,"date":"2025-01-08T05:15:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T06:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spirit-of-service.org\/?p=493"},"modified":"2025-01-08T10:54:40","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T10:54:40","slug":"the-rookie-the-shot-season-premiere-review-work-smarter-not-harder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spirit-of-service.org\/index.php\/2025\/01\/08\/the-rookie-the-shot-season-premiere-review-work-smarter-not-harder\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rookie – The Shot (Season Premiere) – Review: Work Smarter, Not Harder"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

<\/p>\n

The Rookie<\/i> started its seventh season strong with a gripping mix of intense action and emotional depth. While the stakes are higher than they have ever been with the police work (would LAPD actually be involved in a nuclear threat like this?), it\u2019s the focus on the relationships, new rookie development, and personal struggles that really makes it stand out. It\u2019s a perfect balance of thrill and character-driven drama.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: <\/i>Nathan Fillion as John Nolan and <\/i>Lisseth Chavez as Celina Juarez. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2024 All Rights Reserved.<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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<\/p>\n

\n

Recap:<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n


<\/span><\/p>\n

The episode kicks off with Nolan and Celina on a rooftop, scanning a house where they believe fugitive Jason is hiding. Nolan, only a day removed from being shot in the butt. Celina offers him a chance to sit this one out. But Nolan, ever the professional, refuses to back down. The scene sets the tone for the episode, which balances action-packed moments with the emotional toll the job takes on the officers.
\n
<\/span><\/p>\n

As the team gears up for a dangerous raid on a drug house linked to Jason, it quickly escalates into a full-on shootout. While Tim and Lucy engage the suspects inside, Celina gives chase to a fleeing woman. Nolan, unable to keep up due to his injury, commandeers a scooter in a moment that both had the audience laughing and rooting for him. The chase is chaotic, but Nolan still manages to apprehend the suspect. It felt almost like a call-back to the pilot, seeing Nolan avoid the fence \u2013 he didn\u2019t want to not make it over!<\/span><\/p>\n


<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Eric Winter as Tim Bradford and Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2024 All Rights Reserved.
<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The show then has a time-jump, and there are two new rookies, Seth Ridley and Miles Penn. We get to see TO Tim make a grand return as he dresses the new rookies down with his classic Bradford Treatment. Meanwhile, Lucy gains an interim promotion to P3. When she turns down Tim\u2019s offer of advice, they end up setting a bet to determine who\u2019s teaching methods are superior. And, no, Nolan is not considered as a contestant.
\n
<\/span><\/p>\n

Wesley\u2019s plot this episode is one that I certainly didn\u2019t expect. At the start, it\u2019s revealed that he is reviewing the therapy tapes from Blair London\u2019s office last season. He sets up in Tim\u2019s old Metro office and begins to listen\u2026only to find out that one of the detectives might have a thing for his wife!<\/span><\/p>\n


<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Ivan Hernandez as Detective Graham and Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2024 All Rights Reserved.
<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

Later, Nolan and Celina find themselves involved in a tense pharmacy robbery, where they must face off with a gunman seeking drugs. Nolan freezes in the heat of the moment, unable to take the shot. It\u2019s a rare moment of vulnerability for him, when he\u2019s usually the one saving the day, and it\u2019s refreshing to see the show dive into his self-doubt. Grey\u2019s advice not to second-guess himself serves as a comforting reminder that even the best officers have moments of uncertainty.
\n
<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the rookies (and their TOs) find themselves in some sticky situations of their own. Seth, still adjusting to the realities of police work, has a particularly rough moment when he pukes right onto a crime scene after dealing with a drug overdose. Later, it\u2019s revealed that he didn\u2019t just get sick because of the scene, but because his girlfriend OD\u2019d, and he still has trauma from giving her CPR. In contrast, Miles’ cocky attitude rubs Tim the wrong way, and the tension between the two only intensifies when Miles makes reckless choices during a car chase.<\/span><\/p>\n


<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: <\/i>Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, Danny Brown, and <\/i>Lisseth Chavez as Celina Juarez.<\/i>. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2025 All Rights Reserved.
<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

The episode then shifts into high gear with a bombshell plot-twist: the discovery that a nuclear device has been stolen. The stakes rise dramatically as the team races against time to prevent a potential disaster. We get a brief come-back for Agent Garza from The Rookie: Feds, <\/i>and the LAPD assists the FBI in tracking down the weapon. In the heat of the moment, there\u2019s only one rule: Do not shoot the nuke!<\/p>\n

Nolan\u2019s final, decisive shot to bring down one of the suspects is a powerful moment, not just because it ends the immediate threat, but because it marks a personal victory for him. After wrestling with self-doubt earlier, Nolan\u2019s choice to act decisively shows that he\u2019s dealt with issues, ultimately resolving the plot.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Jacob Figueroa, <\/i>Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, Felix Solis as Agent Garza, and Richard T. Jones as Lt. Grey<\/i>. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2025 All Rights Reserved.
<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


<\/span><\/div>\n
The episode wraps up with some quieter, more reflective moments. Tim and Lucy share a playful conversation about their bet, signaling a shift in their relationship from exes to something that\u2019s potentially ready to move forward. Their flirtation is subtle but undeniable, hinting at a future development that will undoubtedly have fans buzzing (including me). Meanwhile, Wesley\u2019s personal struggles regarding his knowledge of Graham\u2019s feelings for Angela create an interesting emotional conflict for him\u2013but the episode ends poignantly with Angela firmly declaring she is very happy in their marriage.<\/span><\/div>\n

\n(Now, can we get their baby girl\u2019s name?)<\/span><\/div>\n

\nThe episode ends with Nolan calling Bailey, who\u2019s been out of the country, safe away from Jason while in Army Reserves. He walks in alone into his empty house and says to himself,\u201cYou did a good job today,\u201d before realizing it sounds odd.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen and <\/span>Eric Winter as Tim Bradford<\/span>. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2025 All Rights Reserved.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

Thoughts:<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
Overall, The Rookie continues to impress with its mixture of humor, heart, and suspense. This episode doesn\u2019t just focus on the action, but also on the personal journeys of its characters, making it not only an exciting hour of television but a meaningful one as well. The team is evolving, the stakes are rising, and the show is only getting better.
\n<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
I really enjoyed the newest rookies. Just one episode in, and there\u2019s a lot of depth. We learned a bit about Seth\u2019s backstory (and there\u2019s more to come in Episode 2 that will have you reeling\u2026), and we get a good feel for Miles \u2013 but I\u2019m curious to learn more about his real reasons for being in LA. It can\u2019t be just that he\u2019s \u201cdestined for greatness,\u201d can it? Either way, he\u2019s living in his car, and he\u2019s going to need to figure out an alternative to that soon\u2026
\n
<\/span><\/div>\n
All in all, this episode had a little bit of everything. Action, humor, some personal growth, and a little bit of drama on the side. The pacing felt just right, and the character development was subtle but important. I\u2019m excited to see where things go from here, especially with the new rookies in the mix and the continued fallout from the corruption case.
\n
<\/span><\/div>\n
I<\/span>t\u2019s a perfect start to the season!<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Patrick Keleher as Seth Ridley and Deric Augustine as Miles Penn. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2024 All Rights Reserved.
<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Character of the Week:<\/span> Lucy Chen<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

Lucy deserves recognition for how she stepped into the role with such ease. Yes, things with her rookie might be rocky right now, but it has nothing to do with Lucy’s training methods. She’s empathetic, but firm, making it clear that the job outweighs all the personal while on shift if he wants to save lives. Nolan took a while to find his own groove when he got promoted to P3, but Lucy is taking it in seamlessly \u2013 despite not even knowing that she’d be training a brand new rookie until right before roll call!<\/span><\/p>\n


<\/span><\/p>\n

I’m immensely excited for how her training develops and grows even further, and how she’ll hopefully beat Tim in the bet!<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2024 All Rights Reserved.<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Ship of the Week:<\/span> Wopez<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

Wesley and Angela were pushed to the sidelines last season, but this season’s premiere gives me hope that we’ll get a lot of them to come. Wesley finding out that a coworker of Angela’s might be a little obsessed has him reeling a bit \u2013 and Graham doesn’t help by stating that he doesn’t think Angela and him would last. Worst of all, Wesley can’t say a word about any of this, because he’s sworn to confidentiality with the tapes!<\/span><\/p>\n


<\/span><\/p>\n

But the ending between them is beautiful, with how genuinely happy Angela is in her relationship and life with Wesley.<\/span><\/p>\n


<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2024 All Rights Reserved.
<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Next Time:<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

We won’t have an Advanced Preview for every episode, but we’re lucky to have one for Season 7, Episode 2, \u201cThe Watcher.\u201d That one will come out Monday at 8AM PST \u2013 keep an eye out!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What were your thoughts on \u201cThe Shot\u201d? How are you feeling about this season? Comment below all your thoughts about <\/span>The Rookie<\/span>!<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Be sure to catch <\/span>The Rookie<\/span> live on ABC at 10PM on Tuesdays\u2014or catch up on Hulu the next day!<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n


<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/span>
<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Rookie started its seventh season strong with a gripping mix of intense action and emotional depth. While the stakes are higher than they have ever been with the police work (would LAPD actually be involved in a nuclear threat like this?), it\u2019s the focus on the relationships, new rookie development, and personal struggles that really makes it stand out. It\u2019s a perfect balance of thrill and character-driven drama. \u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Nathan Fillion as John Nolan and Lisseth Chavez as Celina Juarez. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2024 All Rights Reserved. Recap: The episode kicks off with Nolan and Celina on a rooftop, scanning a house where they believe fugitive Jason is hiding. Nolan, only a day removed from being shot in the butt. Celina offers him a chance to sit this one out. But Nolan, ever the professional, refuses to back down. The scene sets the tone for the episode, which balances action-packed moments with the emotional toll the job takes on the officers. As the team gears up for a dangerous raid on a drug house linked to Jason, it quickly escalates into a full-on shootout. While Tim and Lucy engage the suspects inside, Celina gives chase to a fleeing woman. Nolan, unable to keep up due to his injury, commandeers a scooter in a moment that both had the audience laughing and rooting for him. The chase is chaotic, but Nolan still manages to apprehend the suspect. It felt almost like a call-back to the pilot, seeing Nolan avoid the fence \u2013 he didn\u2019t want to not make it over! \u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Eric Winter as Tim Bradford and Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2024 All Rights Reserved. The show then has a time-jump, and there are two new rookies, Seth Ridley and Miles Penn. We get to see TO Tim make a grand return as he dresses the new rookies down with his classic Bradford Treatment. Meanwhile, Lucy gains an interim promotion to P3. When she turns down Tim\u2019s offer of advice, they end up setting a bet to determine who\u2019s teaching methods are superior. And, no, Nolan is not considered as a contestant. Wesley\u2019s plot this episode is one that I certainly didn\u2019t expect. At the start, it\u2019s revealed that he is reviewing the therapy tapes from Blair London\u2019s office last season. He sets up in Tim\u2019s old Metro office and begins to listen\u2026only to find out that one of the detectives might have a thing for his wife! \u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Ivan Hernandez as Detective Graham and Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2024 All Rights Reserved. Later, Nolan and Celina find themselves involved in a tense pharmacy robbery, where they must face off with a gunman seeking drugs. Nolan freezes in the heat of the moment, unable to take the shot. It\u2019s a rare moment of vulnerability for him, when he\u2019s usually the one saving the day, and it\u2019s refreshing to see the show dive into his self-doubt. Grey\u2019s advice not to second-guess himself serves as a comforting reminder that even the best officers have moments of uncertainty. Meanwhile, the rookies (and their TOs) find themselves in some sticky situations of their own. Seth, still adjusting to the realities of police work, has a particularly rough moment when he pukes right onto a crime scene after dealing with a drug overdose. Later, it\u2019s revealed that he didn\u2019t just get sick because of the scene, but because his girlfriend OD\u2019d, and he still has trauma from giving her CPR. In contrast, Miles’ cocky attitude rubs Tim the wrong way, and the tension between the two only intensifies when Miles makes reckless choices during a car chase. \u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, Danny Brown, and Lisseth Chavez as Celina Juarez.. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2025 All Rights Reserved. The episode then shifts into high gear with a bombshell plot-twist: the discovery that a nuclear device has been stolen. The stakes rise dramatically as the team races against time to prevent a potential disaster. We get a brief come-back for Agent Garza from The Rookie: Feds, and the LAPD assists the FBI in tracking down the weapon. In the heat of the moment, there\u2019s only one rule: Do not shoot the nuke! Nolan\u2019s final, decisive shot to bring down one of the suspects is a powerful moment, not just because it ends the immediate threat, but because it marks a personal victory for him. After wrestling with self-doubt earlier, Nolan\u2019s choice to act decisively shows that he\u2019s dealt with issues, ultimately resolving the plot. \u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Jacob Figueroa, Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, Felix Solis as Agent Garza, and Richard T. Jones as Lt. Grey. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2025 All Rights Reserved. The episode wraps up with some quieter, more reflective moments. Tim and Lucy share a playful conversation about their bet, signaling a shift in their relationship from exes to something that\u2019s potentially ready to move forward. Their flirtation is subtle but undeniable, hinting at a future development that will undoubtedly have fans buzzing (including me). Meanwhile, Wesley\u2019s personal struggles regarding his knowledge of Graham\u2019s feelings for Angela create an interesting emotional conflict for him\u2013but the episode ends poignantly with Angela firmly declaring she is very happy in their marriage. (Now, can we get their baby girl\u2019s name?) The episode ends with Nolan calling Bailey, who\u2019s been out of the country, safe away from Jason while in Army Reserves. He walks in alone into his empty house and says to himself,\u201cYou did a good job today,\u201d before realizing it sounds odd. \u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen and Eric Winter as Tim Bradford. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2025 All Rights Reserved. Thoughts: Overall, The Rookie continues to impress with its mixture of humor, heart, and suspense. This episode doesn\u2019t just focus on the action, but also on the personal journeys of its characters, making it not only an exciting hour of television but a meaningful one as well. The team is evolving, the stakes are rising, and the show is only getting better. I really enjoyed the newest rookies. Just one episode in, and there\u2019s a lot of depth. We learned a bit about Seth\u2019s backstory (and there\u2019s more to come in Episode 2 that will have you reeling\u2026), and we get a good feel for Miles \u2013 but I\u2019m curious to learn more about his real reasons for being in LA. It can\u2019t be just that he\u2019s \u201cdestined for greatness,\u201d can it? Either way, he\u2019s living in his car, and he\u2019s going to need to figure out an alternative to that soon\u2026 All in all, this episode had a little bit of everything. Action, humor, some personal growth, and a little bit of drama on the side. The pacing felt just right, and the character development was subtle but important. I\u2019m excited to see where things go from here, especially with the new rookies in the mix and the continued fallout from the corruption case. It\u2019s a perfect start to the season! \u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Patrick Keleher as Seth Ridley and Deric Augustine as Miles Penn. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2024 All Rights Reserved. Character of the Week: Lucy Chen Lucy deserves recognition for how she stepped into the role with such ease. Yes, things with her rookie might be rocky right now, but it has nothing to do with Lucy’s training methods. She’s empathetic, but firm, making it clear that the job outweighs all the personal while on shift if he wants to save lives. Nolan took a while to find his own groove when he got promoted to P3, but Lucy is taking it in seamlessly \u2013 despite not even knowing that she’d be training a brand new rookie until right before roll call! I’m immensely excited for how her training develops and grows even further, and how she’ll hopefully beat Tim in the bet! \u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2024 All Rights Reserved. Ship of the Week: Wopez Wesley and Angela were pushed to the sidelines last season, but this season’s premiere gives me hope that we’ll get a lot of them to come. Wesley finding out that a coworker of Angela’s might be a little obsessed has him reeling a bit \u2013 and Graham doesn’t help by stating that he doesn’t think Angela and him would last. Worst of all, Wesley can’t say a word about any of this, because he’s sworn to confidentiality with the tapes! But the ending between them is beautiful, with how genuinely happy Angela is in her relationship and life with Wesley. \u201cThe Shot\u201d \u2013 THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers. Photo: Disney\/Mike Taing \u00a9 2024 All Rights Reserved. Next Time: We won’t have an Advanced Preview for every episode, but we’re lucky to have one for Season 7, Episode 2, \u201cThe Watcher.\u201d That one will come out Monday at 8AM PST \u2013 keep an eye out! What were your thoughts on \u201cThe Shot\u201d? How are you feeling about this season? Comment below all your thoughts about The Rookie! Be sure to catch The Rookie live on ABC at 10PM on Tuesdays\u2014or catch up on Hulu the next day!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":495,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/spirit-of-service.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/493"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/spirit-of-service.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/spirit-of-service.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spirit-of-service.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spirit-of-service.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=493"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/spirit-of-service.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/493\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":514,"href":"https:\/\/spirit-of-service.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/493\/revisions\/514"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spirit-of-service.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/spirit-of-service.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spirit-of-service.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spirit-of-service.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}