SPOILER ALERT: This article contains details about the pilot episode of The Rookie. At the beginning of ABC’s new cop drama The Rookie, Nathan Fillion’s character John Nolan is going through a divorce and is on a journey of self-discovery after 40. He asks “Who am I?” to a bank manager/friend. She answers, “The question is: Who do you want to be?” That exchange should lay a foundation for a cop dramedy seething with middle-aged existentialism, but instead, the pilot is an hourlong old-age joke that overwhelms and diminishes John’s self-worth. ABC/Tony Rivetti Written by executive producer Alexi Hawley and directed by Liz Friedlander, the pilot that premieres at 10 tonight sees John entering the police force after a bank robbery puts his life into perspective. However, as a 45-year-old pursuing his dream of becoming a police officer, he is surrounded by younger recruits who can run circles around him, not to mention Sgt. Wade Grey (Richard T. Jones), who basically told him he doesn’t want him around because he’s old and is a “walking midlife crisis.” As he runs the ageism gauntlet, John tries to persevere through the tough love given to him by his training officer Bishop (Afton Williamson) as well as the glares and insults from other TOs including hardass Lopez (Alyssa Diaz) and borderline bigot Bradford (Eric Winter). He does find comfort and support from his fellow rookies including legacy recruit Jackson (Titus Makin Jr.) and the overachieving Lucy (Melissa O’Neil), who eventually becomes more than a friend. There’s also Mercedes Mason, who steps into the role of Captain Zoe Andersen, whose presence in the episode is barely felt but I’m sure she’ll be yelling things like “You’re agitating my sciatica!” when the unit isn’t getting the job done. ABC/Tony Rivetti The “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” premise is one that has been tackled by TV series and movies many times before, and The Rookie is thrown on the pile and easily can get lost in the shuffle. Within the first 10 minutes of the series, Sgt. Grey lobs old-age cracks at John during a briefing meeting introducing the new recruits. He says one of the three is “pushing an expiration date” and that he was “born before disco died.” These jokes get old — and irritating — fast. It’s one thing to have old-age jokes throughout the pilot to provide fuel for character growth, but to have them be so basic and bland makes it worse and takes away from the intent of the show. ABC/Tony Rivetti We are supposed to look at John Nolan through sympathetic eyes; a middle-age man who has reached a point in his life where he wants to make changes for the better. He is aware that his new path is difficult and an uphill battle, but those around him make it tougher than it needs to be. I understand there is a need to make conflict in order for Fillion’s character to grow and learn more about himself, but in the pilot episode, he is practically bullied and shamed — as if aging is something we can control. There is absolutely nothing playful about the insults, and rather than tell a story about a man trying to find himself, The Rookie tends to focus more on how a younger generation looks down on older folks for pursuing their dreams. There also might be a subversive angle to all of this. Whether intentional or not, this might be a subtle way for white, straight, middle-aged men to feel compassion for marginalized communities. Whether John actually is being marginalized is a whole other can of worms, but he is certainly is being treated unfairly — or maybe this hot take is digging too deep into a shallow pit. John Nolan definitely is the type of character suited for Fillion — a mature, thoughtful man with baggage who is trying to live a new life post-divorce. As he enters the police force, we see his experiences of responding to calls of domestic abuse and see him go on a foot chase in hot pursuit of a negligent father. As a rookie, he gets hyper-criticized for his work — and I get it. As one of the new kids on the block, a considerable amount of hazing is in order. But when you throw in the stale, mean-spirited old-age insults, it pretty much negates everything about this show that could potentially make it decent.<doc-sep>There's a moment in "The Rookie," ABC's new Nathan Fillion vehicle, when a young waitress slips Officer John Nolan her phone number, despite their large age difference. He's just that cute. The new cop drama clearly rests on Fillion's handsome mug and inherent charm. The former "Castle" star has a particular following among women, especially older women, and they're the target audience of "Rookie" (Tuesday, 10 EDT/PDT, ★★ out of four), which follows the oldest newcomer in the LAPD, Fillion's 40-something do-gooder. Created by Alexi Hawley (a "Castle" writer and twin brother of "Fargo" creator Noah), it's an exceedingly average show with an above-average star, the kind of familiar procedural with a twist that led ABC's "The Good Doctor" to become a hit last year. After getting divorced and surviving a bank robbery, Nolan is compelled to leave his small-town life behind and enroll in the Los Angeles police academy. Once he actually starts the job, it becomes clear that a middle-aged "boot," as the newbies are nicknamed, isn't exactly standard operating procedure. He struggles with some physical demands of the job, is often the laughing stock of the precinct and is resented by his superior Sergeant Wade Grey (Richard T. Jones), a by-the-books cop who hates Nolan because he thinks he's just a "walking midlife crisis." More:'Castle' veteran Nathan Fillion feels every ache of ABC's 40-year-old 'Rookie' cop There's nothing particularly bad about Fillion's performance, although fans tuning in to see "Castle"-style antics might be disappointed in his understated character, who's so genuine and caring he's more puppy than human. His virtue is in trying hard, never giving up and taking down criminals with words instead of force. "Rookie" is full of familiar cop-show types and tropes. But instead of murder-solving detectives, it's on the fast-paced beat of uniformed officers. The crimes Nolan pursues range from a man jumping on cars to a murder. But it's less about "whodunnit" than how Nolan and his fellow officers try to stop it. Like ABC's "The Good Doctor," it has a hopeful, sunny tone despite the life-and-death stakes, which also slightly sets it apart from other police dramas. The supporting cast – including two other rookies, eager Lucy (Melissa O'Neil) and LAPD legacy Jackson (Titus Makin) – is hit or miss. The three boots are trained by the ambitious Officer Bishop (Afton Williamson), mildly sadistic Officer Bradford (Eric Winter) and Officer Lopez (Alyssa Diaz). Lucy and Jackson make the biggest impression and are best at defying stereotypes. Bradford is loathsome, and Lopez doesn't have much of a personality in Tuesday's premiere. Jones, who has played his fair share of law-enforcement officers, is generically authoritative, representing general resentment of Nolan's presence. How long the premise can sustain itself is questionable. In the premiere, Lucy tells John he's a novelty, but eventually he'll just be one of many middle-aged white guys on the force, while she'll always be an "other" as a woman of color. Once John is just one of the guys is the series still as unique? Will it peter out without age jokes and conflicts? Perhaps, in the end, the series doesn't need the rookie concept, only a big star and emotional police shootouts every week. There are worse ways to build a cop show.<doc-sep>If you ever have to call the police, Officer John Nolan is the guy you hope answers your call, and not just because the always charismatic Nathan Fillion plays him. John Nolan is a good person, and he has the potential to become a good cop, but on The Rookie Season 1 Episode 2 he couldn't seem to stop crashing into things. In Nolan's defense, performing your first pit maneuver during a high-speed chase on city streets must be daunting. As Bishop pointed out, his instincts were to avoid an accident, not cause one. Of course, those same instincts didn't prevent him from hitting those shopping carts, another vehicle, or the woman who ran out in front of his squad car. We'll cut him a break on the scissor lift; that hit him. Related: Enjoy UNLIMITED access to thousands of Movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video. WATCH ANYWHERE. CANCEL ANYTIME! The runaway bride chase ended up costing the city $21,000 in property damage which left me wondering how much the average police chase costs. No one can accuse Officer Nolan of not caring, but will that turn out to be a detriment to being a cop? It is not your job to punish that man for what he did, do you understand? Overcoming that impulse could be the hardest thing you do on the job. Captain Permalink: It is not your job to punish that man for what he did, do you understand? Overcoming that... Permalink: It is not your job to punish that man for what he did, do you understand? Overcoming that... Because let's face it, who wouldn't want to beat the hell out of the guy who kidnapped, drugged, and chained women up in his basement? I know I would. But being a police officer means reigning in your anger and aggression. It means keeping a certain amount of perspective and emotional distance. For someone who instinctively cares as much as Nolan, that might prove more difficult than he expected. But the best moment of all came when Nolan held out his hand, all but forcing Detective Moda to shake it in front of their Captain. The look on Nolan's face as he waited for the other man to acquiesce was positively comical. Even though Nolan appeared to make slight inroads with Sgt. Grey, Bishop got put on notice. If she wants to fulfill her ambition to move up the ranks, she needs to keep her eye on the task at hand. I didn't get the impression that the warning was necessary. Bishop seems to take her job as a training officer seriously, and I hope Grey's admonition doesn't change her attitude towards working with Nolan. The only issue I've had with Bishop so far is her warning to Lucy Chen. I can't say that calling out Chen's relationship with Nolan was unwarranted. Bishop was right in that if their romance comes to light at work, it will most likely impact Lucy more than it will John. That's unfair but realistic. But I like Lucy and John together far more than I expected. These two are equals, and they lean on one another, and I think they both need that right now. When you're working a high-stress job, it's helpful to be able to go home and talk about it with someone who understands, and that's part of what makes this couple work. Related: 8 Captivating Cast Members of ABC's The Rookie And watching these two pretty people lounge around in that gorgeous home is a bonus. When Lucy balked at bringing over some clothes so she wouldn't have to rush out every morning, I was concerned about her motives. Does she want to keep things casual or is she trying to keep one foot out the door because of Talia's advice? I'd much rather see Lucy and John talk about the pitfalls of staying together over Lucy tanking this relationship out of fear. With Officer Tim Bradford still recovering from his gunshot wound, Chen also had to deal with a new training officer. You'd think a kinder, gentler T.O. would make her day, but as she says in this The Rookie quote, not so much: I feel like Goldilocks. This training officer’s too hard, this one’s too soft. Chen Permalink: I feel like Goldie Locks. This training officer’s too hard, this one’s too soft. Permalink: I feel like Goldie Locks. This training officer’s too hard, this one’s too soft. I guess there are cops out there that are happy writing tickets and Officer Wrigley is one of them. In his defense, if tickets have to get written, and that doesn't come without its own set of risks, someone has to do it. Although, when Wrigley told Chen why he was going home for lunch, I visibly cringed. I like to go home to eat. Get these wool pants off, air things out. Officer Rigley Permalink: I like to go home to eat. Get these wool pants off, air things out. Permalink: I like to go home to eat. Get these wool pants off, air things out. But this was yet another test from Bradford to find out what kind of cop Chen was going to be, and I think both he and she got their answer. Finally, we get Jackson West, who had to prove himself to Officer Lopez over and over again. I hadn't even thought about the report that stated how many shots each officer fired until the Captain questioned them about it. Being a police officer must require a whole lot of paperwork! Jackson was shocked when Lopez didn't throw him under the bus, and I was a little surprised too. I didn’t do it for you. The golden boy with the VIP dad flunks out on my watch I can wave detective goodbye. I just hope protecting me doesn’t get me killed. Lopez Permalink: I didn’t do it for you. The golden boy with the VIP dad flunks out on my watch I can wave... Permalink: I didn’t do it for you. The golden boy with the VIP dad flunks out on my watch I can wave... I was impressed with West's ability to assess the situation with the Incredible Hulk of a man on PCP, and he certainly didn't back down from hand to hand combat with the wanted Aryan Nation member coming out of the bathroom, not that the guy gave him the chance. But I still question how West will do when under fire because shooting at a paper target and firing at a human being who is shooting back are very different scenarios. I'm guessing that Jackson's issues aren't over yet. Related: A Million Little Things and The Rookie Get Additional Script Orders at ABC So TV Fanatics, was Officer Lopez too hard on West? Will you be happy to see Bradford and Chen teaming up once again? And do you think Lucy should dump John or stick things out despite Talia's warnings? Check back for my review of The Rookie Season 1 Episode 3, and until then, you can watch The Rookie online here at TV Fanatic. Crash Course Review Editor Rating: 4.3 / 5.0 4.3 / 5.0 1 2 3 4 5 User Rating: 3.1 / 5.0 1 2 3 4 5 Rating: 3.1 / 5.0 ( 152 Votes) 4.3 / 5.0 C. Orlando is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.<doc-sep>
It would be a spoiler to reveal the biggest problem with "The Rookie," but you'll know it when you see it. Nathan Fillion is back and this time he’s a real cop. With “Castle” dead long enough for its creator to launch a new ABC comedy and one of its stars to get an ABC drama all his own, it’s time Castleites move on from watching Fillion tagging along with the boys in blue and witness him become one instead. Network executives hope so, and the sturdy pilot doesn’t give much reason to expect otherwise. There’s not much to “The Rookie” beyond the obvious — a man in a midlife crisis finds new purpose by becoming a cop — but familiarity is kind of the point. Loosely inspired by a true story, “Castle” executive producer Alexi Hawley’s series is still an episodic cop drama built around its star and for his fans, as well as the genre’s. After the dutiful first episode, odds are Fillionites and procedural enthusiasts (aka the old guard driving broadcast viewership) will be satisfied enough to keep tracking this old rookie make his way up the ranks, even if they’ll never forget ol’ Rick, and there’s at least one cause for concern in the new series’ first hour. Believe it or not, the major problem with “The Rookie” isn’t Fillion’s introduction via gunpoint confessional. Caught up in the middle of a bank robbery while trying to drop off his divorce papers, Fillion’s John Nolan gets uncomfortably emotional with the masked gunmen. “Do you want to die?” one assailant yells at him, to which John offers a timid, “…no, but have I ever truly lived?” He then hurriedly recounts his life story with a pistol between his eyes, noting how this robbery is the most exciting thing to happen to him in a while, and that’s probably sad, but hey, he is sad — he’s getting divorced, after all — and what’re you gonna do but be sad? To this, he gets smacked in the mouth with the butt of the pistol, and before audiences can thank the masked man for stopping this farcical monologue, he starts back up again. Granted, this time he’s motivated by something other than his burgeoning suicidal tendencies — John is trying to distract the robbers from noticing the cops outside — but that doesn’t mean he has to ask a bank robber, “What’s my dream?” ABC / Tony Rivetti Kicking off the series with a laughable setup is never good, but “The Rookie” manages to recover. It turns out John’s dream is becoming one of the boys in blue, and with a post-titles flash-forward, suddenly he’s starting his first day on the job. From there, he and his fellow new recruits — Jackson (Titus Makin Jr.), Lucy (Melissa O’Neill) — are tested on the streets by their commanding officers. Officer Lopez (Alyssa Diaz) appreciates her rook’s smarts on the job. Officer Bradford (Eric Winter) doesn’t appreciate a thing, berating his recruit by calling her “boot” and being as unpleasant as possible. Officer Bishop (Afton Williamson) is level-headed and well-vetted; she pushes Nolan up when he’s down and down when he’s up. There’s enough parity in the group to keep viewers engaged, be it from their slew of emergencies (like a crazy man screaming about unicorns on top of his car) or testy inter-personal dynamics. (Bradford is a racist dick, but is that all just part of the test?) Even after the ridiculous opening scene, Fillion manages to fill Nolan with enough foolish sincerity to be a believable human being. That’s a tall order for the pilot, even if the silly origins will likely be forgotten before Season 1 is over. One of the pilot’s most troublesome scenes is a big twist. No spoilers here, but just know it’s the only real surprise of the episode, so viewers won’t have any trouble spotting it. It’s kind of icky, kind of awkward, and kind of a bad idea in general given the limitations it puts on the storytelling. Still, after one episode, it’s hard to draw a line in the sand on anything. “The Rookie” has the few auspices necessary for a functionally pleasant procedural: Its star is handsome and charming. Its supporting characters range from capable to intriguing. The structure, look, and tone, all fit the mold. “Castle” fans may still be upset their favorite show is gone, but this “Rookie” seems built from the bones of its predecessor.