The Rookie - Flesh and Blood - Review: Turducken

On Captain Andersen’s orders, Officer Nolan and Sergeant Grey are paired up for the day on patrol. Additionally, Nolan’s son and Grey’s daughter visit their dads on the job and see them in action. Meanwhile, Officer Chen is paired up with Captain Andersen, and Officer Bradford tells Chen to protect her at all costs.

I may have said this last week but THIS was truly my favorite episode of the show so far, wow. Every single pairing was comedy gold or at least heartwarming in some way or other. Also this show just got me shipping about 3 more pairings too. I'm really falling in love with these characters! There was so many fun love/hate scenes in this episode and witty banter, ugh, love it.

“The Rookie” stars Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez, Richard T. Jones as Sergeant Wade Grey, Titus Makin as Jackson West, Mercedes Mason as Captain Zoe Andersen, Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen, Afton Williamson as Talia Bishop and Eric Winter as Tim Bradford.

Guest starring is Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers, Zayne Emory as Henry Nolan, Brian Leckner as Officer Holcomb and Jade Payton as Dominique Grey.

“Flesh and Blood” was written by Inda Craig-Galván and directed by Jessica Yu.

ABC Television Network. (ABC/Eric McCandless) NATHAN FILLION, RICHARD T. JONES

NOLAN & GREY

The ABC Television Network.
(ABC/Eric McCandless)
ZAYNE EMORY

Nolan gets stuck with Sergeant Grey for his patrol day and I would watch a whole buddy cop movie of these two. Honestly the scene where Nolan is trying to park the appropriate distance from an elderly woman he pulled over was comedy gold. Plus it was just nice to see the icy Sergeant thaw out and learn more about his relationship with his daughter. We discover he was shot a few years back and it's why his wife gets antsy at the idea of him being out in the streets rather than back at the office.

Turns out, these two have more in common than Grey would like to admit and when they see their own children bonding some of that rubs off on them. Although Grey wants to ensure Nolan knows they are only permitted one heart-to-heart about being police dads.

They have quite the day, from a vindictive old lady to an apartment ambush and scuffle to a gas explosion where Grey almost dies and Nolan has to pull him out before he suffocates from the gas, if Grey wanted a reminder of what it was like to be out on the frontlines they he sure got it.

I need to know the story of this turducken and why Nolan said "that poor cat." You can't leave us hanging like that, John.

BRADFORD & BISHOP

Maybe Eric Winter just has chemistry with anyone but oh my god I loved seeing this duo together. Their constant bickering, their refusal to cave in to the others command, their overlapping speech as each one tried to take the lead coupled with an incident where Bradford winds up catching the brunt of a skunk attack, another pair I could have watched go back and forth for hours!

By the end of the hour, they've earned some mutual respect for one another. Tim gives Talia a well-deserved apology and some praise which Bishop appreciates. He was her T.O. for a short period after all and it's always nice to hear a senior officer tell you they believe in you.

I really hope no one lets Tim live down being skunked for a long time -- he deserves a little taste of his own medicine.

 The ABC Television Network. (ABC/Eric McCandless) MELISSA O'NEIL

ANDERSON & CHEN

While not as comedic together as some of the other pairings, I still loved seeing Zoe and Lucy together. Their cases included a volatile couple that ends in a suicide, a front yard scuffle over a parking lot that ends with Anderson getting a black eye, and an attack by a ex-con who can't handle life outside of prison and will do anything to get back behind bars which ends with Anderson rushing a live glock to arrest him before he murders an innocent hostage.

ABC Television Network. (ABC/Eric McCandless) 

Zoe may look sweet on the outside but she's tough as nails beneath the soft exterior. Just because she's often pushing paperwork doesn't mean she's a damsel while on patrol. Even when Jackson shows up as back-up Lucy and Zoe are both quick to call him and the other officers out on this double standard. She didn't ask for back-up but they still showed up anyways due to their preconceived notions about what the Captain could or couldn't handle. She's an ex-marine and she proves herself more than capable by episode's end.

As she mentions to Lucy, you don't tell people about being a badass, you show them. And she also imparts some sweet words of encouragement to Lucy, letting her know she's rooting for her and would ride with her any day because she's impressed by the skills Lucy has showed thus far.

WEST & LOPEZ

Ah, they cast an Ashmore (Shawn to be exact) to be Angela's love interest. I'm listening ABC, I'm listening. Shawn plays a cut-throat lawyer who immediately butts heads with Lopez over police protocol and the importance of his stolen briefcase. Even the convict she arrests for stealing it can see their constant arguing is loaded with sexual tension so it comes as no surprise when, by episode's end, Angela is inviting him to be her date to her brother's wedding.

"Pretty bold for a first date." He remarks, "Maybe it should be our second." She responds. Smooth as heck. I'm so in, I hope he's sticking around. They were a blast to watch. This show is doing excellent in terms of making you really and truly care about the characters, even if the plots don't always hold up I'm invested in everyone at this point.

All hands on deck on an all-new episode of ABC's The Rookie, Tuesday, January 22nd.