The Rookie - The Shot (Season Premiere) - Review: Work Smarter, Not Harder

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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’s the focus on the relationships, new rookie development, and personal struggles that really makes it stand out. It’s a perfect balance of thrill and character-driven drama.

“The Shot” – THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Nathan Fillion as John Nolan and Lisseth Chavez as Celina Juarez. Photo: Disney/Mike Taing © 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 – he didn’t want to not make it over!

“The Shot” – THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Eric Winter as Tim Bradford and Melissa O'Neil as Lucy Chen. Photo: Disney/Mike Taing © 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’s offer of advice, they end up setting a bet to determine who’s teaching methods are superior. And, no, Nolan is not considered as a contestant.

Wesley’s plot this episode is one that I certainly didn’t expect. At the start, it’s revealed that he is reviewing the therapy tapes from Blair London’s office last season. He sets up in Tim’s old Metro office and begins to listen…only to find out that one of the detectives might have a thing for his wife!

“The Shot” – THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Ivan Hernandez as Detective Graham and Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers. Photo: Disney/Mike Taing © 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’s a rare moment of vulnerability for him, when he’s usually the one saving the day, and it’s refreshing to see the show dive into his self-doubt. Grey’s 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’s revealed that he didn’t just get sick because of the scene, but because his girlfriend OD’d, 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.

“The Shot” – THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, Danny Brown, and Lisseth Chavez as Celina Juarez.. Photo: Disney/Mike Taing © 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’s only one rule: Do not shoot the nuke! Nolan’s 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’s choice to act decisively shows that he’s dealt with issues, ultimately resolving the plot.

“The Shot” – 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 © 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’s 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’s personal struggles regarding his knowledge of Graham’s feelings for Angela create an interesting emotional conflict for him–but the episode ends poignantly with Angela firmly declaring she is very happy in their marriage.

(Now, can we get their baby girl’s name?)

The episode ends with Nolan calling Bailey, who’s 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,“You did a good job today,” before realizing it sounds odd.

“The Shot” – THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Melissa O'Neil as Lucy Chen and Eric Winter as Tim Bradford. Photo: Disney/Mike Taing © 2025 All Rights Reserved.

Thoughts:

Overall, The Rookie continues to impress with its mixture of humor, heart, and suspense. This episode doesn’t 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’s a lot of depth. We learned a bit about Seth’s backstory (and there’s more to come in Episode 2 that will have you reeling…), and we get a good feel for Miles – but I’m curious to learn more about his real reasons for being in LA. It can’t be just that he’s “destined for greatness,” can it? Either way, he’s living in his car, and he’s going to need to figure out an alternative to that soon…

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’m 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’s a perfect start to the season!

“The Shot” – THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Patrick Keleher as Seth Ridley and Deric Augustine as Miles Penn. Photo: Disney/Mike Taing © 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 – 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!

“The Shot” – THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Melissa O'Neil as Lucy Chen. Photo: Disney/Mike Taing © 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 – 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.

“The Shot” – THE ROOKIE, Pictured: Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers. Photo: Disney/Mike Taing © 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, “The Watcher.” That one will come out Monday at 8AM PST – keep an eye out!

What were your thoughts on “The Shot”? 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—or catch up on Hulu the next day!