The Rookie's latest episode is a hilarious and tense one, seeing the return of two beloved characters and a guest star from none other than Ricky Whittle. Celina completes her last day as a rookie, Bailey and Nolan deal with the aftermath of their fight, and Tim and Lucy might be having some inappropriate thoughts!
THE ROOKIE – “The Mickey” – TUESDAY, FEB. 18 (9:00-10:00 p.m. EST) on ABC. (Disney/Mike Taing)
RICHARD T. JONES, ALYSSA DIAZ, MEKIA COX, SHAWN ASHMORE
Recap:
The episode starts with Tim in group therapy. He mentions what happened between him and Lucy on Valentine’s Day and thinks that he messed up and acted too selfishly because he couldn’t control himself. Meanwhile, Lucy is also thinking about what happened Valentine’s Day, even going all out with her outfit in hopes of catching Tim’s attention. Celina interrupts, excited about her last day as a rookie. Lucy warns her that sometimes the last day can be the worst.
In the locker room, Nolan is consoled by a bunch of the guys who ask how he’s doing, convinced he’s about to go through a divorce. Smitty even gives him a contact for his divorce lawyer. Nolan thinks he’s too in his head about the fight, so Tim suggests a crazy day on patrol to get his mind off things. Then, Seth says his cancer treatment is going well, which Tim doubts. He tells Seth he better be sure, otherwise it puts Lucy at risk.
Nyla is at the station early, stating that work is easier than being a mother or a wife. Someone says she’s needed in the interrogation room, only to find James, her husband, waiting for her. He reminds her that they need to talk and resolve things. Nyla confesses her insecurities about talking, but James says they need to work through it together.
Lucy asks Seth how he’s feeling. She did a lot of research about his cancer. Seth thinks it’s because she’s suspicious that he’s lying about it. He encourages her to check her medical records and she says she might. Then she gets a call from Tamara.
THE ROOKIE – “The Mickey” – TUESDAY, FEB. 18 (9:00-10:00 p.m. EST) on ABC. (Disney/Mike Taing)
RICKY WHITTLE, LISSETH CHAVEZ, NATHAN FILLION
THE ROOKIE – “The Mickey” – TUESDAY, FEB. 18 (9:00-10:00 p.m. EST) on ABC. (Disney/Mike Taing)
LISSETH CHAVEZ
Back with Lucy, she and Smitty talk Seth and Tamara through the operation. She makes it clear to keep it simple: buy and walk, nothing else. Seth ends up going rogue and asking for more drugs. Smitty congratulates him while Lucy scolds him.
Meanwhile: Celina is done being a rookie! She’s now a P2.
Bailey goes to visit Diana and confesses that she lied earlier about not having a dark story. She goes into the backstory with Jason and how difficult it's been for her. Diana reassures her that Bailey won and got out of the relationship and that she should talk to her husband. At the safehouse, Tim and Nolan go over the rules with the two criminals. They start to have a conversation about Bailey, but Mickey and Hammer eavesdrop and poke fun at them. In the end, they manage to get a more private conversation in, where Tim encourages Nolan to fight for Bailey if he loves her, because he regrets that he didn’t do that with Lucy.
Nyla rants about the situation with James to Angela. Wesley gives his two cents and says that Nyla and James need to have a conversation with an endgame. Nyla realizes it’s on her to do something. Meanwhile, Celina and Lucy celebrate the former no longer being a rookie. Lucy gets a notification that Seth and Tamara are on a date. At the date, the guy that sold the drugs earlier corners Seth and says he needs to come with him now. Tamara tries to stop it, but to protect her, Seth goes willingly. Tamara takes a picture of the plate and sends it to Lucy when she tells her about the situation. Lucy points out that Seth has his gun and badge and will be made the second they search him.
Lucy calls Tim for help. Immediately, Tim agrees. But when he tells Nolan about the situation, they realize Mickey is missing. When Tim goes to look for him, he gets attacked. Nolan tries to get Hammer to go in cuffs, but Hammer resists and demands to know what happens. Mickey comes in the room with Tim at gunpoint. Mickey and Hammer argue about the plan to escape. Hammer ends up attacking Mickey so that he can keep his deal. Nolan thanks Hammer.
THE ROOKIE – “The Mickey” – TUESDAY, FEB. 18 (9:00-10:00 p.m. EST) on ABC. (Disney/Raymond Liu)
JENNA DEWAN, NATHAN FILLION
Meanwhile, Lucy comes up with a plan to save Seth. She gets the cops to set up a traffic check along their path. The drug dealers fumble and reveal all their drugs during their sobriety check. Seth is also arrested along with it, placed in a shop where Lucy is waiting. He thanks her for the rescue.
Towards the end of the episode, Nyla asks Nolan if they can set up a group of officers dedicated to reform. Nolan agrees and says he’ll sign up immediately. Lucy tries to warn Tamara about Seth and says she can’t date him. Tamara storms out and Tim offers to dress Seth down about the situation, but Lucy realizes it’ll make things worse. Miles visits Diana and offers his services as a security guard at the shelter whenever he’s off duty.
Thoughts:
This episode was packed with action and drama, making it an exciting ride from start to finish. One of the highlights was seeing Celina finally graduate from rookie to P2 — it felt like a huge moment for her character.
The undercover operation with Seth and Tamara was another thrilling moment. Watching Seth go rogue added a ton of suspense, and Lucy’s frustration with him was spot-on.
There were also some fun moments with the team working together. The tension between the two drug dealers, Mickey and Hammer, kept the story engaging, especially when they tried to mess with Nolan and Tim at the safehouse. The arrest of Mickey and Hammer was intense, but the real payoff came when Hammer ended up betraying Mickey, leading to a tense showdown. The back-and-forth between the two criminals added some unexpected twists.
I think this might be one of my top episodes of the season when it comes to the cases!
THE ROOKIE – “The Mickey” – TUESDAY, FEB. 18 (9:00-10:00 p.m. EST) on ABC. (Disney/Raymond Liu)
MEKIA COX, ARJAY SMITH
Character of the Week: Bailey Nune (+Diana)
Bailey’s arc this episode was filled with growth and vulnerability, showing a side of her we don’t often see. From her tough exterior to her heartfelt confession to Diana, Bailey opened up about her past struggles with Jason, and it made her more relatable than ever. Her conversation with Nolan was a standout moment. She confronted her emotions, and they finally reached an understanding. Bailey’s willingness to face her past was both powerful and impressive. This episode truly showed her depth, and that’s why she’s the standout.
And did anyone else recognize Diana as Sally Jackson (Virginia Kull) from Percy Jackson?
THE ROOKIE – “The Mickey” – TUESDAY, FEB. 18 (9:00-10:00 p.m. EST) on ABC. (Disney/Raymond Liu)
JENNA DEWAN, VIRGINIA KULL
Relationship of the Week: Tim & Nolan (Brolan)
Tim and Nolan were the surprising bromance of the episode. They’ve always been a humorous duo, but it’s been a while since we’ve seen them paired up for more than a single scene. We’ve seen their friendship slowly build over the course of the show, but this episode, we see that they genuinely care about each other and open up about the struggles they’ve had in their respective relationships. It’s poignant and shows how far both characters have come since the first time they were paired up together in season 1!
THE ROOKIE – “The Mickey” – TUESDAY, FEB. 18 (9:00-10:00 p.m. EST) on ABC. (Disney/Mike Taing)
NATHAN FILLION, ERIC WINTER
Next Time:
“Wildfire”
Nyla remains suspicious of Liam Glasser as a wildfire erupts, causing chaos in the city. Meanwhile, James tries to help a friend, and Seth makes a costly mistake, putting two of their own in danger.
What were your thoughts on “The Mickey”? 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 9PM on Tuesdays—or catch up on Hulu the next day!
