Critic’s Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
4.5
When The Rookie delivers, it really delivers.
Some of the best installments of this series are when they land on a compelling case that has you locked in. The Rookie Season 8 Episode 3 stumbled upon a dark ordeal with this case involving a brave young soul, Samantha, and David Krumholtz truly embodying evil as Ezra.
The hour also shockingly reintroduced Seth, and maybe it’s not such a terrible thing.
(Disney/Mike Taing)
Some of the best hours of the show are when they dabble with dark cases, and this one was certainly dark. It had that vibe that reminded me of something from the earlier seasons of Criminal Minds.
And any series that can give off that energy will always have my undivided attention.
What seemed like a simple pick-up on a transient led them to a double homicide in another state and subsequently the disappearance of a young girl for multiple years.
And from that point forward, it was fascinating to see how Nolan, Harper, and Lopez handled the investigation. I love when they take full advantage of that “Aw shucks” non-intimidating charm that Nolan pulls off so well.
It makes him one of the best people to disarm suspects, because most of the time, no one really sees it coming.
He’s personable, great at small talk, and when he probes, it can come across as so earnest that people don’t immediately suspect that he’s trying to gather pertinent information or trap them.
(Disney/Mike Taing)
And when they do pick it up, oftentimes, it’s too late. Yes, that interrogation was a prime example of why so many serial killers and some of The Rookie’s greatest villains have this weird soft spot for Nolan.
It took a minute for Ezra to figure out what was really going on, but when he did, he spent the rest of the hour truly toying with them. And the darkness he harbored crept out in ways that made your skin crawl.
In the meantime, Lucy and Celina were on the move, investigating that motel room, and if anything gave way to just how disturbing Ezra was, the fact that the motel manager seemed to shudder and gave up the room number with ease did.
It’s where they happened across Samantha, and my goodness, my heart broke for that young girl. Her entire life changed when Ezra took her, and The Rookie used her story to dig into the complexities of trauma and how people respond to it.
Celina seemed a bit confused about how Samantha had apparently remained in that room, apparently of her own free will, for 12 hours rather than seeking help the first chance she got.
(Disney/Mike Taing)
And it was a great way to touch on how Lucy has come a long way with her own traumas, but she still knows that fear very well.
It’s something she doesn’t like to talk about, which is fair, but what I appreciated about this hour was how she spoke about it when it mattered most. People, not even those close to you, are entitled to your trauma or your stories.
But as a way to connect with a young trauma survivor, be the embodiment of what she can be, proof that there is getting through to the other side, that’s inspiring, validating, it’s something that matters.
Lucy and Samantha’s scenes at that hospital were among the strongest of the hour. “I see you. I am you. We’re going to be okay.”
It’s essentially the message Lucy sends just when Samantha needs it most, and that’s the stuff that The Rookie does well when it ventures into that territory.
(Disney/Mike Taing)
As a side note, the actress who played Samantha did such a fabulous job. She and Melissa O’Neil truly delivered strong performances.
Samantha’s parents are dead, years of her life have been a traumatic lie and experience, and she has a lot to overcome, but I cannot truly believe that Lucy’s presence made a real impact.
And ultimately, they saved another girl in the process. I genuinely worried that Nolan wouldn’t find Julie in time, but fortunately, that wasn’t the case.
The entire investigation was the type of thing that rattles a person, and you could see how this case affected Nolan, too. It delighted me that Grey was there at the end to buy him a drink. Those two have really come such a long way!
The hour also did something unexpected by bringing back Seth. If you followed most of my reviews from The Rookie Season 7, then you know how I felt about this character. So the moment he opened the door, I audibly groaned.
(ABC/Screenshot)
Why are we revisiting this? Did anyone want or need Seth back? What is with this series’ inability to let characters go?
But setting that all aside, there was a compelling angle to Miles checking in on someone who ruined his life and is in a dark place. Seth was awful, a terrible liar, and the whole situation was 50 kinds of messed up.
However, no one deserves the whole he’s in now. He lost his leg, and it takes a long time for someone to process something like that, and losing the livelihood they had envisaged for themselves.
It’s admirable, honorable, and quintessentially Miles that he could show up at Seth’s door, extend an apology that I don’t think he even owes, and try to get this man on track by being a friend that he needs.
Miles is just such a good person. I chuckled when he mentioned how they got off on the wrong foot, and Seth was right to be annoyed that Miles was bringing up his blown knee as if it were comparable. But he quickly learned to listen.
However, he also held Seth to account. Seth cannot expect people to take his word NOW because he’s finally telling the truth, or think that people are going to accept his apologies and move on. No one owes him that.
(Disney/Mike Taing)
But who knows? Maybe this possible arc, if it goes much further, has legs (pardon the pun) and can be interesting, even though Seth’s return still feels unnecessary.
There wasn’t much for The Rookie couples, but we got what we could. Wopez forgetting their anniversary, and Angela turning it into a competition she won, was cute. It’s also adorable that Wesley is the one who always remembers them all.
And Chenford seems to be doing well, mostly because they’ve hit their stride in communication. Tim isn’t stewing in his frustration over how their home doesn’t feel like it’s THEIRS when she’s not fully unpacked.
And Lucy has Tim wrapped around her damn finger. How she succeeded in coming home, telling him she agrees they need to get rid of all the boxes, and then stating she’ll supervise as he gets rid of the boxes,m should NOT have worked.
But he’s head over heels right now, so it did. The only thing I would’ve loved is if she got to truly unpack her day and how this case had her revisiting her trauma.
But then, I suppose I have to fall back on what I said — she doesn’t really owe that to anyone, not even Tim, if she’s not up for discussing it.
Over to you, The Rookie Fanatics.
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