The Rookie Season 7 Episode 5 Review: Til Death

Critic’s Rating: 4.6 / 5.0

4.6

Whew, there was a lot to process during that hour!

Somehow, The Rookie Season 7 Episode 5 packed a powerful punch, spinning a handful of fascinating stories all at once while still leaving us hanging.

The Jason saga is over, or rather the threat he poses to Bailey is, but now the Bailan marriage is in jeopardy because of Malvado, and my head is spinning!

(Disney/Carlos Lopez-Calleja)

Rest in Pieces, Jason; Good Riddance!

Finally, The Rookie has hustled this Jason storyline along, and we don’t have to deal with it anymore.

He was never a compelling villain, and his interest in Bailey wasn’t high up on the list of must-see arcs. However, it may have opened the door for something far more fascinating.

Jason may have sucked as a villain, but Malvado doesn’t, and it’s remarkable how this hitman eludes capture so easily. But I’m kind of here for it!

Malvado had his sights set on Jason, and he was getting him by any means necessary.

(Disney/Mike Taing)

His and Bailey’s team-up was ingenious, getting the desired results.

It was nice to have the confirmation that Drew, the woman who showed up at Nolan’s door, was someone who worked with Jason. We barely had the time to process that news and see how they could have fun with it before Malvado took her out.

I guess it was a buy one, get one free special or something. Should we pour one out for the woman who Jason sucked into his messy web of revenge? Maybe not.

Any woman who could condone Jason running his ex over with a car and then kidnapping her isn’t someone worthy of much sympathy. Never mind that I may have laughed when Bailey got mowed down. It was just such an unexpected moment.

Ironically, the most interesting part of Jason is his death and how it’ll impact Bailey and Nolan. Now that he’s learned the truth about Bailey working with Malvado, what will he do?

(Disney/Mike Taing)

We were just musing about how The Rookie has a Nolan issue, and one of our lovely commenters even stated that, often, the root of Nolan’s issues is Bailey. Well, Elizabeth, this hour proved you right!

Maybe there’s one Bailan storyline that may hold one’s attention after all, and it’s how they’ll navigate this colossal issue of Bailey working with a notorious, wanted hitman to take out her dangerous ex-husband and her current cop husband finding out about it.

Nolan is notoriously a rule-bender. He’s prone to rogue moments for some greater good.

However, how will he reconcile with his wife’s collusion with a hitman and taking out her ex? She didn’t pull the trigger, but she set it up regardless.

It’s an issue that prods at Nolan’s moral compass and personal ethics, but he also loves Bailey. Can you envision a world where Nolan turns in his own wife?

(Disney/Carlos Lopez-Calleja)

Another exciting storyline within the hour was Harper closing in on the second serial killer.

No, Seth isn’t the copycat killer, although he’s still suspicious for different reasons that we’ll get into momentarily. Instead, we have Glasser, who fits the bill to a tee.

Can’t you imagine him and Novak having a “Resting bitch face” off? They both have cheekbones that can cut glass and a wonderful blend of rizz and creepiness.

Glasser’s fixation on Harper was instant.

On the one hand, who can blame him? Harper is hot, badass, and smart as a whip.

(Disney/Carlos Lopez-Calleja)

But on the other, the creepy level of attention he spent on her tipped me off that he was the man who attacked her in the asylum and injected her with one of those filthy needles.

Harper is doing a good job pushing her struggles to the background.

The paralyzation incident is deeply impacting her, and the fear of possibly contracting something in the future from one of those needles is hanging over her head.

She’s not doing well but hiding it and focusing on solving the case.

Now that she has Glasser in her sights, it gives her a renewed sense of purpose and a genuine goal to her benefit. By focusing on Glasser and taking him down, she’s working through the trauma of what she endured.

(Disney/Mike Taing)

Harper and Glasser’s scenes together should not have been as enjoyable as they were. Seriously, how does she have more chemistry with this blue-eyed serial killer in a jumpsuit than her own husband?

The flirty energy between them was fascinating, even though they did it for different reasons. Glasser genuinely seems fascinated by Harper in the same manner killers get about one of their victims.

Harper was great at flirting and using her wiles to disarm Glasser and collect information to support her theory.

What was great about this whole thing is that even though the others had a tweaking, mentally unwell individual confessing to the murders in the interrogation room, they were able and willing to trust Harper’s judgment about Glasser.

They don’t have any proof against him right now to take him down. However, as Harper told him in that kickass dressing down that Mekia Cox slayed, the police are onto him.

(Disney/Carlos Lopez-Calleja)

Harper, cops, and UCs are there, waiting for him to slip out and go after another person so they can take him down. Hopefully, the paranoia that comes from constant surveillance and watching will get to him.

It’s an exciting prospective storyline, especially for Harper. It doesn’t feel like her marriage is doing so hot these days, but directing her focus to Glasser and taking him down may be just what she (and we) need.

On the rookie front, Seth and Miles are on two different trajectories, and the reversal of their roles is wild.

Remember when Seth was the sweet, endearing rookie worth rooting for and providing comedic relief, and Miles was the person everyone thought would be an issue?

Man, things have changed!

(Disney/Mike Taing)

Lucy has a hunch about Seth and won’t let it go. It makes me proud that she’s been trusting her instincts and not backing down from there.

A few seasons ago, she would have possibly let it go the second someone dismissed her thoughts. But she’s doing research and making the best calls.

The trip to Seth’s school confirmed that he lied about the two girlfriends and their different incidents. He wasn’t dating either of these girls, and it’s alarming for him to lie about that particular aspect of the story.

It makes you wonder about him in a romantic sense and how he views and engages with women. Seth may not be a serial killer, but there’s something concerning about him.

He admitted that he lied whenever he got in trouble and that it was something he had been working on. He seemed genuine about that, but it doesn’t matter.

(Disney/Carlos Lopez-Calleja)

If he’s a pathological liar regarding the most random things in his personal life, it’s concerning that he resorts to that on the job and in the field.

Lucy is right about the concerns that may arise, and her assessment that he should not be a cop was reasonable and sound, given what she learned.

But Seth may have thwarted her with the cancer mention.

Now, we have to wonder if Seth really has cancer, or is that something he lied about when he realized that Lucy could say something and end his career?

The station already has poured a lot into the rookies, and they won’t want to backtrack on that.

(Disney/Carlos Lopez-Calleja)

However, on top of that, they wouldn’t want to get rid of a sick person and risk a lawsuit or something.

Seth is sticking around, but he’s lying about the cancer, right?

And Miles is lying about how happy he is with Camille.

Bradford razzing him about long-distance relationships was especially amusing since Rachel’s return. He must still be in his feelings about how that played out.

Meanwhile, Miles and Luna flirting and chatting it up was the cutest. Miles is such a charming guy; it’s difficult not to get sucked up in his charm.

(Disney/Mike Taing)

It sounds like he and Camilla have been together for most of his life, and he’s grateful that she stuck by him through his toughest moments when his football career blew up.

He’s grateful for her, but is that all there is to that relationship? He spoke so highly about her that their narrative as high school sweethearts was endearing.

But his facial reaction when he hugged her after her surprise move to L.A. was telling a million unsaid stories, and I want all the information.

It seems like Miles is still with her because he feels like he’s supposed to be, not that he wants it or even still loves her romantically.

After that glimpse into his personal life, a girl needs more!

Over to you, Rookie Fanatics.

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