WhileThe Rookieseason 7 had some highs, its lows outnumbered them, but the good news is that all hope isn’t lost when it comes to police procedurals. During the earlyseasons ofThe Rookie, the series was fantastic. There’s a reason why it’s still on the air seven years later, after all. But somewhere along the way, it lost its magic.
PerhapsThe Rookiewill turn things around in season 8 and recapture what made it so good in the first place. Or it could continue in its downward spiral. We won’t know until season 8 premieres. Until then, fans could rewatch some ofThe Rookie’s best episodes. Or they cancheck out ABC’s new show that will restore their faith in police procedurals.
The Rookie Season 7 Was A Flop
Season 7 Couldn’t Redeem The Police Procedural Series
Season 7 had potential at the start. Yes, the way thatThe Rookiewrote out Aaron Thorsenwas disappointing, but some of the cases of the week were quite entertaining, and the ABC TV show introduced a couple of intriguing villains. The newbies — Miles Penn and Seth Ridley — were even interesting. However, things quickly went downhill after the midseason finale.
The Rookieseason 7, episode 8, “Wildfire,” was undoubtedly one of the crime drama’s best episodes. It contained high stakes, thrilling storylines that all seemed to intersect, and a shocking ending that left viewers wanting to see what happened next. After “Wildfire,” though,The Rookieseason 7 experienced a frustrating decline that even the midseason finale couldn’t redeem.
ABC renewedThe Rookiefor an eighth season, which is being held for midseason and will contain 18 episodes. It is expected to air weekly with little to no interruptions, barring any presidential addresses or other unavoidable hindrances.
The following episodes failed to deliver memorable plotlines and made big mistakes concerning a handful of characters and their arcs. For example,The Rookieseason 7 mishandled Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen’s romantic reunion.They were the very definition of “hot and cold.” Tim and Lucy would hook up and then go back to normal like nothing happened.
The Rookieseason 7 endedwithout Tim and Lucy getting back together. We didn’t even get to see them have a real discussion about their breakup and their relationship status. So,that was disappointing, as was Monica’s return.Her villain arc has been drawn out for way too long, and her appearance in the finale wasn’t surprising (even though it was meant to be).
High Potential Is The Rookie’s Perfect Replacement
ABC’s New Show Was A Hit During Its 1st Season
Overall,The Rookieseason 7 was a disappointment. On the other hand,ABC’s police procedural seriesHigh Potentialseason 1 was a smash hit,and for good reason. The network’s new show received praise from critics and audiences alike, which is why it scored an early season 2 renewal and why it serves as the perfect cure forThe Rookieblues.
High PotentialsurpassesThe Rookieseason 7 in many ways. For starters,it’s a fresh and exciting take on the police procedural genre,while still embracing all of its classic qualities. It has Kaitlin Olson, who was born to be a leading lady. Plus,High Potentialseason 1’s caseswere captivating, and it has a well-executed mystery that hangs over the entire series.
Unfortunately,the Emmys snubbedHighPotentialandOlson, even though they surely deserved at least a nomination.High Potentialbroke records and was one of the most-watched network TV shows of the 2024-2025 season, after all. Nevertheless, the ABC police procedural TV series was an overwhelming success during its first season, and it could teachThe Rookiea thing or two.
What The Rookie Can Learn From High Potential
The Rookie Can Redeem Itself In Season 8
By seeing how much of a triumphHigh Potentialwas during its first season, maybeThe Rookiecan take what worked in the newer series and apply it to season 8. Of course, not everything that happened inHigh Potentialseason 1’s 13 episodescan apply toThe Rookie. However, the Kaitlin Olson-led show contains various qualities that the older series can replicate.
For starters,High Potentialmasterfully developed its overarching mystery(Morgan’s ex-husband’s disappearance more than a decade prior) over the course of its first season. It was teased in the pilot, then slowly but surely gained new ground as the season went on. By the time theHigh Potentialseason 1 finale came around, the audience was dying to learn more (and they did).
The ABC crime drama ended on a couple of suspenseful cliffhangers as a result. Meanwhile,The Rookieseason 7 finaleended with a whimper, not a bang. Monica’s predictable entrance did very little to leave viewers wanting more. So,The Rookiewould be wise to study not onlyHigh Potential’s big mystery,but also its “cases of the week.”
High Potentialalso had great character growth and relationship development, and season 1 only contained 13 episodes. From Morgan and Karadec’s dynamic to Morgan’s relationship with her children, everything was enticing to watch. At the end of the day, characters and their stories are the most important parts of TV shows, andThe Rookiemust keep that in mind for season 8.
High Potentialseason 2 premieres on Tuesday, September 16, at 10 pm ET on ABC. Meanwhile,The Rookieseason 8 won’t premiere until early 2026.
