Not sure if The Rookie Season 4 Episode 3 was enjoyable or confusing! This episode left us a lot to think about, is there truly a serial killer on the loose?
Lopez’s research near the end of the episode was undoubtedly enjoyable and was a good cliffhanger! However, the only critique is how you will bring this complex case in without truly showing what happened after Guatemala?
It still feels like a mystery if La Fiera is truly dead or not, and it is a surprise that the show has not hinted at at least once. Perhaps she is dead for real?
We started with Nolan and Chen idiotically running into the structure fire they were responding to. It’s embarrassing that the showrunners thought this was a good idea considering all the logistics that went wrong?
It would be best if you never kicked down a door of a structure fire nor waltz in with none of the protective gear on your body. But, unfortunately, the firefighters were quite literally moments away, and Nolan and Chen wanted to play the hero instead.
The one good thing about this situation was Bailey ripping into those two and speaking on how they didn’t know what they were breathing in.
Later on, Nolan asks Bailey’s opinion on what the fire could’ve been, and it’s a surprise she didn’t tell him to mind his own business! But, of course, after being as idiotic as Nolan, it would be easy as hell to refuse to answer his questions!
Bailey answers by saying she could smell accelerant, so it was arson. However, even if it wasn’t a smell, it seems reputable to assume it’s arson by the suspicious circumstances surrounding the fire.
I still smell like fire after a 30-minute shower!
Nolan
Chenford had some hilarious banter in between the severe tones of this episode which was nice. It broke up the serious moments and reminded you of the heart of the show!
Nolan and Chen investigating together really made the episode; it was tiring seeing Harper berate Thorsen repeatedly.
As was said in the review for The Rookie Season 4 Episode 2, there comes the point where Harper’s tough love becomes workplace bullying. But, of course, it’s not supposed to be taken this way in the show, though for some reason, it never sat right as a viewer.
It feels unprofessional of Harper to create a faux situation for Thorsen to be worried about, despite being wrong that he answered a personal call in the work cruiser. Sometimes, it feels like a talk would be more effective than borderline hazing procedures.
The most intense plot of the entire episode was Elijah versus Wesley. How far is Wesley willing to go to protect his family? He made the promise in The Rookie Season 4 Episode 1, though it seemed as if Wesley was having a hard time following through.
Elijah: The only thing worse than stealing in my books is lying.
Wesley: Yet you make a living stealing and lying?
Elijah: What can I say? I’m a walking contradiction.
The hacking of Jack’s baby monitors was frightening though realistic — Wesley got himself into this mess to protect Jack and Lopez; why wouldn’t Elijah use it as leverage!
Seeing the tasks Elijah puts Wesley up to is interesting, especially considering how the team is involved directly with both of them. The moral conflict of Wesley protecting his oath versus protecting his family is a challenging dynamic that the show handles well.
The lines are blurred between Thorsen and Harper’s professional relationship at times. For example, they had us thinking that Thorsen was about to accompany Harper to the restaurant, only to make an awkward situation for Harper instead.
It seems as if the show was leaning towards an opening to have the new rookie and his supervisor together, though chickened out at the last minute and had James return.
Thorsen: Is that your boyfriend?
Harper: I was wondering if I gave off any signals for you to ask me a personal question.
Not sure how this relationship would work, considering all that is said and done between them constantly. Hell, the show can’t even get Chenford together! The slow burn is killing us all.
Back into the scenarios that had the team in shambles, the sniper exposes himself by showing off skills that could only be obtained in a military setting. Although, admittedly, the zip-line was a very cool exit on the sniper’s part.
Initially, it looked as if the shooting and the fire were both going to be connected to Elijah. If not Elijah, then the cases looked as if they would be connected in some capacity.
This was not the case. The two crimes were not related to each other; although, the shooting was directly associated with Elijah. Nevertheless, the chaos stemming from both a loose serial killer and a gang leader having a chokehold on the team’s best lawyer is almost too much to handle.
No guy who gets popped by an elite sniper is squeaky clean.
Bradford
The arson that Chen and Nolan responded to initially seemed to be put on the back burner to figure out the sniper’s identity. It feels odd that street cops are the ones doing snooping — though they also had the same team doing an under-the-table mission just a few months back.
The investigations feel more of something that detectives and the LA SWAT team are more equipped to deal with — the situation Nolan and Chen found themselves in just proved the point.
Nolan and Chen show up at this random veteran’s house with leads that mean he is potentially the sniper. So naturally, the suspect is suspicious and takes offense at the two officers asking where he was during the shooting.
He initially has an alibi but backfires on himself when he has a grenade in his pocket. It’s guaranteed that Nolan and Chen would’ve let this man go if he just showed the receipt instead of freaking out and grabbing a literal explosive.
If that isn’t incriminating, then we don’t know what else could be.
Bradford: Someone might read more into it.
Chen: ‘Cause I’m a girl and you’re a boy?
Bradford: A very handsome boy!
Wanting to play the hero again, Nolan tackles this man with a live explosive in his hand. It’s getting more and more convincing to say that it’s unsure if Nolan has a death wish or indeed wants to be the hero at this point.
As if right on cue, Chen subdues the suspect before bringing him into custody. It’s still shocking that he would rather throw a grenade at officers rather than show the receipt (fake or not) to them.
Everything wraps up with the team healing relationships (at least in Harper’s case), bantering, and Lopez leading her true-crime podcast with Nolan and Bailey as her only listeners. Although, if Lopez had one of those since she’s on maternity leave, people would listen to it.
By defending the sniper, Elijah told Wesley that he had passed his first test. It feels almost wrong to wonder how extreme Elijah’s games are going to get with Wesley.
Honestly? It’s not even like Wesley has a monetary debt or did Elijah wrong, so why is the man so hung up on tormenting him? Perhaps it’s just easy fun for him and Wesley finds himself as an easy target.
Harper: How come Bradford didn’t choose Lucy to be his Gopher?
Nolan: Dunno, but she isn’t being very adult about it.
If you haven’t already, you can watch The Rookie online and tell us all your thoughts below.
Caylynn Demings is a staff writer for TV Fanatic, who you can follow on Twitter.