It has been three weeks, and The Rookie’s absence has been felt.
Some major storylines felt like they had been resolved on The Rookie Season 5 Episode 17 with Elijah in prison and Abril dead.
The only remaining story is that of Celina and her mom, even though it doesn’t feel as big as the feud between Elijah and Lopez.
Once in a while, The Rookie breaks away from the typical procedural format and does something fun because we are dealing with some hard stuff most of the time.
Spoilers for The Rookie Season 1 Episode 18 tease a light episode as the show revisits the true crime documentary format we have seen before.
The episode will take us back to the previous season. If you watch The Rookie online, you remember that on The Rookie Season 4 Episode 22, we saw some fascinating people who were even more fascinating to Tim and Lucy.
Remember Dim and Juicy?
Dim and Juicy were characters who appeared on the show, and to everyone’s surprise, they were Tim and Lucy’s doppelgängers if the names didn’t give them away already.
The department had been tracking some drugs, and they found their way into the organization when Dim showed up. He had a connection to the drug dealers, so Tim used his identity to infiltrate the den.
Tim’s undercover role required he takes his girlfriend with him, and you wouldn’t guess who Dim’s girlfriend looked like. Did you guess already? Yes, it’s Lucy.
Lucy joined Tim on the mission, and together they played a couple.
That was a significant moment for Chenford because they got to taste each other’s lips when they shared a kiss.
Since the role demanded they act as a couple, it was only fair that they go all the way, right? So, they practiced making out, and they liked it.
After the mission ended, Tim and Lucy were left dealing with their feelings for each other while Dim and Juicy went on their merry way. Or did they?
In this episode, Dim goes missing.
One can assume that after the events of The Rookie Season 4 Episode 22, Dim and Juicy might have gotten an itch to help law enforcement because when Dim goes missing, the CIA joins in his search.
The whole Dim-Juicy affair was a huge thing for Chen and Bradford.
Taking action when you like someone is hard, and some people wish they could be someone else, test the waters, and see how they like it.
Going undercover as Dim and Juicy allowed Tim and Lucy to explore their feelings for each other without the added baggage their real selves came with.
They could kiss and hate it and leave that behind because they could blame it on the undercover assignment. If they liked it, then there was the confirmation they needed to pursue it.
One can’t blame them if they have a soft spot for Dim and Juicy.
To help find Dim, they now go undercover again. One can see them in their respective roles when going undercover in the promo images.
The promo video teased a true crime documentary style, with everyone narrating something about the time Tim died.
Due to the nature of the overarching storytelling styles, Chenford’s undercover in Season 4 and Dim’s current disappearance and the efforts to find him may be the backstory of the interviews.
Let’s get this out the way: Tim cannot be dead.
In the promo, Thorsen calls in a body and identifies it as Tim’s, but Tim and Dim look similar, so he must be mistaken.
It is possible he sees Dim’s body and thinks it’s Tim. He might even be mistaken about the “death.”
In true crime, there is always a puzzle to be solved, and it appears that we might be in for one.
Normally, Sergeant Grey tries not to indulge in his subordinates’ games and puts on a serious face.
It appears that this time, he has fallen for it.
In the promo images, he can be seen surrounded by the team as they applaud him. He might have figured out how Dim disappeared and who is responsible.
Apart from Tim and Lucy going undercover, the rest of the episode will be light, with everyone putting their best comedic foot forward because who doesn’t want to look charming on TV?
It will be a fun-filled episode if the promo images are any indication because I have never seen that many beautiful smiles in one show.
The Rookie has had a few cameos throughout its run, the latest being Kelly Clarkson at the beginning of this season.
The 90s and 2000s superstar and NYSNC member Lance Bass guest stars as himself.
It is unclear how his cameo will be approached, but this being the LAPD, anyone can walk in through its doors, and why not Lance Bass?
After this episode, we expect the show to hit the ground running as it heads for the season finale.
Filming for the current season was completed, so the remainder of the episodes in the season will be about resolving some hanging narratives and setting up the sixth season’s storyline.
What are you most excited about in the episode? Are you ready to meet Dim and Juicy again? Some more Chenford undercover shenanigans?
Were you obsessed with NYSNC and are looking forward to Lance’s cameo?
Let us know in the comments section.
Denis Kimathi is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He has watched more dramas and comedies than he cares to remember. Catch him on social media obsessing over [excellent] past, current, and upcoming shows or going off about the politics of representation on TV. Follow him on Twitter.