John Nolan has come a long way on The Rookie, but his recent actions show that he still has a lot to learn and that he should face major repercussions. Played by Nathan Fillion, Nolan is no longer the titular figure among The Rookie season 7’s cast of characters. Instead, he has forgone countless other career paths to become a well-liked training officer in his own right. However, that didn’t stop him from making some extremely poor, reckless, and downright frustrating decisions in The Rookie season 7, episode 3, “Out of Pocket.”
Throughout the latest episode of The Rookie, Nolan continued to fret about the safety of his wife, Bailey (Jenna Dewan) ahead of her season 7 return. That worry translated into fitting their home with an elaborate security system and trying to track down a renowned assassin who was also after Bailey’s dangerous ex-husband. Both turned out to be massive mistakes. Where the former security system was played for laughs, more alarming was his encounter with the aforementioned assassin. It ended up being a situation for which Nolan should face severe consequences rather than be glossed over like it was.
Nolan Made Rookie Mistakes In Season 7, Episode 3 But Even Worse
Nolan Still Has A Lot To Learn On The Rookie, Especially As A Training Officer
In the wake of Aaron Thorsen’s poorly-handled exit in The Rookie season 7, two new “boots” joined the ranks of the LAPD. They came in the form of Seth and Miles, who were assigned to Lucy and Tim, respectively. Their training hit a huge stumbling block in The Rookie season 7, episode 3, “Out of Pocket,” however, when Seth and Miles defied orders and rushed into a hostage situation. Though the case had a happy ending, Seth and Miles received a severe dressing down from their superiors, and it was only by pure luck they weren’t fired.
That made it all the more damning when Nolan did the same thing later in the episode. After a tip from Smitty, Nolan was able to track the assassin and corner him without backup. The situation escalated into a stand-off which saw a hostage taken. Unlike season 7’s Aaron replacements Seth and Miles, Nolan’s situation ended a lot worse. The hostage ended up shot and fighting for his life, while the assassin escaped. It was a frustrating turn of events, especially since, as a training officer now, Nolan should be leading by example.
Why Nolan Needs To Deal With The Consequences Of His Errors In The Rookie
Tim Bradford And The Latest Batch Of Rookies Were Punished For Similar Acts
The only reason Seth and Miles weren’t fired was because of how public their hostage rescue was. Given that the corruption scandal was still raging, the LAPD decided it would be positive publicity. Regardless, they were made to write lines saying “I will not go rogue” and it was stated just how thin the ice they were skating on was. That fact will no doubt be reflected in Lucy and Tim giving them short shrift while on future patrols. Tim, especially, knows of the consequences of going rogue, having been demoted for it in The Rookie season 6.
When it came to Nolan, however, the scenario he’d ended up in was treated as one to rescue him from. His friends and colleagues focused on him potentially being in danger and ignored that it was a position he himself had created. Though Nolan managed to keep the wounded man alive, it wouldn’t have happened had Nolan just followed protocol. Now that civilian is likely traumatized, and a dangerous killer has walked away scot-free.
If the show wants to remain consistent, then The Rookie should rectify that lack of consequence soon, as they did with Miles, Seth, and Tim.
Despite all of that, there was no reprimand or consequences to be found, in what can only be described as a bad case of main character syndrome. Instead, things shifted back to the comedy storyline and even rewarded him with the early return of Bailey Nune’s character. Even instinctively interfering in Celina’s plain clothes day came with more punishment, as Celina firmly enlightened him. If the show wants to remain consistent, then The Rookie should rectify that lack of consequence soon, as they did with Miles, Seth, and Tim.
How Nolan Can Rectify His Frustrating Actions
The Rookie Is Only Hurting Nolan By Not Confronting His Mistakes
Unfortunately, The Rookie season 7 has already established that Nolan is privy to special treatment following the events of episode 3, which isn’t doing him any favors with the audience. Lieutenant Grey did not remark on the matter, and neither did anybody else. They simply ignored the fact that Nolan went rogue, a blunder he should never have made as a seasoned police officer with the LAPD. However, that doesn’t mean the ABC crime drama TV series can’t slightly amend the assertion that Nolan benefits from favoritism in this fictional universe.
Nolan will likely continue making the same mistakes in upcoming episodes of The Rookie season 7 as long as Jason is still on the loose. He is frantic to catch his wife’s ex-husband and throw him back in prison. Nolan’s desperation makes sense — Jason is a clear threat to both himself and Bailey, and Nathan Fillion’s character would do anything to protect his family. But he should still face the consequences of his actions. If he continues going rogue, Nolan must be punished accordingly to prove that his status as The Rookie‘s main character doesn’t excuse him from repercussions.
Hopefully, when Nolan makes his next mistake (because he is the furthest thing from perfect and will continue to mess up from time to time), Grey or his other superiors will reprimand him properly.
Lieutenant Grey was never afraid to call Nolan out on his flaws at the beginning of The Rookie. So, he shouldn’t be scared to point them out seven years later. Hopefully, when Nolan makes his next mistake (because he is the furthest thing from perfect and will continue to mess up from time to time), Grey or his other superiors will reprimand him properly.
What Comes Next For Nolan In The Rookie Season 7
Nolan Still Has To Face Jason
The good news is that this hiccup with Jason won’t ruin The Rookie couple’s marriage. If anything, it will make them stronger. While speaking to TV Insider, Nathan Fillion revealed:
“[Nolan and Bailey] are still solid going forward. There are going to be complications, there are going to be things that are problematic in their relationship as there are in all relationships. I think that’s reality. But this is something I don’t think that drives a wedge between them. I think this is something that brings them closer together.”
Once Jason is out of the picture (and Nolan stops making infuriating mistakes), Nolan and Bailey can finally circle back to their adoption plans previously teased during The Rookie season 6 finale. It’s unclear if they will dive headfirst into growing their family, or if the Jason situation makes them hesitant. Whatever the case, the Jason storyline must end soon so that Nolan’s special treatment and frustrating decisions can also conclude in The Rookie season 7.
