For the past several seasons of The Rookie, a happy ending for Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen was never easy to achieve. In fact, each time they achieved one, there was always something that got in the way. Season 8 finale was no different. Tim (played by Eric Winter) proposed to Lucy (played by Melissa O’Neil) at the edge of a beach. After several seconds of looking like the series was going to allow its most popular couple to be happy, two attackers from war criminal Heath Everett (played by Jeffrey Vincent Parise) took both Tim and Lucy captive.
I find it hard to believe how perfectly this describes Chenford. I am sure everyone who has been following Chenford over the past few years understands the way things go right when it seems like everything is going well, then something goes wrong. This time, the newly engaged couple are in the hands of people who want them killed. As far as we can tell, the wait for what will happen next is going to be very long. For a series that is based on being an action-packed cop show, the cliffhanger makes complete sense. However, I believe that the cliffhanger hits harder when you think about how many times the audience has waited for Chenford to get together finally.
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How We Got Here
To comprehend the reason why the above-mentioned cliffhanger has been so painful for viewers, you must first examine how the couple’s relationship began. It took Tim and Lucy until the latter part of Season 5 to become romantically involved after several seasons of slow-burning tension that developed throughout the early portions of the series. The relationship was short-lived. In Season 6, Episode 6, titled “Secrets and Lies,” Tim broke off the relationship with Lucy following the Ray Watkins (David Dastmalchian) incident. He feared that continuing to be involved with Lucy would negatively impact her career. Therefore, he chose to protect her by pushing her away, which is a perfect illustration of an individual who makes a choice on behalf of someone else and then claims it was done out of kindness.
What followed was a lengthy period of the old are they going to be together scenario. Viewers spent the remaining part of Season 6 and most of Season 7 waiting for the couple to get back together. The situation felt very similar to Ross and Rachel on Friends. You knew exactly how the story would end, yet the show continued to put up barriers. A good slow burn is always exciting; however, this particular slow burn lasted too long and became tedious.
Tim Efforts to Grow
The seventh season, however, provided direction to this situation. Tim began attending group therapy and making efforts to become more emotionally available, which was a significant development for a character that has spent so many years hiding behind a tough exterior. His ultimate objective was straightforward – to mend the damage he caused to Lucy.
Eventually, the couple confessed that they were still in love and began a covert, deceitful relationship. In the meantime, however, all of their friends could see what would happen next. There was no question among any of the people surrounding them as to whether or not these two should be together; the audience was right on top of this.
The finale was emotionally draining for many of us.
All of that led up to the Season 7 finale, “The Good, the Bad, and the Oscar.” Tim told Lucy how much he loved her and asked her to officially be his girlfriend again and move into an apartment with him. It seemed as though it was going to be the climax of the season. However, Lucy was asleep during the entire conversation because she was so exhausted from working her first-ever night shift.
The way the writers used this scene to play for laughs was a great idea. However, when viewed as part of the overall story arc, it felt like a mean trick (bait-and-switch) to use the emotions of the viewer. The scene was also used as a small-scale example of what happened throughout the entire show—a brief moment of hope, followed by the harsh truth. Many viewers left feeling upset, and I can understand why.
Season 8 Got it Right
Fortunately, the Season 8 opener, Czech Mate, was able to turn things around quickly. Friends acted as go-betweens and forced Tim and Lucy into that adult conversation which they had avoided. The outcome was very positive. They had an open and honest talk as adults who hold respect for one another, and ultimately came to the conclusion that they should give their relationship another chance and cohabit.
I think it’s important to recognize how intelligent that move was. The writers realized that they couldn’t try to pull the same fast one over on the viewers again. Resolving the conflict in the first episode of the season allowed the show to demonstrate something it hasn’t typically demonstrated- Tim and Lucy actually living together. This time period reinforced the idea that Tim and Lucy work best as a team rather than separately. Their relationship ceased to be a mystery that needed solving and began to be integrated into the daily flow of the series. Therefore, they began to appear to the viewer as a real-life couple.
What This Means For Season 9
This is why the kidnapping of the final episode hurts. At the time when the stars were beginning to align, there was yet another problem that arose. The extended period of time off from television for The Rookie is also making this worse, since fans will have to wait for many months before finding out what happened after the cliffhanger.
The ninth season has to handle the aftermath. Tim and Lucy, who are engaged but still captives, will need to fight for their survival. Fans hope that the story wraps up the abduction quickly so that Tim and Lucy can get back on track instead of having to wait for several more years to be reunited. Fans have spent many years waiting for Tim and Lucy to be reunited due to various circumstances; if they have to wait for another long period of time to be reunited, fans may lose patience.
There is a good side, though. When Tim and Lucy were initially separated, they were in a much different position than where they are now. They have discussed their issues, lived together, and decided upon one another. As a result, they are dealing with risk as a single entity and not as two individuals who can do nothing because they cannot agree on anything. That could provide some of the best moments on the show: a couple that has complete faith in each other and works together under pressure.
That’s a good place to begin for a show that has established itself as an action-oriented program that delivers emotionally satisfying endings. The writers have the difficult job of providing the exciting moments but not using the same trickery that was used before. If they can accomplish this, Chenford’s long journey could finally lead to something rewarding. On the other hand, if they fail, the audience will be left with a similar type of frustration.
I will create a Word document with this information so that you may use it as a reference for yourself or others.
