My head continues to be spinning from every little thing that simply transpired.
Significantly, if The Rookie Season 6 Episode 9 did not do the rest, it might have set the stage for a positively explosive season finale.
The hour was all gasoline and no brakes. So many names had been thrown at us that it was arduous to maintain up, and with so many transferring items, it was like watching a chess championship.
Pay attention, we all know The Rookie can do season finales proper, and if this hour was any indication, we’re gearing up for one more epic one.
However as jampacked and head-spinning as this installment was, I might be remiss if I did not marvel the place this was all through the season.
The shortened seasons have been extra curse than blessing for a lot of the collection that we have come to take pleasure in. Whereas The Rookie Season 6 has some strong episodes and the solid at all times rises to the event to entertain us, one has to marvel what we have been driving in any respect season.
They have been first rate as particular person installments, however this season, the collection dropped the ball relating to any overarching plot.
We have been treading water since The Rookie Season 6 Episode 1 after we received the conclusion (if you happen to can ever correctly name it that) of the cliffhanger they left us with throughout the earlier season finale.
However we had been left with extra questions than solutions, and none had been resolved.
We transfer on to business-as-usual installments that had the season feeling formulaic and miscellaneous plot factors involving one character or one other’s private life.
However so far as leaving sufficient breadcrumbs all through the season to construct as much as a grand finale?
All we had was Blair.
Sure, all of us knew Blair was shady from the beginning, however they did not do sufficient once they confirmed her to conclude that she was an inexpensive and robust character all through the season.
Even issues with Monica and Oscar felt a bit disjointed, so by the point we received right here, it did not really feel as if we had been fed practically sufficient to guide into the finale.
Weak hyperlinks get mounted, completely. I am not the one you’ll want to be afraid of. I am your greatest shot at getting out of this alive.
Nolan [to Blair]
The case for that’s on this episode, which was jampacked with a lot that there was no room for a breather.
The frenetic power of this hour would not have wanted to be this sturdy if we had sufficient sprinkled all through the season to guide us right here. The aptly titled “The Squeeze” did simply that: squeezed a hell of quite a lot of info and setup right into a single hour.
They dropped so many names it felt like somebody was flipping by way of a Rolodex (that is like scrolling by way of your contacts and shouting random names, for these of you too younger to take pleasure in that reference).
Who’s Eric Ramsey, and why is he after Monica?
When did Christian the cash launderer turn out to be a factor? And what precisely is the cope with Monica and the unbelievable A Martinez’s character, whom we barely know?
They info-dumped a lot on us that it is an hour that may require a rewatch or three to catch all of the little particulars. I am keen to confess that to you all; I might want to see this complete episode once more.
However I am doing my greatest right here.
There ought to nonetheless be somebody above Monica within the “Large Dangerous” class, however we did not get any hints about every little thing that was occurring.
To this point, they established her because the Queenpin of a lot. She’s the one who had Blair working for her and Pearson underneath Blair’s thumb by way of blackmail.
She’s why Mad Canine took his personal life, underneath the guise of one thing greater occurring and his not with the ability to deal with the guilt of getting his colleagues killed and injured.
Lucy: To be clear, I’m nonetheless mad at you, okay? This does not change something. Tim: No, it would not. Lucy: Are you okay? Tim: I’m now.
Throughout the season premiere, Monica gave the impression to be working for somebody, however now, they’re leaning closely towards the notion that Monica is our Villain.
And to Bridget Regan’s credit score, the girl SERVED villaness so arduous!
In another situation and with another actress, her degree of villainy would’ve been cartoonish. However she was so rattling good at being so dangerous and loathsome that you just turned proper again round and loved her.
It is arduous to say when precisely they turned Monica into some hybrid of Rosalind and Elijah Stone, however they’ve, and right here we’re.
I might like to bake cookies for the wardrobe and hair division as a gesture of gratitude for dressing Monica as they did. That leather-based gown was completely fabulous and oozed Head B*tch in Cost, and people vibrant purple tresses had been organized so completely.
Every little thing about Monica exuded that she wasn’t somebody to be trifled with, and he or she was omnipotent and unstoppable.
It was positively scrumptious.
However we additionally received a glimpse of how psychotic she may be, as if we did not already get a really feel for that after how she shamelessly murdered the person who tried to kill her throughout The Rookie Season 6 Episode 8.
She was virtually gleeful over the chance to torture the opposite man who tried to kill her.
Monica’s evolution is so uncommon as a result of we do not really know when she turned a full-blown villain. In that sense, it got here out of nowhere, and processing that she’s some info dealer with everybody in her fingers and will efficiently infiltrate the LAPD has been surreal.
I can inform you how off it’s whereas nonetheless having fun with the trip.
Monica has had the higher hand for fairly a while, however our people have taken some jabs and landed these punches.
Surprisingly, contemplating that Bradford witnessed Mad Canine’s demise by suicide and confronted the potential for getting framed, they did not spend a lot time on that in any respect.
Pearson was a hardass who tipped his hat in order that he might have it out for Bradford, and the remainder of that plot consisted of the others going to bat for Bradford to clear him.
I am standing beside him 1000%. He is household.
Angela
It was primarily Nolan and Celina. Throughout this hour, Nolan was at his greatest, and he additionally had some nice, dry, however humorous strains.
He and Celina pursued their angle of working to clear Bradford’s identify and expose Pearson, and Gray knew sufficient about his individuals to entrust them with the duty.
And Smitty got here by way of together with his help in a very Smitty vogue.
The Pearson takedown was satisfying, notably when Sergeant Gray defended his individuals towards Pearson. When dad’s mad, you must be careful. Gray would not play about his work, youngsters!
And the Bradford portion did give us two vital moments that followers undoubtedly cherished.
The primary was his epic friendship with Lopez. It’s a must to love Angela and the way she’s embraced the truth that she married into cash.
She went from not being into it to flaunting the cash, energy, and status that include her connection to Wes.
It was so quintessential for Angela to supply to whisk Tim away to a non-extradition nation.
And her loyalty to him is aware of no bounds. Her adamance that he was harmless and he or she’d have his again totally was sufficient to heat the cockles of your coronary heart. They’re such ride-or-die BFF‘s.
After all, we additionally had a pleasant Chenford second. Lucy knew that Tim wasn’t responsible of something, and it was so candy when she took that second within the elevator to consolation him.
She pushed apart her justifiable anger to offer him what he—nicely, they each wanted. And if that does not really feel like a kernel of hope for Chenford, then what does?
Additionally, the elevator cease for such an endearing second felt like one thing ripped from basic Gray’s Anatomy, and I cherished it.
Bradford largely disappeared for the rest of the hour. Maybe he went offscreen to spend time with Thorsen, who was nowhere to be discovered.
However a lot of the main focus was on Monica, it wasn’t stunning.
Somebody is making an attempt to kill me, and I must know who.
Monica
Lucy Chen is such a valuable nerd. Are you able to consider something extra becoming for her than sustaining eight completely different covers?
Certain, she thought she would make detective, in order that half made sense, however she’s most likely been doing that since her detective examination debacle.
Possibly she was maintaining hope, nevertheless it was so helpful for this case.
It is at all times a blast to witness Lucy’s undercover work. She’s made for it, and Melissa O’Neil at all times exhibits off her versatility by way of the completely different identities she will get to play.
It was a pleasant factor to include, nevertheless it was a nerve-wracking place that had a couple of moments when it felt as if she’d be came upon. And there is nonetheless the likelihood that Christian will determine one thing out, and Lucy could possibly be in peril.
A lot of the aptly titled “The Squeeze” put a lot into play for the season finale.
As soon as given a deal, Blair will likely be open to spilling extra about what is going on on and who she’s working for. Lopez and Harper will lastly get one thing they’ll nail Monica for and a lot extra.
It was an thrilling hour, little question, however admittedly arduous to comply with. They threw every little thing at us without delay, and in hindsight, it highlighted how a lot they coasted this season with out doing a lot precise plot-building for the finale.
Over to you, Rookie Fanatics. Did you like this episode? What did you consider Large Dangerous Monica? Let’s hear it beneath!
The season finale of The Rookie airs Tuesday at 9/8c on ABC. You’ll be able to stream on Hulu.
Jasmine Blu is a senior workers author for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching method too many exhibits and binge-drinking method an excessive amount of tea. Her eclectic style makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for advanced characters, various illustration, dynamic duos, compelling tales, and responsible pleasures. You will positively discover her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Observe her on X.
