The Rookie Season 7, Episode 17's ending confirmed a significant career moment for Melissa O'Neil's Lucy Chen that has some fans questioning if he will exit the series. O'Neil has been an integral part of The Rookie's cast since its debut, with the actress having played the character for all seven seasons.
Since joining the Mid-Wilshire precinct and becoming a police officer, one of Lucy Chen's major goals in The Rookie has been to become a Sergeant.
While she previously failed the exam, Lucy persevered and she retook it, with Season 7, Episode 17's ending revealing that she passed the test (and she was also at the top of the list).
Lieutenant Grey told her the good news that she can use her new credentials, but the twist is that she will be assigned to the night shift, meaning that she will spend less time with Tim Bradford and the rest of the core cast of characters.
Is Melissa O'Neil's Lucy Leaving The Rookie?
Amid some exit scares regarding Lucy's future, The Rookie creator Alexi Hawley first described Lucy's promotion to sergeant to ScreenRant as "one last obstacle" to the conversation that needs to happen before Tim and Lucy get back together:
"So now she’s on the night shift. For any of us who’ve done a lot of overnights, that’s really tough on your body, and it’s a tough adjustment to make, and potentially maybe it’s not the most functional crew that she’s working with. All of that to add drama and one last obstacle to the conversation that needs to happen between her and Tim now that some of the more practical obstacles are out of the way."
The Rookie producer also described Lucy's promotion as something "really earned and really sweet:"
"It was a little bit of a 'be careful what you wish for' which felt appropriate. We can never not twist something. I love that scene so much, and her vulnerability, and the way Tim took care of her and all that. To me, that’s the heart of their relationship. And then the fact that she was top of the class and all that kind of stuff was, I think, really earned and really sweet. And then, of course, you have to twist that."
Hawley's latest comment is important since it implies that Lucy will not leave anytime soon, considering it is apparent that the endgame for Lucy and Tim's characters is to be together at some point in The Rookie's future.
It is also worth noting that the actress's departure from The Rookie is not likely at this point since her relationship storyline with Eric Winter's Tim Bradford is an interesting aspect of the series.
This means O'Neil will not likely join previous characters who exited the series, such as Titus Makin's Jackson West, Tru Valentino's Aaron Thorsen, and most recently, Patrick Keleher's Seth Ridley.
Fans can recall that Lucy Chen and Tim Bradford broke up in The Rookie Season 6, but the pair did have some fun in Season 7 after hooking up several times (read more about a recap of Tim and Lucy's relationship timeline in The Rookie).
Given that ABC has already renewed The Rookie for Season 8, more exploration of Lucy and Tim's will-they-won't-they dynamic could be in the cards as the show progresses through their potential reconciliation.
The Rookie is ABC's police procedural action drama series that follows the personal and professional lives of rookies and officers of the LAPD's Mid-Wilshire precinct. The show boasts an incredible cast led by Nathan Fillion, Melissa O'Neil, Lisseth Chavez, Eric Winter, Jenna Dewan, Shawn Ashmore, Alyssa Diaz, Mekia Cox, and Richard T. Jones.
Will Lucy & Tim Get Back Together in The Rookie Season 8?
Lucy and Tim's relationship has been one of the biggest question marks in The Rookie, mainly because they can't technically be together due to their respective ranks within the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
Now that Lucy has been promoted to sergeant, the night shift assignment that is serving as the pair's new obstacle might be easier for them to overcome, but it will still take some time.
Adjusting to different schedules might be hard initially, but taking the necessary steps to ensure proper communication is key. At the end of the day, it all boils down to how much Lucy and Tim like each other to make it all work.
