Warning: spoilers are ahead for the Season 8 premiere of The Rookie, called "Czech Mate," available streaming with a Hulu subscription.
The Rookie is back with more action for John Nolan and Co. in the 2026 TV schedule, but Nolan's adventures in Europe aren't necessarily the most buzzworthy parts of the Season 8 premiere. The long-awaited romantic reunion for Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen finally happened, after the road to reconciliation included everything from truth serum reveals to a promotion. Chenford's future is looking bright, if we want to be cautiously optimistic, and creator Alexi Hawley weighed in on the journey so far.
Tim and Lucy finally hashed out their issues from the end of Season 7, when she fell asleep before she could act on Tim's romantic declarations about moving in together. Admittedly, it took some conspiring between Angela and Celina to actually get the show's ultimate will they/won't they pair to talk like Melissa O'Neil hinted, but after Lucy got some assurances that Tim won't put her through the same communication issues that broke them up the first time around, she agreed to move in with him. They ended the episode wrapped up in sheets together.
Chenford cohabitating also means Miles moving in with Celina out of a sheer need for a roof over his head. Alexi Hawley addressed whether sparks could fly between those two coworkers in the future, ruminating on the "long game" for Lucy and Tim. He told TV Guide:
At the moment, I don't see it... But, look, I didn't see Tim and Lucy as anything when I started the show. That chemistry was just sort of baked in, but I knew nothing could happen for the entirety of her rookie career, plus Tim would never take advantage like that. That was a long game [consideration].
Chenford fans may have been antsy for Tim and Lucy to get together much earlier than they did, but as Alexi Hawley said, nothing too big could happen while she was still a rookie, and the show has never been great about keeping its own timeline straight. Tim's promotion to sergeant was another complication, but Lucy earning that promotion for herself in late Season 7 should in theory have resolved some of their practical issues.
Now, though, there's a new complication. Wade agreed to work with the joint LAPD-FBI task force out of the Mid-Wilshire Station building. While that doesn't mean Richard T. Jones is being written out of The Rookie as Wade, some of the character's responsibilities will pass over to Tim.
As much as I'm on board with any development that guarantees Lucy and Tim both working the day shift (and the preview indicates that's happening), the way the scene was shot with Wade accepting new responsibilities makes me nervous that yet another power imbalance is coming to mess with the calm waters around the good ship Chenford. Hawley weighed in on how Wade's decision with affect Tim at Mid-Wilshire:
Tim's so used to being a hard-charging patrol officer, a supervisor, a training officer and all those things. What does it look like when he gets a job that's just a very different skillset? So I think we find some really interesting ways to challenge him in that job and also see him trying to adapt to a bit of a different role without taking away [who he is]. We always love to see Tim Bradford out in the streets doing his thing, so just navigating what that shakeup does for him — and for him and Lucy as they go forward — really launches the season.
That's not entirely reassuring, but I'll take it! Tim and Lucy are finally on the same page, with him promising to provide what she needs from a communicative partner. I'm hoping the twist sticks rather than unravels due to any new responsibilities with Wade shifting his focus, but only time will tell what Alexi Hawley and the rest of the Rookie team have planned for 2026. For now, check out the promo for the second episode of Season 8:
That looks to me like Tim and Lucy are both on day shift! See what's in store with the next episode of The Rookie, airing on ABC on Tuesday, January 13 at 10 p.m. ET, following the latest episode of High Potential at 9 p.m. ET. You can also catch up on any episodes so far you've missed streaming on Hulu.
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