While The Rookie used to be a hit, it’s been declining in quality lately. The show needs to find a strong replacement for Celina Juarez in its upcoming eighth season, or it risks continued failure. Despite a dedicated fanbase, the series hasn’t maintained the high quality it once had over its seven seasons.
Season 7 of The Rookie started strong, even including a standout episode. Unfortunately, after the midseason finale, it fell into the same patterns as Season 6, repeatedly undermining its own progress. The villains weren’t very compelling, the storylines were easy to guess, and the characters didn’t grow much. Now, the show has an opportunity to improve, and a good first step would be to replace the character of Celina.
Celina’s Rookie Status Ended In Season 7
Celina Graduated From The Program
Custom Image by Milica Djordjevic
Celina joined John Nolan as his rookie in season five of The Rookie. Despite some personality clashes, they developed a strong connection. It was bittersweet to see Celina finish the LAPD’s training program in season seven. While her graduation is a great achievement, their partnership has been one of the best parts of the show recently.
Celina is now able to patrol independently after graduating, as seen in season 7, episode 7 of The Rookie. Meanwhile, Nolan, now a Police Officer II, has trained a couple of new rookies. He briefly mentored Seth Ridley when he returned, and later gave advice to Connor Craig in episode 12, but neither of them stayed with the show for long.
With Celina moving forward with her role in The Rookie, the show needs to find someone new to train. As Nolan’s job is to guide new officers, if he’s already shared all his knowledge with Celina, Lieutenant Grey will need to assign him a new rookie for the next season.
Season 8 Likely Won’t Begin With Nolan Getting A New Rookie
All Signs Point Toward Nolan Being A Lone Wolf With No Cub
Following Celina’s departure in season 7, Nathan Fillion’s character on The Rookie didn’t get a new, long-term rookie partner, and it appears season 8 will start the same way. Showrunner Alexi Hawley hinted in an interview with Collider that there won’t be any new rookies joining Nolan at the beginning of the next season.
I can’t share any specific details about what’s coming in season 8 right now. I’m not able to reveal any spoilers, but there are definitely some surprises in store.
Hawley was cautious in his answer, but it seems likely that Nolan won’t have a new training officer at the beginning of season eight of The Rookie. He did mention a replacement might come “down the line,” hinting Nolan won’t be working alone indefinitely. Hopefully, that happens! Still, starting the season without a rookie partner for Nolan feels risky.
Despite expectations, it appears only Miles Penn will be the new rookie when The Rookie returns for its eighth season. The absence of any announcements about new cast members suggests that Nolan won’t be mentoring anyone else at the start of the season. This means Miles will face significant pressure as the show’s only new officer.
The ABC Series Is Nothing Without Its Rookies
It’s All In The Name
Throughout its run, The Rookie has consistently featured multiple new recruits. Early seasons followed Nolan, Lucy Chen, and Jackson West as they learned the ropes, and later Celina and Aaron Thorsen filled that role. More recently, Miles and Seth were the new guys. Because of this history, and the show’s name, it will feel different to have Miles as the only rookie in season eight.
He’s not the only new officer; the show always features several rookies, and it needs more than just one to work. Even though Miles is a strong character, he can’t carry the series by himself – no single person could. The role is simply too crucial, which makes sense considering the show is called The Rookie.
Miles is nearing graduation, just like Celina, so the show needs to find a new rookie quickly. While Miles could manage on his own for a few episodes, he’ll definitely need a partner soon.
It would be interesting to see Nolan mentor a new rookie besides Celina. He successfully trained both Connor and Seth in season seven, despite their different personalities, and helped them learn a lot. He’s a talented teacher and should have the opportunity to guide more officers starting their careers.
At its heart, The Rookie relies on its characters – people like Nolan, Lucy, Jackson, and Celina – to make the show special and different from other police dramas. If the writers want to ensure season 8 is successful, they need to give Nolan a compelling new storyline, similar to his connection with Celina.
Season 8 of The Rookie will premiere on ABC on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 10 p.m. Eastern Time. It will air right after the season 4 premiere of Will Trent at 8 p.m. ET and the midseason premiere of High Potential season 2 at 9 p.m. ET.
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2025-10-29 02:39