8 Seasons Later, 'The Rookie' Officially Proved That the Series Can't Just Be a Procedural Anymore

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for The Rookie Season 8, Episode 11.What began as a kooky zombie-themed storyline for last week’s episode of The Rookie, "His Name Was Martin," soon turned into a living nightmare for Sgt. Lucy Chen (Melissa O'Neil), who was almost brutally killed. Lucy's attacker, Martin, was exposed to a volatile chemical at the Westview Psychiatric Hospital, which drove him into a violent rage, and he attacked Lucy when she arrived to assist her fellow officers at the scene. In a life-or-death moment, Lucy killed Martin when he was trying to stab her with a knife, and the latest episode, "Aftermath," showcases Lucy's trauma from the incident. Much like other episodes that elevated The Rookie to new heights in Season 8, the deeper, more introspective storytelling for "Aftermath" proves The Rookie should be so much more than just an average run-of-the-mill procedural.

Melissa O'Neil Delivers One of Her Best Performances To Date in 'Aftermath'

Season 8 has truly been an amazing showcase for Melissa O'Neil as Lucy Chen, digging deeper into Lucy's identity as a police officer and exploring her character in some deeply intense situations. It really started earlier in the season with "The Red Place," where Lucy bonded with Samantha Poston (Bailey Gavulic), a victim of the deranged Satanist serial killer, Ezra Kane (David Krumholtz). That episode further examined Lucy's past trauma when she was kidnapped and nearly killed by the serial killer, Caleb Wright (Michael Cassidy), back in Season 2. The great Lucy storytelling continued in "Baja," which saw her go undercover with Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox) to bring the killer of two women to justice. That episode did a tremendous job delving deeper into why Lucy joined the LAPD in the first place and the reason she deviated from the path her parents set. However, all of that genuinely pales in comparison to Lucy's dilemma in "Aftermath."

O'Neil handles Lucy's darker moments in this episode with poise and grace, exceptionally demonstrating how the incident with Martin continues to haunt Lucy as she navigates a delicate situation when Martin's sister confronts her. Additionally, O’Neil wonderfully portrays Lucy's decision to face the matter head-on, as she convinces her boyfriend, Tim Bradford (Eric Winter), that she has to tell Martin's sister the truth. The actress delivers a character-defining, all-time great line for Lucy, as she explains to Tim, "I'm trying to be a good cop and follow all the rules, but to do that, I need to be a good person first." O'Neil's excellent performance, where she meets with Martin's sister, showcases Lucy's empathy and compassion, underscoring why she's such a beloved character. Lucy's integrity and need to tell Martin’s sister the truth proved more important than her career.

'The Rookie' Has Grown Beyond Its Procedural Roots

Episodes like "Aftermath" showcase that The Rookie can no longer exist as a normal police procedural, since it's grown beyond its original parameters. Season 8 has already proven to be one of growth and change, with characters, including Lucy, moving into new careers and entering new phases in their lives. However, the unfolding eighth season also appears quite different from previous installments. Case in point, many of the cold opens in Season 8 have abandoned the use of the show's classic theme song, "Kings & Queens" by Chin Chin, especially in the more serious episodes. It's a smart choice because a peppy, upbeat tempo song like "Kings & Queens" does not vibe with an episode like "The Red Place."

"Aftermath" also shows that The Rookie has become far more serious overall in its latest season, experimenting with more intense storylines, mature subject matter, and adult themes. That's not a bad thing because the evolution is unfolding within the fabric of the show, and the actors are handling the material admirably.

'The Rookie' Should Continue Moving Outside Its Comfort Zone

It's great to see funny episodes of The Rookie where John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and the Mid-Wilshire division deal with kooky cases and comedic suspects that look like they could also fit in well with an episode of Police Squad! or Sledgehammer. However, series creator and showrunner Alexi Hawley shifting the series out of its comfort zone in Season 8 allows the series to naturally evolve and avoid complacency. In Season 7, The Rookie suffered from a lack of strong, intimidating villains. Now, the Liam Glasser (Seth Gabel) subplot features some genuine bite and menace, and the character is growing into a legitimate threat.

Sometimes, The Rookie suffers from tonal whiplash, switching things up from more comedic subplots to serious ones. With episodes like "Aftermath," the transitions from the more comedic moments to serious matters appear much more natural, thanks to the show's solid, confident writing and the veteran cast members who clearly know and understand their characters very well. Hopefully, the standard set by "Aftermath" and "The Red Place" in Season 8 will continue.