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The Rookie Round Table: Is the Series Relying Too Heavily on Former Villains?

Tim and Lucy played ball, Nolan and Celina uncovered bodies in a wall!

Also, Bailey got taken, and an old villain returned to The Rookie Season 5 Episode 11.

Our TV Fanatics, Jasmine, Denis, and Christine, debate Elijah's return, the existence of evil, whether Bailey and Nolan are worth rooting for or are simply comedic filler, and more.

The Rookie Round Table
(Courtesy of ABC)

Elijah is back! Rate your excitement from 1 (please make him go away) to 10 (I couldn't be happier to see him return).

Jasmine: I'll give it an even five because it depends on how they handle things.

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I love Brandon Jay McLaren in anything. He was a pretty good villain here.

However, I'm also tired of The Rookie relying so heavily on their signature villains and never knowing when to call it quits with them.

Despite how amazing she was to watch, Rosalind overstayed her welcome, and Elijah is in a similar boat. Must everything go back to Elijah?

When we reach the point where there's no real excitement about seeing a returning face, perhaps it's time to wrap things up. Elijah is a real thorn in Wesley and Angela's side, so we'll have to see how he challenges them this time.

Playing chess -tall  - The Rookie Season 5 Episode 7
(Netflix (Screenshot))

Denis: If we weren't limited to choosing one, I'd have gone with a zero or even a negative number. I had forgotten about Elijah and whether he was even as bad as we thought he was.

The Rookie is becoming formulaic at this point. They test the waters with a new villain hoping we hate them, and by the time they get to return them, we've moved on.

Elijah felt like that ex you don't care enough to hate but you can't quite get rid of.

Christine: I'll go with a five. We knew he was coming back eventually. He's got too much unfinished business with Wesley and Angela. But we just got rid of him a couple of episodes ago, so his return fell flat for me.

Ball Game Sweethearts  - The Rookie Season 5 Episode 11
(ABC/Raymond Liu)

How long do you think Tim and Lucy can keep their relationship a secret from their colleagues?

Jasmine: They were practically holding hands at that Little League game in front of Angela and Harper, two detectives. Thorsen already makes jokes about them. I don't foresee them keeping their relationship secret for long. It barely feels like a secret as it is.

I really appreciate Winter and O'Neil's nuanced performances because even the way Chen and Bradford interact with each other at work and in the field has changed since before they admitted their feelings.

Denis: In a department full of such great cops and detectives, not very long. It is starting to show already when they can't even get their story straight.

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The constant showing up to rescue the other person is enough of a tell, even to someone who isn't paying attention.

Christine: Is it even still a secret? Thorsen practically knows already. Angela likely knows but is giving Tim some time to tell her. I'd bet Nolan and Grey are the only ones likely in the dark about Lucy and Tim's relationship.

The real question is, at what point do they come clean with Grey, and will they be able to continue working together the way they do now?

Do you believe in evil, and if so, with which version do you agree? Angela and Thorsen appear to believe in the devil, while Tim believes evil comes from human beings with "broken brains"?

Thorsen and Bradford - tall - The Rookie Season 5 Episode 11
(ABC/Raymond Liu)

Jasmine: It's funny, while not Catholic, I grew up a Catholic school girl. Please, keep your minds out of the gutter.

But I'm also a social science geek who studied and loves Psychology and things of that nature.

I'm more of a Nyla when it comes to this. I don't particularly rule anything out. I'm content with the knowledge that there are many things about the Universe; beyond that we don't know or have the capacity to fully understand. So who am I to say what's legitimately real or not about a concept like "evil"? Both are possible.

Denis: Evil is a really complicated thing. Every one of us is capable of something evil, given the right motivation.

I don't believe in the devil-made-me-do-it kind of evil. It is an easy cop-out so that someone doesn't take responsibility for their actions.

The Handoff -tall - The Rookie Season 5 Episode 11
(ABC/Raymond Liu)

Someone not being able to explain something doesn't make it supernatural. It just means they can't explain it, which should be good enough.

We all try our best not to do evil things but can someone with no self-control be blamed for doing something awful?

Christine: I'll admit that there are things in this Universe I don't understand and can't explain, but overall, I'm with Tim on this one.

Evil is a choice, perhaps because someone's brain is "broken" in some way where they have no empathy or have a greater tendency to violence.

There are plenty of reasons for people to act evilly, but blaming a supernatural being for their actions feels like a cop-out.

Coffee with the Fiancee -tall - The Rookie Season 5 Episode 11
(ABC/Raymond Liu)

Is it realistic that Bailey allowed her senior citizen tenants to go six months without paying their rent?

Jasmine: Is anything Bailey does ever realistic? I will say this. It is probably the most realistic thing she's done thus far.

So I'll give her points for coming across as normal with this one since she wanted to avoid making waves with the senior-aged tenants she felt bad for and respected.

The one thing I took away from that storyline is that there is no way on earth I could afford to live in LA.

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Denis: It is. Bailey is a good person at her core, And who doesn't have some empathy for elder people?

Christine: Six months! Who doesn't get paid a penny of their rent for six months and does nothing about it?

Bailey could have made them a deal and lowered their rent or put them on some payment plan, but she didn't do any of that.

There's being naive, and then there's whatever Bailey is, which makes me roll my eyes so hard it hurts.

Sifting Through Mail -tall - The Rookie Season 5 Episode 11
(ABC/Raymond Liu)

Bailey and Nolan are living together and engaged, and Bailey is selling her home. Are you happy with how their relationship is progressing?

Jasmine: To put it bluntly, I don't care. I have zero investment whatsoever in this pairing.

I guess it's nice that they've been going strong for so long, and Nolan deserves that happiness.

But I can't say that I am interested in what's going on with them or their milestones. It seems they're progressing nicely, and perhaps they're on track for a wedding.

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Will we see it by the end of the season? I enjoy a good wedding regardless of who is tying the knot.

Denis: When it comes to Nolan and Bailey, those scenes barely register in my mind.

I love the scenes where they provide some comedic relief, but I'm not invested in anything beyond that. We do love love, though.

Christine: Nolan and Bailey are filler. I wish I cared as much about them as I do Tim and Lucy, Angela and Wesley, or even Nyla and James, but I just don't.

Rival Gang Case  - The Rookie Season 5 Episode 11
(ABC/Raymond Liu)

What was your favorite quote, scene, or storyline from this installment?

Jasmine: Angela and Nyla are such badasses, separately and together. I love when we spend time with them on a case. They're effortlessly good as partners, and it reminds me of how rare it is on crime procedurals to see two female detectives paired up consistently.

I love watching them work together, and they have similar dispositions but also provide a grounding quality to the show and the team.

Denis: I loved how they tried to tackle the problem of evil, although they barely scratched the surface. It is a question most of us barely think about, yet it is so important.

Pitch Perfect Bradford  - The Rookie Season 5 Episode 11
(ABC/Raymond Liu)

It is these little things about characters and their general outlook on life that make or break a show. And it's what separates deep shows and shallow shows.

Christine: I enjoyed Celina's reaction to the bodies in the wall, how Nolan gave her time to process it, and how it didn't make her back away from being a cop. If anything, she wants to know more in the hopes of handling things like this better in the future.

And I loved how Lucy had such empathy for the woman being abused by her boyfriend but then didn't hesitate to arrest both of them when the time came. She's turned into an amazing cop.

Anything else you'd like to point out, good or bad, from this episode?

Father Lopez  - The Rookie Season 5 Episode 5
(ABC/Raymond Liu)

Jasmine: Can we keep Julio Macias forever? I'm such a fan of the actor anyway. His versatility is truly underrated. But Father D is super hot and funny, and I love the dynamic between the Lopez siblings.

I also love how this show depicts how many relationships are of value when it comes to serving a community.

James adds such value to the force with his work as a community leader. Obviously, Wesley, as a lawyer, has his place, and Bailey as a firefighter has her connection to the police force as a fellow first responder.

But Father D can add that, too, as a priest.

Lovingly Caressing Bailey -tall - The Rookie Season 5 Episode 11
(ABC/Raymond Liu)

Denis: I really dug Chenford coaching little league.

It is a kind of foreshadowing of what their relationship — if it progresses to marriage — will be like. I'm here for it.

I also loved seeing the hot priest. It is always fun seeing other characters get their mind blown by how hot he is. Someone give us the hot priest spinoff. Please?

Christine: I loved how Lucy realized Tim was overcompensating by being the nice coach because of his experience with his father and that she stepped in to ensure the kids learned something in a healthy environment.

Tim's Favorite Ladies -tall - The Rookie Season 5 Episode 11
(ABC/Raymond Liu)

It was a glimpse at how these two might handle having their own kids one day.

But did you see how they were basically holding hands while watching the game?

It's good that Nyla and Angela were babysitting that fugitive, or else Lucy and Tim's secret would have been blown.

Now it's your turn, TV Fanatics! Hit that SHOW COMMENTS button below to share your answers to our round table questions. And don't forget to check out Jasmine's The Rookie review.

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