As long as The Rookie season 7 does these 6 things (and not this one!), it'll be a good season

The Rookie just wrapped up a shortened season 6 that had some big developments from the end of Chenford to the team handling old foe Madeline (Bridget Regan) creating a web of corruption that led to a wild finale. Season 7 won’t come until next year but does promise 18 episodes of the show’s usual drama.

That gives the writers time to craft a good season and there’s a few things needed to make it work. It can be “don’t fix what isn’t broken” yet, a few touches here and there in storytelling can help the show out. So here are a few things The Rookie can do in season 7 and one to avoid to make sure it’s another terrific season for this hit show. 

What The Rookie season 7 should do

Cut down the bigger arcs

It does sound like season 7 is going to have more standalone stories, which works better for the show. After the big arcs of Madeline’s plots and massive corruption, we need a break from such long-term storytelling. We don’t need half a season of Bailey’s ex hunting her or a cop on some long undercover job. We can take episodes with stories wrapped up in a single hour, maybe a few plotlines extending but The Rookie doesn’t need to be about one huge plot for an entire season. Less can be better in terms of storytelling for the show. 

Nolan and Bailey get a happy ending with their kid

Nolan and Bailey have both been through so much on this show, from serial killers to a honeymoon from Hell. If anyone deserves some happiness with a family, it’s them. Whether it’s Bailey going through pregnancy or the couple adopting, they should get a chance at a kid of their own. Watching Nolan adapt to being a dad at this age would be intriguing, but the fact that both want it so badly should make this a great turn for the show. 

Chenford returns

Chen and Bradford had an ugly breakup driven by Tim, who thought that it was better for both of them. They seemed set to reconcile and it just seems wrong for them to end the partnership as it’s getting going. It shouldn’t be sudden, but the feelings are still there, so a reunion seems inevitable. It’s what fans want, what the actors want, and what the characters want, so if anything gets season 7 on a great note, bringing back this couple is it. 

More The Rookie: Feds crossovers

A great highlight of the season 6 finale was bringing back several of the characters of the canceled too-soon Feds spinoff to help. We can use more of that, not every other episode, but for some big events. It’d be great to see Simone again, or at least a couple of other characters, and even one cop tempted by a possible FBI opening. It’s good to not ignore that spinoff’s existence and some more appearances can build The Rookie’s world. 

No more Monica

Yes, Bridget Regan was a blast as the evil attorney but it’s time to let her go. Having her graduate from just a “fixer” to a full-scale crime boss running these scams was a bit much. It seemed to end with her escape, although there's possibility of a return. However, the show should hold off on it for season 7, give the audience a break from Monica, and avoid the long-range plot of her revenge. We already had one twisted red-headed villain in Rosalind; we don’t need another just yet. 

Keep up the fun character dynamics

The Rookie has always excelled at the character work, and more of that is needed in season 7. We can see more of Nolan’s mentorship of Celina, Celina’s own friendship with Aaron, Wesley and Lopez’s conflicts with their jobs, and more. It’d be good for episodes to put some fun spotlights on the cops again. Maybe an episode focused on Smitty, showing how capable a cop he really is when the others don’t see it, or the annual “documentary” episode can be good. The Rookie shines thanks to the character work and keeping it up is good. 

What season 7 shouldn't do

Forget what made it so special

At the end of the day, The Rookie should remember it’s not a typical cop show. Fans don’t want a regular procedural, they want the show with the comedic cold openings, the unusual crimes, more humor and the focus on the cops as family. It doesn’t have to be all action or soap opera drama, just that offbeat mix of characters and styles that work so well. If The Rookie continues its great storytelling style, which has made it so successful, then season 7 should be another great continuation of this hit show.

The Rookie seasons 1-6 are streaming on Hulu.