The Rookie Celebrates 100 Episodes with a Love Letter to its Characters

The Rookie has done what few shows do nowadays — reach 100 episodes!

With The Rookie Season 6 Episode 2, “The Hammer,” the procedural drama reaches a TV milestone and celebrates such with a love letter to its characters. Written by showrunner Alexi Hawley & Brynn Malone and directed by Hawley, “The Hammer” delivers a little bit of everything — with love leading the way.

On its 100th outing, The Rookie balances the desired nostalgia and retrospection with the propulsive storytelling required for a shortened, 10-episode season.

With John and Bailey’s wedding as the celebratory episode’s backdrop, “The Hammer” leans into the chaos surrounding the day and shines a light on the steady dynamics that keep the occasion, and The Rookie, grounded.

It’s a clever approach to the milestone, considering characters and their relationships keep people tuning into procedurals for seasons and years on end — look at Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler on the Law & Order Universe.

Watching that long-term evolution for 100 episodes is a luxury on TV.

Therefore, it’s a treat that “The Hammer” takes a beat to catch up with Luna — and to great effect — because she only appeared on three episodes of The Rookie Season 5. It’s sweet to see Wade champion her decision to finish his social work degree, and it bodes well for Luna’s more frequent appearances on the show.

Similarly, it’s the perfect occasion to catch up with ‘ships that are series staples: Wopez (Angela Lopez & Wesley Evers) and Jayla (Nyla Harper & James Murray). The uncommonly low-stakes setting holds space for silly bits about wedding attire and playlists that contribute to the believability of interpersonal relationships.

It’s refreshing that the episode pulls The Rookie out of its strict(er) case-of-the-week formula, so the characters can interact in ways they don’t usually. In turn, makeshift bachelor and bachelorette parties become rare expressions of otherwise seldom-represented dynamics.

How often does Tim Bradford share a beer with the guys and discuss his relationship with Lucy? Likewise, it’s not every day that Celina and Lucy talk about the chance of a Chenford wedding, let alone share a scene.

The Rookie Season 5 Episode 13, “Daddy Cop,” stands out in a similar sense because nearly the entire leading ensemble works together to shuffle jobs and get Tim a spot at Metro. “The Hammer” channels that sequence in the best way, including the episode’s teaser bringing back the catchy and familiar song, “Daddy Cop.”

The Rookie brings back a lot of fan-favorite characters and details for its 100th. 

Flula Borg’s Skip Tracer Randy and Meg DeLacey’s Chastity are the odd-ball pairing that gets the missing-ring plot rolling. John’s son Henry returns for the wedding. Nyla utilizes a tried-and-true staple in nicknaming Celina “Miss Cleo.” One of Chenford’s earliest champions, Angela, thrives off Tim and Lucy’s tension.

After the intensity of The Rookie‘s Season 6 premiere in its new time slot, these moments of reprieve are as comforting as they are propulsive.

For instance, Nyla’s mentorship of Celina results in critical advice about Celina’s dynamic with Aaron that will undeniably impact their arc this season. Even bringing Oscar Hutchinson back (He’s appeared in every season so far!) with Monica Stevens as his lawyer is a callback and likely a foresight.

Oscar saying, “Looking sharp,” is undoubtedly a reference to Wesley getting stabbed on The Rookie Season 2 Episode 6, “Fallout,” but Oscar’s presence brings about more long-term concerns for this season.

It’s impossible to forget that Elijah Stone and Oscar joined forces on The Rookie Season 5 Episode 12, “The Enemy Within.” It can’t be a coincidence that Monica councils the season’s mystery mastermind and represents Elijah and now Oscar.

Instead of answering those questions, “The Hammer” doubles down on the characters that will make it all count in the end. So, after everything that Bailey and John have been through, it is beneficial to take the time to celebrate their love — without deadly interruptions like The Rookie weddings past.

Likewise, the landmark episode rallies around Chenford, a fan-favorite couple that has come leaps and bounds over the last hundred episodes.

Even in the rose-colored haze of “The Hammer,” The Rookie doesn’t gloss over the serialized elements of Lucy and Tim’s arc this season. Instead, it brings those dramatic elements under the pressure of a fight for a ring and a lie-detector test.

The former stages a perfect shot of Tim all but actually proposing, and the latter sees Tim tell Lucy he loves her for the first time. Lucy reciprocates the confession during a dance (Chenford & dances!) set to Alicia Keys’s “If I Ain’t Got You.” All of these matter because they strengthen Chenford ahead of future discussions.

“The Hammer” never denies that there is still plenty of drama to play out on The Rookie this season. Aaron’s arc understandably looms most heavily. Still, this episode is primarily a breath of fresh air after The Rookie Season 6 Episode 1, “Strike Back.” Platonic and romantic relationships take center stage.

On The Rookie Season 6 Episode 3, “Trouble in Paradise,” the show can return to its usual form. But for a single episode, this show and its characters can (at least try to) take a break and celebrate each other.

After all, reaching 100 episodes in the current TV landscape is a rarity, so The Rookie deserves to lean into the love that helped get it this far. Here’s to 100 more!

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The Rookie airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on ABC.

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