While criminals and serial killers appear in every episode of procedurals, only some of them stand out. That's why fans appreciate The Rookie so much. Corny yet sweet John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) may be the main character, and he may be surrounded by equally likable characters like Lucy Chen (Melissa O'Neil), but the ABC series has some excellent villains. No matter how many cases the LAPD officers solve quickly (and that happens in every episode, of course), there is always at least one bad guy waiting in the wings.
Although The Rookie season 8 won't premiere until January 2026, fans are already thinking about potential storylines and returning characters. Showrunner Alexi Hawley recently shared that one villain who viewers know and love will come back next season, and it's exciting to imagine all the story possibilities.
Oscar Will Appear Again After The Rookie Season 7 Finale & That's Great News
Fans were fully invested in Oscar Hutchinson's return in The Rookie season 7 finale, and showrunner Alexi Hawley said Oscar will appear again in The Rookie season 8. In an interview with Deadline, Hawley explained:
"We’ll definitely see him again. We can only get so many bites of the apple of him getting away, so I think we’ll see some resolution in some shape or form next year. But look, we love Matthew..."
Hawley continued:
"He was a prisoner, escaped from a prison, bus crash, and then he just popped on screen, and you’re like, oh, I want to see that guy again. Honestly, it’s the joy of network television, and doing as many episodes as we get to do. You really can develop characters and bring characters along..."
It's true that if Nolan failed to catch Oscar for good in The Rookie season 8, the show might become stale. But, based on Hawley's comments, fans can anticipate an exciting Oscar storyline next season. Since the end of The Rookie season 7 finale showed the comeback of another villain, Monica Stevens (Bridget Regan), perhaps Oscar and Monica are working together. After all, Oscar did mention Monica briefly when he was trying to kill Nolan in the desert, a scene which had the vibe of an action movie, as Hawley said in an interview.
While it would be too repetitive if Nolan and Oscar ended up in a remote location together in The Rookie season 8 finale, maybe Nolan will get a clue about Oscar's location halfway through the season. Nolan always enjoys the chance to act as a detective, and there's a great opportunity for another hilarious exchange between these two characters who hate each other and often exchange clever banter. Since Nolan's wife Bailey Nune (Jenna Dewan), wasn't part of Oscar's storyline in The Rookie season 7 finale, it would be particularly dramatic if Bailey and Nolan looked for Oscar together. Bailey is intelligent and interesting but mostly used as a side character, and she would definitely shine in a more action-packed plotline.
Oscar's Storyline Might Conclude With The Rookie Season 8
In an interview with Us Weekly, Alexi Hawley said the writers are thinking about Oscar's "end game." He said the show "can’t keep going back to the well of him escaping."
It's always entertaining when old characters come back, and many were captivated by Seth Ridley's (Patrick Keheler) return as his arc felt unfinished. But, just like it would be great to see Seth redeem himself in one more episode, Oscar's time on the show might be almost up. No matter how funny and engaging he is, it's hard to imagine this villain's story beyond The Rookie season 8. It might be time to let him go and focus on a new character so the series continues to feel fresh.
- Release Date
- October 16, 2018
- Network
- ABC
- Showrunner
- Alexi Hawley
Cast
-
Nathan FillionJohn Nolan -
Melissa O'NeilLucy Chen
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Tori Garrett, Chi-Yoon Chung, Michael Goi, Sylvain White, Lisa Demaine, Lanre Olabisi, Bill Johnson, David McWhirter, Liz Friedlander, Daniel Willis, Toa Fraser, Anne Renton, Jon Huertas, Cherie Nowlan, TK Shom, Rob Seidenglanz, Valerie Weiss, Barbara Brown, Charissa Sanjarernsuithikul, SJ Main Muñoz, Nelson McCormick, Marcus Stokes, Adam Davidson, Anna Mastro
- Writers
- Corey Miller, Bill Rinier, Zoe Cheng, Mary Trahan, Ally Seibert, Liz Alper, Nick Hurwitz, Racheal Seymour, Madeleine Coghlan, David Radcliff
- Creator(s)
- Alexi Hawley
'Yeah, It Was a Little Too Real' The Rookie Star Shares How His Return in Season 7 Episode 16 Was Supposed to Start
The Rookie season 7, episode 16, "The Return," brought back a complicated character, and the star has shared more about this episode.