While it may seem there are more than enough doctor, firefighter, and police drama television shows out there already, I was convinced through countless clips on TikTok to try my luck with “The Rookie” on Hulu. The show follows Officer Nolan – a recently divorced dad in his 40s who decided to completely change his life by becoming a police officer. While he may be the oldest rookie in the group, he definitely has the most life experience, creating a point of comedy around his character as the show’s drama unfolds.
Nolan’s character features Mr. Roger’s nice-guy persona. Just from the first few episodes alone, viewers are left loving Nolan and the empathy he shares amongst his peers, and even the suspects he deals with on the job. However, even with the heartwarming exchanges and the occasional facepalm moments, this show is far from corny, and I found myself binging the seasons on Hulu nonstop!
Love triangles, action, drama, and comedy blend perfectly in this series, making me want to explore similar shows like “Chicago P.D.” or “Chicago Fire.” I think what makes this show the most distinct from the others, however, is that it takes place in Los Angeles and tackles many real-world issues through the lenses of the co-cast. Officer Nolan may be an older, Caucasian male, but many of the other officers are featured as very diverse individuals, allowing the show to tackle the subjects of sexism, ageism, racial discrimination, mental health, and even police brutality. The show is “woke” without coming off too “try-hard,” and I think that this is what draws me in to watch episode after episode.
I must warn you that there are a few trigger-warning moments in the show, ranging from matters as straightforward as toxic family members to much more extreme topics like kidnapping, crimes involving children, and gun violence. The show does a great job, however, at censorship. There have been little-to-no scenes that I thought to have too much gore or too explicit. Even the language gets the point across without directly changing the maturity ratings of the show, so I wouldn’t be opposed to classifying this show as a family watch!
I will also be honest and tell you that a major plot twist in the most recent season has much of the fanbase buzzing for more details. With this in mind, I implore you to start the show and get into the plot before too much excitement crosses your social media page and you find yourself looking at a spoiler! There are currently five seasons available on Hulu, and the rumor is that a sixth season is on the way! While this may make you think that you are too far behind to start the show, I strongly encourage you to hop on the Officer Nolan bandwagon regardless if you are looking for a feel-good show to watch while multitasking or just casually viewing. If Officer Nolan can change his career after twenty years and become a rRookie cop, then you can definitely start the show and catch up in time before the next season is aired. Eventually, you’ll find yourself not multitasking while watching but making the show a treat you look forward to watching. The scripted drama flows very smoothly, and the storylines of the different Los Angeles citizens across each episode make for very entertaining criminal interactions.
Photo Credit: Deadline
