The Rookie has introduced many beloved (and despised) characters over the years, but some are better left in the past as the series looks ahead to its eighth season. From love interests to family members and everyone in between, the ABC cop show hasn't always picked the right people to bring back or focus on. Meanwhile, more worthy figures have been wrongfully ignored.
Some characters in The Rookie are fun and interesting at first. However, there often comes a point when the police procedural overuses them, resulting in them becoming boring, making the audience wonder why they ever came back. This very exact, disappointing development happened not once or twice, but three times in season 7. Hopefully, The Rookie won't make the same mistake again.
Rachel Hall
Played By Jasmine Mathews
Jasmine Mathews as Rachel Hall in The Rookie season 7, episode 3
Jasmine Mathew's Rachel Hall served as Tim Bradford's love interest in The Rookie season 2 (and therefore an obstacle to Chenford getting together). She was also Lucy Chen's friend, who introduced the two. While Rachel certainly wasn't the most intriguing or complex character, she served her purpose in season 2. So, it didn't make much sense for her to return in season 7.
Rachel was moving to New York and breaking up with Tim the last time we last saw her. Their split wasn't too heartbreaking because they weren't madly in love, and their breakup was one step closer to Chenford becoming a couple. As such, it was easy to forget about Rachel. Then, she moved back to LA five years later and had a mental breakdown.
Rachel's storyline in The Rookie season 7 felt completely random and irrelevant to the current state of the ABC series. It did little to benefit Lucy's own arc, nor did it push Tim and Lucy back together. So, after Rachel's unnecessary appearance in The Rookie season 7, it wouldn't be wise to bring her back again.
Doug Stanton
Played By Brandon Routh
While Doug Stanton's story was an important one, we'd rather not see this corrupt cop again in The Rookie. Doug, played by Brandon Routh, was downright awful (the understatement of the year). It was uncomfortable watching him torment Jackson West and abuse his power as a police officer, which was the point, but that doesn't mean the series should bring Doug back.
Plus, given how controversial Doug's storyline in The Rookie season 3 was, ABC and the producers likely don't want to risk showing his face again. The series would just risk angering a portion of its fanbase by bringing Routh's character back. Because of this danger, Doug is best left in the past.
Chris Sanford
Played By Kanoa Goo
Chris Sanford & Lucy Chen from The Rookie sitting in a conference room in front of a laptop.
Chris Sanford was the last love interest standing in the way of Tim and Lucy getting together in The Rookie, and once Lucy broke up with him, there was no need to bring him back. Chris, portrayed by Kanoa Goo, didn't even have much chemistry with Lucy. He just served as a nuisance to fans rooting for Chenford.
However, Chris was seemingly an innocent lawyer who worked on Lucy's case and got the song stuck in his head after watching the videos of her in the barrel. Unless that's not the case (and it seems much too late to turn him into a villain now), Chris has no business returning to The Rookie. He's just not relevant enough.
Isabel Bradford
Played By Mircea Monroe
Essentially, The Rookie shouldn't bring back any of Tim and Lucy's past love interests. The only reason for them to return would be to put a wedge between them, and that would simply be the most frustrating way to keep Tim and Lucy apart. As a result, we don't need to see Mircea Monroe's Isabel Bradford again.
The Rookie has already brought closure to Tim's ex-wife's story and the former couple's relationship. It wouldn't make sense for Isabel to re-enter Tim's life, especially if her return would only be a way to introduce a new conflict for Tim and Lucy. There's just no need for it, and it would be irritating beyond belief.
Played By Madeleine Coghlan
Madeleine Coglhan as Abigail in The Rookie season 7, episode 15
Madeleine Coghlan's Abigail Tierney, John Nolan's almost daughter-in-law, isn't exactly the most memorable Rookie character. She was Henry Nolan's fiancée and an aspiring cop (until she realized her past arson felony would prohibit her from joining law enforcement). So, Abigail was mostly tied to Henry, and that was fine, until they broke up.
Their split came out of left field, and the way the ABC series unveiled the news to viewers was quite bizarre. Coghlan reprised her role as Abigail in The Rookie season 7, episode 15, one of the show's dreaded true crime documentary episodes. The hour revealed that Abigail was no longer engaged to Henry and that she had moved on to filmmaking.
Ultimately, Abigail's return served as one of The Rookie's lowest-rated episodes. Its case was convoluted, Tim and Lucy's development during the hour was frustrating, and Abigail's return seemed unnecessary. Consequently, there's no need to see Abigail again in future episodes of The Rookie.
Seth Ridley
Played By Patrick Keleher
Seth Ridley in The Rookie season 7, episode 16
Lucy soon discovered that her first-ever rookie was a pathological liar. From then on, Seth was simply a nuisance. It was only a matter of time before his lies caught up to him, and he would have to face the consequences. He ultimately did, but Seth returned in season 7, episode 16 for a second chance.
Seth sort of redeemed himself when he took a bullet for Nolan (which cost him his leg). The Rookie didn't put in enough work for viewers to suddenly like Seth, though, and it honestly seems like a waste of time to try again. It would just be for the best for the cop show to move on from Seth.
Skip Tracer Randy
Played By Flula Borg
Flula Borg as Skip Tracer Randy Spitz in The Rookie
At first, Skip Tracer Randy was a delightful, fan-favorite character in The Rookie. After all, how could anyone hate Flula Borg? However, there is only so much of Skip Tracer Randy that one can take. It's time for the show to move on from him, especially after his highly forgettable return in The Rookie season 7, episode 17.
Tom Bradford
Played By James Remar
James Remar as Tom Bradford and Eric Winter as Tim Bradford in The Rookie season 4, episode 9
James Remar's Tom Bradford, Tim's father, only appeared in one episode of The Rookie, and that was enough. Tim got the closure he needed from Tom, and that's that. He's a horrible man who doesn't have to be mentioned or seen again, even if and when he dies (which is inevitable, given how sick he was in season 4).
Tim has said his peace to his dad and moved on from all the hurt and abuse that the older man put him through. There's no reason to revisit this storyline, even if Tom dies. Tim's character arc in The Rookie can focus on much better, more interesting things than his fraught relationship with his father, which is all in the past.
The Rookie season 8 is set to premiere in early 2026.
