Officer John Nolan and the rest of the LAPD have weathered many storms during season 7 of The Rookie — but their problems are nowhere near over, according to Nathan Fillion.
“We’re bringing back Bridget [Regan] as Monica,” Fillion, 53, exclusively told Us Weekly, hinting that the corrupt attorney has not changed her ways.
Fillion, who plays Nolan on the ABC series, described Monica Stevens as “the terrible red-headed lawyer” who is “very sharp witted [and a] nasty lady” that Regan, 43, “plays so very, very well.”
The actor revealed that Monica won’t be the only villain from seasons past that the LAPD will face before season 7 wraps.
Matthew Glave will also return as Oscar Hutchinson, Fillion confirmed. “We’ve known [him] since season 2,” he said, noting Oscar “seems affable and charming and hilarious [but] don’t turn your back on him. He will literally stab it.”
Fillion warned that while Oscar has assisted the LAPD on past cases, he only does it when it “benefits him” and that won’t be the case this time around.
“That’s his guiding star. ‘How do I come out on top of this?’” Fillion told Us of Oscar’s motives. “But again, don’t be fooled. Don’t be fooled by his affable nature. He’s a jerk.”
Oscar has been a longtime foe for the LAPD, beginning with his season 1 debut where he escaped from a prison bus when it overturned in transit. During season 2, Oscar once again tried to escape custody when he was at the courthouse for a hearing. At the time, Oscar wounded attorney Wesley Evers (Shawn Ashmore).
Oscar managed to help the cops during season 2 as well after a prison riot broke out and they needed him to save the warden. Over the next four seasons, Oscar assisted the LAPD with several cases while serving his own needs and getting favors when needed.
Monica, meanwhile, joined The Rookie during season 5. She was introduced as an attorney for questionable clients and the ex-fiancé of Wesley, whom she openly hated. Throughout the series, Monica has worked with criminals that are usually at odds with the LAPD and was nearly killed on several occasions.
Monica and Oscar’s paths crossed during season 6 when she became his lawyer when he tried to sue Nolan. The two villains reconnected later that season when Monica agreed to help Oscar escape from prison — she also got Bailey Nune’s (Jenna Dewan) abusive ex-husband Jason (Steve Kazee) out of jail — in exchange for information about the man behind her own home invasion and attack that transpired during season 6.
Monica, who managed to flee capture during the season 6 finale, has stayed under the radar during season 7. Oscar has also remained on the lam, while Jason was hunted down by a hitman and killed.
“Something I actually love about long running television series is that you can introduce a character and then bring them back and have everybody be already invested in that character,” Fillion exclusively told Us, teasing the drama that’s coming later this year.
Mekia Cox, who plays detective Nyla Harper, previously told Us that Oscar’s story line for season 7 is “fun.”
“I feel like anytime Oscar’s on screen, it’s a lot of fun,” she revealed in February, noting that Oscar is a “bad man” that is not returning to Los Angeles to help the police.
Cox, 43, explained, “This is the first time that you get to see him in a position where I think it’s been a while. There’s been a while where he’s kind of helped us. We’ve gone in and he has been there to sort of guide us. This is not the position he’s in right now.”
The Rookie airs on ABC Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.
