The Rookieis an ABC police procedural that features two characters whose “slow-burn” dynamic and on-again-off-again antics make for exciting viewing, but maybe, just maybe, Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) and Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) should never reconcile. While the show features many couples, it’s Tim and Lucy’s chemistry that really energizes the story.
Tim’s a good guy who loves Lucy, but he’s haunted by a military past that earned him the nickname “The Reaper.” He watched friends die during his time as a sergeant, and feels responsible for others, wanting everyone to be okay. This ruins his relationship with Lucy — in fact, Tim dumps her, believing that the mistakes he made will damage her career.
Tim Broke Up With Lucy
Lucy May Not Trust Tim Again Because Of This
Above, Tim just makes up his mind that he’s not good for Lucy, and when she finds out that he wants to end their relationship, she’s miserable. He had his reasons, but he still broke her heart, and if he did it once, he is bound to do it again.
So, the fact that he was willing to “pull the trigger” by initiating their split is the main reason why she should stay away from him, though it’s not something it’s easy for her to do. They end things in The Rookie season 6, but after that, they still have intense chemistry.
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Lucy Has Bigger Problems Than Finally Getting Back With Tim In The Rookie Season 8
Lucy has worked so hard to get to the sergeant position in her career, and this should be the focus of season 8 instead of her romance with Tim.
Tim doesn’t dump her because he doesn’t love her. It is because he cares so much. Yet, this means that their underlying bond is still there. The sparks never stop, and in The Rookie season 7, Tim gets to a point where he can’t fight his attraction to Lucy anymore.
Lucy Wore His Necklace After Their Breakup
Lucy Never Let Go Either
In fact, in season 7, Lucy and Tim sleep together after a drama-packed gala, where she shows up wearing the necklace he gave her for Valentine’s Day. It was a romantic moment for the ages for The Rookie fans — a time when the chemistry boiled over and neither could deny its power.
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The Rookie: 10 Moments That Defined Lucy & Tim’s Chenford Relationship
The development of Tim and Lucy’s relationship has been one of The Rookie’s defining stories, and it took some time for them to actually get together.
However, a magic moment after a wild night, where Lucy attends to Tim after he is injured, calming down a rowdy, intoxicated guest, doesn’t solve everything between them. For instance, before the breakup, a military colleague of Tim’s resurfaced, and Tim broke some rules trying to handle the situation, in an attempt to protect Lucy and Lopez (Alyssa Lopez).
Tim’s mistakes meant that he had to deal with Internal Affairs, which led him to distance himself from Lucy romantically, but ultimately, as season 7 showed, he couldn’t stay away. However, she wore that necklace to get his attention — to get a rise out of him, as he was going to the gala with another woman, and that hurt her.
With Tim, it’s never simple and straightforward. Everyone calls it a slow-burning romance — something that smolders endlessly but doesn’t always burn bright. However, both characters are unable to commit to being apart, and have acted somewhat immaturely to provoke the other when they aren’t sure what they even want.
When it comes to love, it’s about the head and the heart. And what the heart wants isn’t always what’s best for a person. While Lucy may be meant for Tim, he has to put down his walls for good. The Rookie star Tim must accept his past completely before he can really commit to Lucy, or she needs to not send him signals.
The Rookie
6/10
- Release Date
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October 16, 2018
- Showrunner
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Alexi Hawley
- Directors
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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
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Corey Miller, Bill Rinier, Zoe Cheng, Mary Trahan, Ally Seibert, Liz Alper, Nick Hurwitz, Racheal Seymour, Madeleine Coghlan, David Radcliff
