Often in crime shows, we see female officers are either overly hardened or are weighed down by their struggles. There is rarely a balance between their career and their personal lives. Female cops are shown as if they have forgotten to embrace their feminine side in order to succeed in their careers. Here’s what defines The Rookie and makes it different from the rest.
Lead characters such as Lucy, Celina, or Nyla aren’t just tough women who keep suppressing their emotions, but they keep embracing them and show their true strength by balancing their lives. We have seen how these female leads have followed both instincts and hearts in tough situations. It is a perfectly balanced blend of being a cop and a woman. “The Mickey” paves a path for the fans to understand how the females of the LAPD do not require saving as they are the saviors themselves.
Nyla Harper: The relationship queen
Nyla Harper played by the actor Mekia Cox is truly a depiction of a strong detective working in the LAPD. She was an undercover cop for years before she got to the precinct and became the queen we all have come to love and adore. Nyla is a tough person and she knows how to maturely handle any difficult situation before it gets escalated.
In The Rookie, Nyla and James have been facing a rift in their marriage due to career conflicts. They love each other but don’t really know how to fix things. Rather than messing up the marriage, we saw Nyla reaching out to her male friends to seek advice. This moment highlights that female empowerment isn’t about outshining men but about working together in harmony. Nyla accepts advice given to her and accepts the fact that men are driven by action rather than words and fixes her marriage.
Calm-minded cops: Lucy and Celina
In this episode, both these characters have shown their ability to lead and control the situation putting aside their personal feelings. Lucy Chen has been facing some trust issues with her new rookie but when he was in trouble, she stepped in and saved him from getting killed. This was a true display of strong decision-making by a woman. She didn’t let doubt cloud her judgment and stepped in at the right moment.
On the other hand, it was Celina’s last day as a rookie and she was faced with handling a weapon racketeering. When faced with jacked-up men, instead of confronting them head-on using muscle power, she used her brain to get out of the situation. This landed her a mark of approval from her training officer whom she truly looks up to. Celina proves that the brain is stronger than muscles and size really doesn’t matter.
The brawl between Bailey and John
We were worried that the understanding couple of Bailey and officer Nolan might come to an end during this season but fortunately, Bailey took the higher road. In the recent episode, Bailey responds to a call at the women’s shelter where she meets an independent woman named Diana. Diana helps her confront her traumas and emphasizes the importance of leaning on Nolan for support. Bailey then returns home and opens up about her past and in return, Nolan apologizes for making her feel judged and alone. The couple reconciled and now we are assured that they are going to have a strong future together.
Conclusion
The recent episode of The Rookie was one of the strongest scripts I have ever seen. The cops truly have difficult relationships due to their line of work, yet still, they can conquer everything if they lean on their partners from time to time. Being strong and independent is admirable, but true strength comes from understanding and respecting those around us.
I am hooked on this show and will be looking forward to seeing the further growth of these characters. In the comments, do let me know what you think about the views I have shared and what are your favorite moments from the show. Also, answer the question, how do you think female cops should be portrayed in TV shows?
The Rookie airs on Tuesdays at 9/8c on ABC.
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