The Rookie ended season 7 with a huge twist involving one of its biggest baddies! What does this mean for season 8?
Caution: This article contains SPOILERS for The Rookie season 7 finale
The season 7 finale of The Rookie was a pretty packed hour. Lucy got her promotion to sergeant and had to handle a night shift of cops who literally slept on the job. Luckily, she got them whipped into shape to help save Miles when his blind date ended with him being chased by a terrorist group.
Nolan finally tracked down long-time criminal foe Oscar on a bizarre treasure hunt involving a severed arm and a kid with a drone. It was a harsh fight, with Oscar managing to escape. There was also Tim proposing to Lucy…that they move in together (too bad an exhausted Chen fell asleep before she heard him).
However, that was the lead-up to the end scene. Nolan and most of the squad were called to the courthouse, where FBI agent Garza reminded them of how, in an earlier episode, a hostage crisis on a bus was all a distraction for someone to steal sensitive government files.
That same person had contacted the feds and used those files for leverage to cut a deal that got themselves immunity for any crimes. Garza didn’t like it but those secrets couldn’t be made public and so the immunity deal was made.
And that said person? None other than the team’s old foe, criminal attorney (in every sense of the term) Monica (Bridget Regan), who literally walked free, throwing the gang a wicked smile of triumph.
What does the Monica twist mean for The Rookie season 8?
Aside from a brief cameo in that earlier episode, Monica has been absent from The Rookie for season 7. Clearly, she was biding her time for this long-range plan and now that she’s free, she’s ready for more plots.
Speaking to TV Insider, showrunner Alexi Hawley said the Monica twist had been planned for a while, and the idea of her going free and rubbing the gang’s noses in it seemed perfect for the cliffhanger. As for season 8, while not going into details, it seems obvious Monica will be in the mix.
“I think ultimately she will definitely play a part in Season 8. It’s obviously early days. The writers’ room literally just started [on May 5], but I think there are facets to the immunity deal that we can play with that keep her sort of active in our world that really work with our storytelling.”
Obviously, the gang is stunned that, after all Monica has done, from manipulating cops to becoming a crime boss herself, the fact that she’s now free and immune from arrest is hitting them hard. They will want to bring her down, but face the challenge of that deal, which can get them in trouble with the feds.
“Look, I think they all want to; I think it’s tough with immunity deals especially made at the top of the food chain for anybody lower to affect them. But we’ll see. Never say never.”
A question is just what else Monica is up to. The woman always has plans within plans and thinking a few steps ahead. See how long it took her to get this immunity deal; she wouldn’t have revealed it without already having another scheme in mind.
It’s likely Monica will be right back to representing crooks and gloating on how the gang can’t touch her. While they’ll have their other various cases, the team will want to bring her down. The tricky part will be without angering the feds, yet the gang has a way of skirting such issues.
It will be a long wait for season 8 as The Rookie won’t return until 2026. But having Monica back as a top foe makes it worth waiting for and sure to bring more fireworks to the show.
The Rookie season 8 arrives on ABC in 2026.
Stay tuned for more news and updates here at Precinct TV.