The Rookie – Escape Plan (Season Finale) – Review: High-Stakes Action and a Lackluster Cliffhanger

 

The Rookie’s season finale was a whirlwind of action-packed drama and plot twists, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. True to the show’s style, multiple storylines made it challenging to keep track of everything, necessitating a re-watch (or two) to catch all the details. 

The episode began with Pearson’s shocking daylight murder by a mysterious woman, suggesting professional hitmen were involved. Meanwhile, Nolan, Nyla, Grey, and FBI officer Garza worked covertly on the Blair investigation, with Wesley offering Blair a deal that she countered with a demand for total immunity. Blair London has been a disappointing character from the start. It was particularly frustrating that the writers weaponized the concept of therapy, especially since many of the officers could genuinely benefit from professional help—Tim in particular. He needed real therapy to deal with his issues, especially after witnessing Mad Dog’s suicide. Now, how is he supposed to trust another therapist? Bringing Blair on as an actual therapist was a great idea, but making her part of the villainous plot was a questionable decision. Especially given the current crisis in men’s mental health. 

At Mid-Wilshire, a war room was set up due to concerns about compromised officers. Celina uncovered Blair’s college connection to Monica, leading to a wiretap order. Amidst the tension, there was a comedic reprieve when Tim doubted Smitty’s ability to keep the plan a secret, and Smitty revealed Angela’s threatening persuasion. Classic Smitty. Lucy’s undercover mission at the Batista house was another highlight. Melissa O’Neil is brilliant at portraying a variety of different characters as completely distinct individuals and this time was no exception. 

Monica’s confrontation with Eric Ramsey revealed her ruthless side, adding another layer to her character. The tension escalated when a judge denied a warrant for Monica, prompting Angela to enlist Nolan to scare Blair into confessing. Blair, initially terrified of Monica, agreed to testify but was soon forced at gunpoint to drive to Monica. In a parking garage, Monica faced Gundo, who demanded $2 million and a stake in her business to back off. Monica, often ahead of the game, appeared to struggle as her plans began to crumble.
Meanwhile, Oscar carried out his plan with Monica and involved Bailey’s ex-husband, Jason, in a plan to hurt Ramsey’s man and aid in Oscar’s escape. Monica received a call from Oscar, who discovered that Ramsey had a wealthy benefactor—a Swiss man named Jacob Ulmstead. Ramsey had been secretly having an affair with Ulmstead’s wife. Monica assured Oscar that plans for his jailbreak were set. 

Lucy had a close call at the Batista house when Monica showed up, but Smitty’s warning helped her avoid detection. Monica convinced Batista to send his team to eliminate Gundo at the laundromat where they were supposed to meet for his bribe. Angela prepared to go undercover as the lookout while the team got ready to arrest Batista’s men. Tim led the mission, and he and Lucy found themselves alone in a police car for the first time in a while. He admitted he took her advice and went to therapy, only to discover it was with Blair London. Lucy reassured him that one bad experience shouldn’t tarnish the whole profession. Tim agreed, noting the irony that Blair was a good therapist who helped him uncover issues he hadn’t realized were present. He mentioned that now his confessions were stored in the cloud, waiting to be analyzed by FBI officers. When Lucy asked if he revealed anything about her, Tim admitted he used the term “Freak in the Sheets.” The sexual tension between them was palpable. Tim showcased immense growth by revealing he opened up the darkest parts of himself in therapy, something he had been so reluctant to do in the past. It was clear that he wanted to let Lucy know that he is doing the work, putting in the effort to be the man she needs him to be. 

At the laundromat, Batista’s men, clad in hoodies and masks, burst onto the scene. Chaos erupted as Angela took a bullet to her vest when the men opened fire, igniting an intense shootout. Outside, Tim spotted one of the assailants fleeing in a truck and leapt into its bed. Lucy and Angela sprung into action, pursuing in an SUV to rescue him. As the truck sped away, Tim grappled with the driver, resulting in a brutal fight that left him with an injured arm. In a daring move, Lucy jumped from the SUV into the truck’s bed, with Angela taking over the wheel. She put the driver in a head lock, knocking him out, while Tim managed to stop the truck. The team arrested the man, and Tim shared a grateful, relieved glance with Lucy, silently thanking her for saving his life. Tim and Lucy’s heroic teamwork was on full display as they took down Batista’s man, showcasing that they are so much better together than they are apart, and that no matter how hurt Lucy is, she will always have Tim’s back. 

The FBI’s arrival in Argentina to track Monica, who fled with Blair and the hitmen, added a layer of international intrigue. Monica’s meeting with Jacob Ulmstead revealed a plot to use Blair as leverage. Nolan’s defiance of the FBI to rescue Blair led to a tense shootout and a daring escape.
Back at the station, Blair was booked, and Monica remained on the run, with the FBI issuing an Interpol warning. It’s incredibly unbelievable that despite a team of FBI agents waiting, they couldn’t capture Monica as she ran away in open terrain wearing heels. Just one of the many plot holes that were present in this episode. Hopefully this is the last we see of Monica and Blair. Monica was a great villain, but her time has come and gone. It’s time to move on. Blair, on the other hand, has been a terrible character from the start. After breaking everyone’s trust, there’s absolutely no reason for her to return. It’s bad enough we have to deal with Oscar and Jason next year, something nobody asked for. It would be refreshing to see the police officers tackling everyday evils instead. With so much bad in the world today, do we really need an even bigger, badder villain?

An emotional Chenford moment took place at the end of the episode, once again in the elevator at the station. He thanked her for saving his life and he acknowledged that he ruined everything but appreciated her kindness despite that, vowing to make things right according to her boundaries, for the rest of his life. This sweet moment showcased excellent acting from O’Neil and Winter. However, considering the tough season Chenford fans have endured, it was disappointing that this was all they got. Some fans will appreciate Tim’s vulnerability and growth, while others will be let down, especially with the unusually long hiatus until the show’s return in January. Tim broke Lucy’s heart and he broke her trust. It definitely will not be an easy road back for them but hopefully, they will find their way back to one another. They are so much better together than they are apart. Hopefully they will realize that they need each other. More importantly, hopefully the writer’s will continue having Tim working with a therapist. Working through trauma can take a long time and there is no way that Tim had enough sessions with Blair to be fully healed. Viewers don’t actually need to see Tim in a therapist’s office, but we definitely need at least mention of him seeing one.

The so-called cliffhanger featured Nolan and Bailey in bed, chatting about adoption, when Nolan received the news that Oscar and Jason had escaped from prison. Given that neither Oscar nor Jason are fan favorites, this hardly qualified as a gripping twist. Plus, their escape felt like an obvious plot progression—it was clear from the start that they’d break out. So why should Nolan’s discovery be such a big deal? Honestly, does anyone even care? 

While the finale delivered exceptional action scenes and a solid takedown of Monica’s plot, it was riddled with plot holes and sometimes laughable inconsistencies. The changing names on the whiteboard in the war room as the camera panned in and out, and Monica’s high-heeled escape were head-scratchers. Yet, the standout moments, particularly Lucy’s heroics and the heartfelt Chenford scenes, made up for the shortcomings.
With an eight-month wait until the next season, fans might feel a bit let down by the finale’s cliffhanger. But knowing The Rookie, there’s always more drama and excitement just around the corner. Time to weigh in, Rookie fans! How do you feel about tonight’s episode? Were you satisfied with the Chenford content? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and as always, you can find me discussing all things TV on X at @middleofcanada.