The Rookie is back with another episode of its controversial mockumentary meets reality show approach!
After the very divisive The Rookie Season 3 Episode 7, titled ‘True Crime,’ it’s a surprise that they’d follow up with “Real Crime” in The Rookie Season 4 Episode 16.
It would be an understatement to suggest that these parts of the series are an “acquired taste.”
Again, The Rookie deserves praise for all of the interesting and inventive techniques they use to introduce new styles. Unfortunately, they’re also known for veering toward the campy.
“Real Crime,” on the other hand, is an episode that you’ll either love or detest, with little in between.
It gets incredibly boring at the midway point of the hour, and if you’re like me, you’ll skip the rest of the episode until the conclusion, when they reveal who the murderer is.
And, if you’re anything like me, you moan when you realise that you just sat through 40 minutes of mockumentary storytelling only to find out that your favourite action show, The Rookie, won’t be back for another three weeks.
Why do they choose to send us on long breaks with these instalments?
The case was tedious because, despite a few half-hearted “twists” to keep viewers guessing, the true perpetrator was revealed around ten minutes into the hour.
So in that sense, we had to wait through a lot of campy storytelling before Angela (since we all knew she’d solve two murder cases for the price of one, right?) solved both of them.
Angela solving the case is a source of irritation in and of itself, but let’s start with the first.
Aaron Thorsen has been underutilised this season. We’ve made numerous jokes about it. Unfortunately, “The Rookie” is the title of the series. He goes instalments upon instalments without an appearance or allusion as the sole character who meets the title.
It’s almost as if we barely got to know Thorsen for the majority of the season. However, they did introduce his mother and the aspect of his recording a show to improve his image, but we never saw any of this stuff.
It felt like a C-List storyline for the entire season, and it never felt like it was leading anywhere. Thorsen would vanish from the face of the planet the instant you become concerned in what was going on with him.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Thorsen say something about wanting to investigate Patrick’s murder and find out what happened?
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Thorsen getting into law enforcement because he wanted to solve this crime and spending his free time looking into his friend’s death, desperate to identify the real culprit, would have been a considerably more intriguing arc.
It could’ve lasted the entire season, and he could’ve gotten help and encouragement from other characters as well. He could’ve even done the ridiculous reality TV thing if he’d wanted to.
Instead, Thorsen was dragged into interrogation by his coworkers, questioned about another murder, and then essentially iced out of the inquiry, where they also determined out who killed Patrick.
Thorsen wasn’t an active participant in a storey that should’ve focused him, aside from functioning as a suspect with other people in his life.
And, unlike True Crime, because of the personal connection to the case, the tone of this one was more off-putting.
When one of their own was at least momentarily suspected of murder for the second time, the degree of camp, absurdity, and fun radiated didn’t feel right.
Thorsen’s life was wrecked by Patrick’s death, as we all know. Despite his innocence, he lost his best friend, was railroaded, and sentenced to prison, and others still saw him as a murderer.
Because Patrick’s death moulded what Aaron is now, it almost felt in terrible taste for most of the characters to take this case lightly.
Where will the evidence lead them? The investigation gets intense on an all-new #TheRookie TONIGHT at 10/9c on ABC! Stream on Hulu. pic.twitter.com/H5Qq6l6I9n
— The Rookie (@therookie) March 13, 2022
Aaron’s mother had been withholding crucial details regarding Morris and her presence in Paris all those years ago.
The comedic, opposing partners bit between Lucy and Tim was entertaining for fans of the two interacting, although they botched up when talking about their colleague. No amount of later acknowledgement of the ickiness could make up for it.
We felt like we had been waiting all season for something important to happen for Thorsen, and this was the best they could come up with.
You knew they’d examine the individuals solving his cold case murder to give him closure the moment they gave us his backstory. It’s a shame, though, that it had to arrive in this form.
Thorsen and the outcome of Patrick’s murder case, in retrospect, deserved the same level of attention and seriousness as Bailey’s ex-husband drama.
And while we’re on the subject of Bailey, it’s becoming increasingly cringe-worthy how often these shows twist themselves into pretzels to include her.
It’s not that Jenna Dewan isn’t talented, but Bailey just doesn’t fit in as well as other supporting characters.
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She had no business being on this episode. She isn’t a paramedic, thus there was no reason for her to fill in for Thorsen.
Bailey was apparently connected to Thorsen’s rap famous dad because she was the equivalent of a “Fly Girl,” in addition to the three dozen other jobs and skillsets she has.
Maybe this was to be a cute reference for Dewan’s extraordinary dancing skills, and we learned that Bailey was connected to Thorsen’s rap famous dad because she was the equivalent of a “Fly Girl.”
What?! What hasn’t Bailey accomplished? What does she not do?
Stay colorful, Chen 😉 #TheRookie is all-new Sunday at 10/9c! Stream on Hulu. pic.twitter.com/FOTpo0tQhE
— The Rookie (@therookie) March 10, 2022
Worse yet, after the series accelerated her and Nolan’s relationship, they’ve come to a halt to the point where the one reason she was there in the first place is no longer relevant.
Imagine if they spent half as much time on Thorsen and the Patrick murder case arc as they did on Bailey.
It’s incredible that, despite the lack of leads, movement, or anything else, in this case, Angela and the others were able to solve it in less than two days while figuring out who murdered Morris. It was astonishment-inducingly simple for them when they didn’t even try.
Aaron wasn’t able to settle the problem personally, but he did receive an apology from Patrick’s father, so that’s something.
Now it’s your turn, Rookie Fans. What were your thoughts on this one? Are you relieved that Thorsen’s name has been cleared? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.
On April 3, The Rookie will return with all new episodes. You can watch new episodes on abc.
