The Rookie Season 1 Episode 13: Caught Stealing Review

For our review of the last episode of The Rookie, click here.

Synopsis: The rookies become the prime suspects after it is discovered a large sum of money used in a drug bust has gone missing. (IMDB)

Writer: David Radcliff

Director: Omar Madha

Rating: TV-14

Running Time: 43mins

Airs: Tuesdays at 10pm on CTV (Canada)/ABC (United States)

“Caught Stealing”starts off with Bradford and a visibly tired Chen out on midnight shift. Chen notices a tall man in a gas mask standing in the street, but he disappears when Bradford looks. They get out to inspect the area where Chen follows the figure into the woods. Alone, she starts getting paranoid and corners the suspect. When he pulls off his mask, a bright light shines from where his face should be. Chen wakes up to the sound of laughing as a group of officers take photos of her asleep on midnight shift.

The next morning, the rookies joke about Chen’s photoshoot the night before. She hasn’t been sleeping because she’s being evicted. Nolan offers his couch, but she wants to find her own place. At roll call, Nolan is surprised to be told by Grey that he will be leading it. After explaining police perks, the rookies are placed in front of everyone and asked about this issue. They need to realize that they have power both on their belt and in their badge.

West and Lopez pull over a speeding car with a disgruntled woman trying to get her sick dog to the vet. West follows protocol which causes Lopez to question if it was the right choice. She thinks he should have been a little more lenient. The next call is West and Lopez responding to a call from a restaurant. A man comes in for blind dates, buys very expensive stuff and then leaves his date with the bill. Lopez decides to tip the scales and up the bill so he can be charged with felony.

West questions Lopez’s decisions here, but she fires back with West’s cowardice during his first week on the job. She shows him that everything is not always cut and dry and he needs to learn that. Bradford and Chen reply to a burglary where embryos were stolen from a clinic. They decide to follow up with the couples who owns them. At the apartment, they find the couple in a heated argument over the embryos. Bradford pulls them apart and diffuses the situation with the angry ex who feels betrayed.

Bishop and Nolan arrive at a car accident where the victim had previously been stabbed. They plan to follow the aide car to the hospital, but the man breaks out and escapes down the street. Putting the plate number through the system they learn that their John Doe isn’t the car owner, but the man who is has gang ties. They visit the residence of Matthew Rodriguez who they find is dead and armed with a knife. Their John Doe is now a murder suspect. When they return to the precinct they find their John Doe in the Captain’s office. Turns out he’s an undercover Narcotics detective on a big case.

The team is read in on their first high-level tactical raid. They are hoping to get in and out with the gang’s money as the rookies recap their tactical gear knowledge. That night, the team heads in and seizes the money. Grey puts the rookies in charge of watching over it until a team comes to pick it up. They sit around discussing what they would do with the money from traveling to debt. Eventually they are relieved of duty and sent home. Things take a turn when Nolan is woken up early by Bishop.

The three TOs and their rookies are brought in by the Captain and Grey to discuss the situation at hand. A quarter million dollars went missing and only the three rookies had been around the money. They are told only a polygraph will clear them of an investigation and they all agree. The TOs question who might have done it, but they realize that even a blip on their polygraph will get them fired. West caves and reveals he took a piece of free Creme Brulee the day before. Chen gets caught up lying about protecting a fellow officer, but thankfully it isn’t about the money. They all pass their polygraphs and are sent home pending another interview with detectives.

West and Nolan head to his place to for a drink while Chen decides to go apartment hunting alone. She calls them to discuss the money situation when she is boxed in on the road by a couple of vehicles. She escapes on foot with her gun with the attackers close behind. West and Nolan arrive and follow the trail, but get lost in the woods until they find the blood of someone Chen managed to shoot.

The cartel members corner her and ask for the stolen money. She continues to say she didn’t take it, but realizes the main guy Franco was at the raid. He was tipped off and managed to take the money for himself. Franco shoots the other cartel members before engaging with Chen. West and Nolan hear the gunshots and race towards them where they find Chen has subdued the guy.

The team brings in the man and the missing money. Grey reassures them that they were never suspects, being three rookies who probably couldn’t steal $250K. West apologizes to Lopez for his by-the-books tactics and that he should open up to Lopez’s teaching style. The Captain comes by the hospital room of the Narcotics detective who tipped off Franco about the raid and arrests him. Chen brings West by her new apartment, the crime scene that Bishop and Nolan found Rodriguez. Nolan decides he no longer wants charity from his friend and asks to pay rent while reiterating he cannot do him any police favours.

Captain’s Log

• Will Nolan and Chen get back together at some point?
• How long will Lopez and Wesley last?
• Will West start dating the nurse?
• Which rookie won’t make it the year?

Overall, Caught Stealing is a good episode. It continues to ride the fine line of unrealistic TV drama and grounded police situations. Putting three rookies on a high-profile tactical op seems very unlikely, but it works as a precursor for the teaching situation of the week. The continued use of multiple calls per week to show the dynamic of the rookie-TO pairings is a great unique quality of this show. However, this week’s main story ups the intensity and creates quite the pulse-pounding situation. This is the type of episode of The Rookie I like.

Score: 8.5/10

What did you think of “Caught Stealing”? Let me know in the comments below!

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Dylan Phillips