The Rookie (2×19) The Q Word Review

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

At the bar, Nolan, West and Chen are catching up with some of their class from the academy talking about their years worth of stories. Things escalate to a highly competitive game of beer pong while Nolan catches up with an old friend who needs some advice. Erin Cole (Hannah Kasulka) is concerned about her fellow officer Chris Rios (Christopher O’Shea) who has been struggling the past year. He manages to instill some fatherly wisdom on her before being summoned for the final competition between West and Rios. Problem is it’s suicide darts and Nolan is their unlucky volunteer! Here’s what went down in “The Q Word.”

The first half of this two-part finale helps bring to a close the rookie year of Nolan, Chen and West. And of course Nolan has to make things complicated by using the Q Word. Just like Macbeth in theatre and a no-hitter in baseball, one should try not to jinx what seems to be going great. In this world, that word is quiet and Nolan just had to say it. Harper tells him immediately the bad luck he just brought onto them and it leads to a high-intensity story to kick off the end of this season.

After getting us familiar with the other rookies from their class at the academy, we get to listen in on Rios’ car chase where he requests immediate backup. When West and Lopez arrive, they find Rios and his partner in a standoff that leads to Rios’ death and the culprit escaping. Bradford luckily manages to calm down Rios’ TO (Greg Serano). This causes Bradford to lash out at Chen being overly concerned about protecting her from the same fate as Rios. Emmett interjects, but she reminds him that she doesn’t need saying.

Meanwhile, Nolan and Harper find the vehicle in a parking garage. Nolan is in charge of photographing the scene while Harper heads further into the building in pursuit, but he’s gone. Armstrong arrives to grab evidence and check the database for a fingerprint. The suspect is linked back to the Derian family, the Armenian mob in Los Angeles. However, the house is deserted.

After another attempt to find Serj Derian, and roping his brother Ruben into it, the situation becomes a little clearer. The Armenian mob has a mole (or two) in their pocket. While Nolan becomes suspicious of his fellow officers, it is revealed that Rios’ precinct mate Erin Cole was forced to work for the Armenians. She was a clueless rookie who was in way over her head. However, it is so much deeper than that!

She isn’t the only cop in the Armenians pocket, but is definitely the lowest ranking one. As Nolan asks her who else may be working for them she is shot by Detective Armstrong and it dawns on both me and Nolan why he would do this. Cole wasn’t a threat and could have named names for immunity so a dirty cop would want to cover their tracks by removing this potential issue.

He also made a bunch of decisions throughout the episode that made this case a little too personal for him. Nolan confirms his suspicious by watching back his body cam footage so the question is: what to do with this information? Hopefully Nolan remembers that he has trusted back up at the precinct rather than trying to go into it as a righteous hero.

There were some silver linings throughout though. Grace continues to show her love for Nolan through little acts, Lopez was promoted to acting detective during the current crisis, and Harper got joint custody of her daughter. Hopefully that isn’t the last good news that this season has to offer.

Captain’s Log

• How long will Tim and Rachel last?
• Will Armstrong get caught?
• How will Wes deal with his issues?
• Will Lopez remain a detective after this case?

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

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Dylan Phillips