The Rookie
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Screen for YOUR familyParent's Guide to The Rookie
The Rookie (2018) is an American police procedural crime drama and action series that follows John Nolan, a man in his 40s who becomes the oldest rookie at the Los Angeles Police Department. Inspired by a true story, the show blends action, suspense, and humor with personal storytelling, depicting the daily challenges and complexities of law enforcement. It aims to deliver an engaging and heartfelt narrative, balanced and accessible, while exploring various real-world issues faced by diverse characters within the LAPD. The series targets an audience of teens and adults, offering a mix of dramatic police work and character-driven plots.
Things to Consider
Violence
The Rookie, as a police procedural, contains frequent and often intense depictions of violence. This includes shootings, stabbings, physical altercations, and on-screen deaths. While typically not explicitly gratuitous to warrant a TV-MA rating, the violence can be graphic and bloody, reflecting the realities of police work and criminal activities.
Season 6, Episode 1, 'Strike Back,' depicted 'graphic, bloody shootouts and crime scenes' where characters are shot, including a man burning alive and another shot in the head with visible blood splatter on a wall. The series consistently features intense criminal situations, such as abductions, police brutality, and gang violence, leading to shoot-outs and character deaths, like a main character being shot in the season 6 finale.
Scary & Intense Content
The Rookie contains moderate to high levels of frightening and intense content. As a crime drama, it regularly features suspenseful and dangerous situations, including shootings, abductions, and life-threatening scenarios. The series also explores the psychological trauma experienced by officers and victims, which can be emotionally disturbing.
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Additional Context
Best For Ages
TV-14 (Parents Strongly Cautioned). The series is recommended for viewers aged 14 and up due to its moderate intensity in violence, occasional suggestive content, mild language, and moderate frightening/intense scenes. Parents should consider individual maturity levels given the show's realistic portrayal of crime and emotional trauma.
Good to Know
The intensity of some content, particularly violence and emotional stakes, can escalate in later seasons. The show's later broadcast timeslot for newer seasons may indicate a slight shift towards more mature content, though it generally remains within the TV-14 guidelines. The series is praised for its ability to balance drama with humor and for tackling complex real-world issues like sexism, ageism, racial discrimination, and mental health within its police procedural framework.
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