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.
Concerns
Violence
HighThe 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
HighThe 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.
Lucy Chen's past kidnapping by a serial killer, a significant traumatic event from her rookie year, is revisited in later seasons, delving into her near-death experience and its lasting psychological impact, making for intense and disturbing content. The show frequently depicts high-stakes criminal situations, such as dangerous inmates escaping prison or intense shootouts, which create significant suspense and often lead to graphic or violent outcomes.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
MediumThe series features a gay main character in its early seasons and touches upon LGBTQ representation within its diverse cast. While initial seasons included a prominent gay character, fan discussions indicate a perceived decrease in significant LGBTQ storylines or main characters in later seasons. The show has not explicitly focused on transgender characters or detailed gender identity themes.
Jackson West, an openly gay police officer, was a main character in the early seasons of The Rookie, with his personal and professional life including his identity as a gay man. Fan communities on platforms like Reddit have noted the lack of prominent queer main characters or couples in later seasons, describing it as 'unrealistic' for a show set in Los Angeles over seven seasons, especially after Jackson West's departure.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe show includes romantic relationships and implied sexual activity among characters. While nudity is generally subtle and not explicit, there are instances of characters in intimate situations, kissing, and suggestive content that imply sex without graphic detail. This content often evolves with character relationships over seasons.
In various seasons, the series has shown characters engaging in making out and implied sexual encounters, such as characters taking their tops off, kisses, and 'moans heard behind closed doors,' followed by scenes of characters in bed together the following morning, without full-frontal nudity. The developing romantic storyline between characters like Lucy Chen and Tim Bradford ('Chenford') includes kissing and building intimacy, with discussions and expectations around their evolving physical relationship.
Profanity
MediumThe Rookie features mild to moderate profanity, adhering to network television standards which restrict the use of highly offensive language. While common curse words like 'bitch' or 'damn' are heard, stronger expletives such as the 'f-word' or 's-word' are generally avoided or bleeped, even in later timeslots.
Due to being a network series, the show has 'heavy rules on the type of language that can be shown,' allowing words like the 'b-word' or 'd-word' but not typically the 's-word' or 'f-bomb.' Movieguide's review for the series indicates 'approximately 130 obscenities and 9 profanities' overall, suggesting a consistent, albeit controlled, presence of coarse language.
Witchcraft & Occult
MediumThe series introduces a character, Celina Juarez, who has strong beliefs in spiritual and supernatural phenomena, often attributing her insights to 'spirits' or 'bad mojo.' This element brings mystical themes into the police procedural format. Additionally, some criminal storylines have featured antagonists with connections to occult concepts.
Rookie Celina Juarez frequently discusses 'spirits,' 'supernatural' occurrences, and 'bad mojo,' often applying these beliefs to crime-solving. This has led to fan discussions describing her character as exhibiting 'psychic bullshit' or acting like a 'magical shaman.' In Season 8, Episode 3, a killer named Ezra Kane had a victim refer to him as 'Amon,' a marquis of hell, and disturbing drawings related to this demonic figure were found in his motel room.
Substance Use
MediumSubstance use is moderately present in The Rookie. This includes depictions of illegal drug use by criminals as part of case storylines, and social drinking by main characters. The show portrays both the criminal aspect of drugs and the casual consumption of alcohol by adults.
The show frequently features criminals using illegal drugs, which often forms the basis of police investigations and arrests. Main characters, including John Nolan, are shown engaging in social drinking, such as consuming beer or wine after their work shifts, reflecting adult social habits.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe series explores themes of disrespect and rebellion primarily through its portrayal of criminals defying law enforcement and, at times, through the police confronting systemic issues like corruption or brutality within their own ranks. Protagonist characters may exhibit minor acts of defiance or sarcastic remarks towards authority, particularly rookies learning the ropes, but generally uphold respectful professional conduct.
The show depicts officers challenging and addressing instances of police brutality and systemic racism within the force, which can be seen as a form of 'rebellion' against established, harmful practices. Rookie Celina Juarez occasionally exhibits a casual defiance of strict police protocol due to her unconventional 'spiritual' methods, prompting correction from her training officer, John Nolan, who seeks to guide her within professional boundaries.
Anti-Christian Themes
LowNo explicit anti-Christian themes were identified in the content analysis of The Rookie. The series generally maintains a moral worldview focused on law enforcement's role in maintaining safety and justice. While it introduces diverse spiritual beliefs through characters like Celina Juarez, these are presented as personal views rather than direct opposition or mockery of Christian doctrines.
Movieguide reviews consistently state that The Rookie maintains a 'strong moral worldview,' emphasizing law enforcement's positive role in society and depicting clear distinctions between good and evil, aligning with general moral principles rather than anti-Christian sentiment. The spiritual elements associated with Celina Juarez, such as her belief in 'spirits' or 'bad mojo,' are personal mystical beliefs and are not presented as anti-Christian, nor do they involve direct criticism or mockery of Christian faith.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
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.
Additional Notes
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.
Related Reviews
Is The Rookie right for your family?
These concerns are a starting point — what many Christian parents care about. Want to screen for other themes? Define your own concerns.
Screen any book, movie, or show — even titles no one else has reviewed.
“StoryScanner gives us clarity and confidence. It's become our go-to for checking books at the library and movies on family night.”
— Cristi & Brian, Dallas TX
“StoryScanner has been such a BLESSING for researching books for our children. You can set filters for your concerns, enter a book title, and it lets you know what's present.”
— Christian Book Reviews for Families (Facebook)
No credit card required