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The Best Episodes of The Rookie

Every episode of The Rookie ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Rookie!

Starting over isn’t easy, especially for small-town guy John Nolan who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of being an LAPD officer. As...
Genres:CrimeDramaComedy
Network:ABC

Best Episodes Summary

"Greenlight" is the best rated episode of "The Rookie". It scored 9/10 based on 2381 votes. Directed by Valerie Weiss and written by Brynn Malone, it aired on 3/19/2019. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Under Siege".

  • Greenlight
    9.0/102,381 votes
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    #1 - Greenlight

    Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 3/19/2019

    Officer Nolan gets a lesson in respect after his arrest of a gang member leads to a free-for-all on his life. Meanwhile, Officer Chen and Officer Bradford pull over Mario Lopez, who thinks he can talk his way out of a traffic violation.

    Director: Valerie Weiss

    Writer: Brynn Malone

  • Under Siege
    9.0/101,763 votes
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    #2 - Under Siege

    Season 5 Episode 22 - Aired 5/2/2023

    After one of their own is shot, the team suffers a series of close calls and realizes their division may be a target for a group of masked assailants.

    Director: Bill Roe

    Writer: Alexi Hawley

  • Day of Death
    8.7/101,750 votes
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    #3 - Day of Death

    Season 2 Episode 11 - Aired 2/23/2020

    Officer Nolan and the entire team are in a desperate search to rescue Officer Chen after her abduction and must attempt to get Rosalind to help them in their search. Meanwhile, after Officer Lopez discovers Wesley unconscious from a dangerous cocktail of alcohol and pills, she is forced to keep him close by.

    Director: David McWhirter

    Writer: Brynn Malone, Fredrick Kotto

  • Time of Death
    8.6/101,805 votes
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    #4 - Time of Death

    Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 12/11/2018

    Nolan and Bishop respond to a silent alarm call at a local convenience store where two men are attempting to rob the place. Bishop helps coordinate a drug bust that hits a little too close to home for Bradford.

    Director: Michael Goi

    Writer: Brynn Malone

  • The Dark Side
    8.6/101,551 votes
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    #5 - The Dark Side

    Season 2 Episode 10 - Aired 12/8/2019

    Officer Nolan and team are charged with escorting a notorious female serial killer to the graves of her previously unrecovered victims. However, when they arrive, they unearth even more than they expected. Meanwhile, Officer Chen meets a seemingly perfect man who sparks her interest, and Officer Lopez worries about Wesley as his PTSD continues to increase.

    Director: Bill Roe

    Writer: Alexi Hawley

  • Standoff
    8.5/101,693 votes
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    #6 - Standoff

    Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 1/8/2019

    Officer Bradford’s wife, Isabel, is found shot but alive and he vows to track down the man responsible. Meanwhile, Officer Nolan must protect his home and the truth after a home invasion attack.

    Director: John Terlesky

    Writer: Alexi Hawley

  • Free Fall
    8.5/101,564 votes
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    #7 - Free Fall

    Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 4/16/2019

    As the rookies prepare for a big exam to see who moves on to the next stage of training, Officer Nolan and Officer Bishop are called to the scene of a murder and learn that the victim may be tied to a potential terrorist attack on the city of Los Angeles.

    Director: Michael Goi

    Writer: Alexi Hawley

  • Manhunt
    8.4/101,577 votes
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    #8 - Manhunt

    Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 3/5/2019

    When a prison bus crashes, all units must respond as some inmates face severe injuries while others seek an opportunity to flee. In the wake of the accident, Officer Nolan tries to impress an FBI hostage negotiator while tracking down an escaped convict.

    Director: Bill Johnson

    Writer: Robert Bella

  • Clean Cut
    8.4/101,400 votes
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    #9 - Clean Cut

    Season 2 Episode 8 - Aired 11/17/2019

    Officer Nolan kicks off his birthday by babysitting a crime scene at a law office. Meanwhile, Officer Bradford and Officer West are set to receive special awards, and Sgt. Grey rides patrol with Officer Harper after she requests an early annual evaluation.

    Director: Toa Fraser

    Writer: Mary Trahan

  • The Q Word (1)
    8.4/101,253 votes
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    #10 - The Q Word (1)

    Season 2 Episode 19 - Aired 5/3/2020

    Their rookie year is coming to an end and officers Nolan, Chen and West are about to be squeezed harder than ever before as their training officers evaluate whether they are truly ready for the job. Meanwhile, after one of their rookie classmates is involved in a shooting, the team uncovers some unsettling evidence .

    Director: David McWhirter

    Writer: Natalie Callaghan, Nick Hurwitz

  • Strike Back
    8.4/101,626 votes
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    #11 - Strike Back

    Season 6 Episode 1 - Aired 2/20/2024

    In the aftermath of the assaults in the explosive season five finale, the team must now try to understand why they were targeted and if there is a bigger plan in place. Meanwhile, Nolan must survive his last shift before his wedding to Bailey.

    Director: Bill Roe

    Writer: Alexi Hawley

  • Poetic Justice
    8.3/101,227 votes
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    #12 - Poetic Justice

    Season 4 Episode 6 - Aired 11/7/2021

    Officer Nolan and team are on a hunt to retrieve a buried stash of gold before any treasure seekers get hurt. Meanwhile, Bradford is tasked with encouraging the oldest cop at the station to retire and invites him to ride with him.

    Director: Chi-Yoon Chung

    Writer: Bill Rinier, Natalie Callaghan

  • The Squeeze
    8.3/10603 votes
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    #13 - The Squeeze

    Season 6 Episode 9 - Aired 5/14/2024

    Officer Nolan and Celina take on a special case; meanwhile, Monica enlists help to identify her attackers. Elsewhere, Lopez and Harper discover a connection to the trail of crimes.

    Director: Michael Goi

    Writer: Diana Mendez Boucher, Leland Jay Anderson

  • Flesh and Blood
    8.2/101,513 votes
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    #14 - Flesh and Blood

    Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 1/15/2019

    On Captain Andersen’s orders, Officer Nolan and Sergeant Grey are paired up for the day on patrol. Additionally, Nolan’s son and Grey’s daughter visit their dads on the job and see them in action. Meanwhile, Officer Chen is paired up with Captain Andersen, and Officer Bradford tells Chen to protect her at all costs.

    Director: Jessica Yu

    Writer: Inda Craig-Galván

  • Plain Clothes Day
    8.2/101,452 votes
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    #15 - Plain Clothes Day

    Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 2/26/2019

    The rookies are really put to the test when their training officers accompany them out of uniform for Plain Clothes Day, which forces them to make all the decisions while on patrol. Meanwhile, Officer Nolan tries to prove he has been progressing faster than the other rookies to justify his desire of becoming a detective within five years.

    Director: Michael Goi

    Writer: Terence Paul Winter

  • The Checklist
    8.2/101,349 votes
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    #16 - The Checklist

    Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 4/9/2019

    Sergeant Gray informs the rookies that they must track down a specific set of crimes in a 48-hour period in order to qualify for their final exam. Meanwhile, Officer Nolan and Officer Bishop answer a silent alarm call at will.i.am’s house.

    Director: John Fortenberry

    Writer: Elizabeth Davis Beall, Fredrick Kotto

  • Under the Gun
    8.2/101,174 votes
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    #17 - Under the Gun

    Season 2 Episode 18 - Aired 4/26/2020

    Officers Nolan and Harper are tasked with escorting four juvenile offenders to a Scared Straight program at a correctional facility that quickly becomes a riotous situation. Meanwhile, Nolan is uncertain about his relationship with Grace after she fails to introduce him to her ex-husband.

    Director: Tori Garrett

    Writer: Terence Paul Winter, Elizabeth Davis Beall

  • Threshold
    8.2/101,387 votes
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    #18 - Threshold

    Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 5/16/2021

    Officer Nolan mildly injures himself while chasing down a shoplifter and the local DA wants to charge the suspect with assault despite Nolan's wishes. Meanwhile, Lucy goes undercover, Lopez' wedding venue is seized by the FBI and Nolan meets his new neighbor.

    Director: Lisa Demaine

    Writer: Alexi Hawley, Bill Rinier, Natalie Callaghan

  • Double Down
    8.1/101,483 votes
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    #19 - Double Down

    Season 5 Episode 1 - Aired 9/25/2022

    Officer John Nolan is once again face-to-face with serial killer Rosalind, and she wants him to know she's not done with him yet. Meanwhile, officers Bradford and Chen work undercover with Detective Lopez and the Las Vegas Police Department to arrest leaders of a major criminal enterprise.

    Director: Tori Garrett

    Writer: Alexi Hawley

  • Redwood
    8.0/101,472 votes
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    #20 - Redwood

    Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 1/22/2019

    An unscheduled visit by the vice president of the United States puts the station on high alert. The secret service tasks Officer Nolan and Officer Bishop with checking out a possible threat to the vice president while the rest of the team try to keep the streets clear and safe for his visit.

    Director: Sylvain White

    Writer: Ally Seibert, Liz Alper

  • Impact
    8.0/101,446 votes
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    #21 - Impact

    Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 9/29/2019

    Danger is ever-present as the officers of the Mid-Wilshire precinct grapple with the aftermath of a plotted attack on the city of Los Angeles, leaving Officer Bradford fighting for his life.

    Director: Michael Goi

    Writer: Alexi Hawley

  • Warriors and Guardians
    8.0/101,315 votes
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    #22 - Warriors and Guardians

    Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 10/20/2019

    Officer Nolan gets off to a rocky start after being introduced to his new training officer, Nyla Harper, who has an unconventional approach to police work after her stint as an undercover detective. Meanwhile, Officer Bradford struggles to think of an appropriate birthday gift for Rachel, and Officer Lopez finds herself navigating a case that triggers a personal memory.

    Director: Lisa Demaine

    Writer: Brynn Malone

  • Fallout
    8.0/101,339 votes
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    #23 - Fallout

    Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 11/3/2019

    An emergency alert of an impending missile attack sends Los Angeles into chaos and uncertainty, while the officers each try to keep the peace and deal with their own disasters.

    Director: Bill Johnson

    Writer: Robert Bella

  • Pilot
    7.9/102,692 votes
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    #24 - Pilot

    Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 10/16/2018

    Starting over isn't easy, especially for small-town guy John Nolan who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of being a police officer. As the force's oldest rookie, he’s met with skepticism from some higher-ups who see him as just a walking midlife crisis. Throw in a workplace romance, a hostage situation, and some tough love from their new training officers, and the latest Los Angeles police rookie class has an uphill battle ahead of them.

    Director: Liz Friedlander

    Writer: Alexi Hawley

  • Crash Course
    7.9/101,979 votes
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    #25 - Crash Course

    Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/23/2018

    Talia forces Nolan to confront his personal moral instincts in order to be a good cop after he encounters a kidnapping victim. Lucy is temporarily placed with a new training officer who tests her patience. Jackson must confront his failures head-on if he wants to be an officer.

    Director: Adam Davidson

    Writer: Alexi Hawley