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 the force’s oldest rookie, he’s met with skepticism from some higher-ups who see him as just a walking midlife crisis.
Top Episode Ratings Summary
The best episode of "The Rookie" is "Greenlight", rated 9/10 from 2274 user votes. It was directed by Valerie Weiss and written by Brynn Malone. "Greenlight" aired on 3/19/2019 and is rated 0.0 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "Under Siege".
9.0/10 2,274 votes#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
9.0/10 1,653 votes#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
8.7/10 1,636 votes#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
8.6/10 1,730 votes#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
8.6/10 1,470 votes#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
8.5/10 1,622 votes#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
8.5/10 1,489 votes#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
8.4/10 1,507 votes#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
8.4/10 1,331 votes#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
8.4/10 1,182 votes#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
8.4/10 523 votes#11 - 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
8.3/10 1,159 votes#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
8.3/10 1,480 votes#13 - 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
8.2/10 1,450 votes#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
8.2/10 1,391 votes#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
8.2/10 1,287 votes#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
8.2/10 1,114 votes#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
8.2/10 1,307 votes#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
8.1/10 1,405 votes#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
8.0/10 1,406 votes#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: Liz Alper, Ally Seibert
8.0/10 1,380 votes#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
8.0/10 1,252 votes#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
8.0/10 1,276 votes#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
7.9/10 2,591 votes#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
7.9/10 1,898 votes#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