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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!

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...

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  1. 9.0/10(2.7k votes)

    #1 - Greenlight

    S1:E16

    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.

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  2. 9.0/10(2.0k votes)

    #2 - Under Siege

    S5:E22

    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.

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    Director:Bill Roe
  3. 8.7/10(2.0k votes)

    #3 - Day of Death

    S2:E11

    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.

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  4. 8.6/10(2.0k votes)

    #4 - Time of Death

    S1:E8

    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.

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    Director:Michael Goi
  5. 8.6/10(1.8k votes)

    #5 - The Dark Side

    S2:E10

    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.

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    Director:Bill Roe
  6. 8.6/10(826 votes)

    #6 - Wildfire

    S7:E8

    Nyla remains suspicious of Liam Glasser as a wildfire erupts, causing chaos in the city. Meanwhile, James tries to help a friend, and Seth makes a costly mistake, putting two of their own in danger.

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    Director:Michael Goi
  7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Rookie

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  8. 8.5/10(1.9k votes)

    #7 - Standoff

    S1:E9

    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.

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  9. 8.5/10(1.8k votes)

    #8 - Free Fall

    S1:E20

    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.

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    Director:Michael Goi
  10. 8.4/10(1.8k votes)

    #9 - Manhunt

    S1:E15

    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.

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    Director:Bill Johnson
  11. 8.4/10(1.6k votes)

    #10 - Clean Cut

    S2:E8

    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.

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    Director:Toa Fraser
  12. 8.4/10(1.4k votes)

    #11 - The Q Word (1)

    S2:E19

    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 .

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  13. 8.4/10(481 votes)

    #12 - The Return

    S7:E16

    The team has mixed feelings when a familiar face returns hoping to prove himself. Meanwhile, an influencer gets his fans to come after Wesley, and Tim supports Lucy as she prepares for the sergeant's exam.

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  14. 8.3/10(1.4k votes)

    #13 - Poetic Justice

    S4:E6

    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.

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  15. 8.3/10(2.0k votes)

    #14 - Strike Back

    S6:E1

    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.

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    Director:Bill Roe
  16. 8.3/10(811 votes)

    #15 - The Squeeze

    S6:E9

    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.

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  17. 8.3/10(687 votes)

    #16 - The Kiss

    S7:E9

    The team mobilizes to locate a suspect after a deadly series of events affects one of their own. Meanwhile, Celina takes on her first case with Bailey's help.

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  18. 8.2/10(1.6k votes)

    #17 - Plain Clothes Day

    S1:E14

    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.

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  19. 8.2/10(1.3k votes)

    #18 - Under the Gun

    S2:E18

    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.

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  20. 8.2/10(1.6k votes)

    #19 - Threshold

    S3:E14

    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.

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  21. 8.2/10(1.1k votes)

    #20 - The Shot

    S7:E1

    Now recovering from a gunshot wound and feeling the effects of his age, John and the team welcome two new rookies and continue the hunt for two dangerous inmates with very personal vendettas following their prison escape.

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    Director:Alexi Hawley
  22. 8.2/10(716 votes)

    #21 - Darkness Falling

    S7:E4

    Following his stint at the LAPD, Wesley returns to the district attorney's office where his past connects him to the team's investigation. Meanwhile, Bailey and John have conflicting feelings over safety, while Lucy grows suspicious of Seth.

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  23. 8.2/10(662 votes)

    #22 - Til Death

    S7:E5

    The team searches for a serial killer as Nyla struggles with the aftermath following the attack. Lucy’s relationship with Seth takes a turn, while Bailey battles her fear of Jason Wyler.

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  24. 8.2/10(697 votes)

    #23 - The Mickey

    S7:E7

    On Celina's last day as a rookie, John gives her one final test. Meanwhile, Bailey makes a new friend, and Lucy places her faith in Seth for an undercover assignment.

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  25. 8.2/10(543 votes)

    #24 - Mad About Murder

    S7:E14

    Tim receives a strange message, launching a larger investigation into the dark web. Meanwhile, Celina works to take down a popular podcast, and Miles helps update the department’s training videos.

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  26. 8.1/10(1.7k votes)

    #25 - Flesh and Blood

    S1:E10

    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.

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Best Episodes Summary

"Greenlight" is the best rated episode of "The Rookie". It scored 9/10 based on 2721 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".