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The Best Episodes of The Rookie Season 1

Every episode of The Rookie Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Rookie Season 1!

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

Season 1 Ratings Summary

"Pilot" is the best rated episode of "The Rookie" season 1. It scored 7.9/10 based on 2649 votes. Directed by Liz Friedlander and written by Alexi Hawley, it aired on 10/16/2018. This episode is rated 0.0 points higher than the second-best, "Crash Course".

  • Pilot
    7.9/102,649 votes

    #1 - 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
    7.9/101,942 votes

    #2 - 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

  • The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
    7.8/101,772 votes

    #3 - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

    Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/30/2018

    After Nolan and Talia lose control of a crime scene, they begin to debate whether people are fundamentally good or bad and what that means for a police officer. Lucy is concerned Tim is enabling his wife’s destructive behavior and not taking care of himself.

    Director: Greg Beeman

    Writer: Ally Seibert, Liz Alper

  • The Switch
    7.7/101,662 votes

    #4 - The Switch

    Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 11/13/2018

    The rookies are temporarily paired with new training officers, and Nolan is paired with Lopez. When Nolan and Lopez track down an escaped criminal, they discover a little kindness goes a long way. Jackson is forced to face his fears when he is partnered with Officer Bradford. Chen and Nolan must face a hard truth.

    Director: Toa Fraser

    Writer: Vincent Angell

  • The Roundup
    7.8/101,596 votes

    #5 - The Roundup

    Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 11/20/2018

    Nolan, the rookies and their training officers get involved in a competition that pits them against each other. Chen notices Bradford is obsessed with winning at all costs.

    Director: Nelson McCormick

    Writer: Elizabeth Davis Beall

  • The Hawke
    7.8/101,591 votes

    #6 - The Hawke

    Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 11/27/2018

    Nolan and the team must help capture a cop and his former mentor from the academy after he becomes a fugitive following an assault. Bradford needs Chen to learn to predict the moves of criminals in order to capture them.

    Director: Timothy Busfield

    Writer: Fredrick Kotto

  • The Ride Along
    7.9/101,531 votes

    #7 - The Ride Along

    Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 12/4/2018

    Grey informs Nolan and Bishop that they are going to have a movie director as a ride-along during their patrol after a fun afternoon granting the wish of a Make-a-Wish kid as an honorary police officer. Bradford is tested once again after he learns that his wife has been arrested for drug possession.

    Director: Cherie Nowlan

    Writer: Robert Bella

  • Time of Death
    8.6/101,779 votes

    #8 - 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

  • Standoff
    8.5/101,669 votes

    #9 - 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

  • Flesh and Blood
    8.2/101,494 votes

    #10 - 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

  • Redwood
    8.0/101,452 votes

    #11 - 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

  • Heartbreak
    7.8/101,441 votes

    #12 - Heartbreak

    Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 2/12/2019

    The most dangerous day of the year – Valentine’s Day – has the team on high alert, and Officer Nolan invites everyone over for a party now that he is single.

    Director: Carol Banker

    Writer: Vincent Angell

  • Caught Stealing
    7.8/101,396 votes

    #13 - Caught Stealing

    Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 2/19/2019

    The rookies become the prime suspects after it is discovered a large sum of money used in a drug bust has gone missing.

    Director: Omar Madha

    Writer: David Radcliff

  • Plain Clothes Day
    8.2/101,431 votes

    #14 - 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

  • Manhunt
    8.4/101,551 votes

    #15 - 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

  • Greenlight
    9.0/102,344 votes

    #16 - 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

  • The Shake Up
    7.7/101,410 votes

    #17 - The Shake Up

    Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 3/26/2019

    A massive earthquake rocks the city and throws everyone’s patrols and its citizens into chaos. Meanwhile, agent Russo recommends Officer Nolan for a protective detail of Brad Hayes, a man whose dealings have put a target on his head.

    Director: Steve Robin

    Writer: Alexi Hawley

  • Homefront
    7.7/101,331 votes

    #18 - Homefront

    Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 4/2/2019

    When one of their colleagues is arrested by Internal Affairs for lying on the witness stand, it leads to the release of three felons whose cases he worked on and the team being asked to check in on them now that they are free. Meanwhile, Officer Nolan finds out he is being sued by a man who claims he used excessive force which led to an injury.

    Director: April Mullen

    Writer: Bill Rinier, Natalie Callaghan

  • The Checklist
    8.2/101,329 votes

    #19 - 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

  • Free Fall
    8.5/101,536 votes

    #20 - 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