Why Lucy & Tim’s Romance Bombshell Could Break The Rookie Fans’ Hearts

Lucy Chen and Tim Bradford should get back together in The Rookie, but major changes at the end of season 7 could be difficult as they try to rekindle their relationship. One of the show’s greatest strengths is the sheer number of couples in The Rookie cast who aren’t terrible for each other. While some series, unfortunately, pack every romance full of melodramatic toxicity, it’s generally easy to root for couples like Nolan and Bailey, Chen and Bradford, and (to an extent) even Celina and Rodge. However, that’s not to say their relationships are devoid of tension.

Chenford might be facing their greatest compatibility test ever as they head into The Rookie season 8. They’ve had plenty of discussions about how things might change when Chen passed her sergeant’s exam, and they even risked fooling around while their difference in rank still put their careers in jeopardy if they got caught, but talking about the future isn’t the same as being truly prepared for it, as seen in The Rookie season 7 finale. The good news is that one roadblock won’t be as big of an issue as it initially seemed.

Lucy & Tim Are Confirmed To Get Back Together In The Rookie Season 8

His Season 7 Finale Confession Left Things Uncertain

There were definitely professional concerns regarding Chen and Bradford’s relationship, but that’s not actually why Bradford and Chen broke up in The Rookie season 6. Bradford broke things off with Chen due to his own insecurities after lying to her about his past, creating a wound between them that something like passing a sergeant’s exam isn’t enough to fix. Nonetheless, Bradford’s certainly been trying. He made Chen enough breakfast to feed a Viking mess hall in the season 7 finale before telling her that he wants to move in together, but she fell asleep without hearing a word.

Despite Chen missing Bradford’s genuine plea for reconciliation, the effort he’s making to restart their relationship on the right foot seems like it won’t be in vain, thanks to an update by The Rookie showrunner Alexi Hawley. According to Hawley, Bradford and Chen will get back together with each other in The Rookie season 8. Whether Bradford will get his wish to move in together is another question. Regarding that concern, Hawley states, “I do think that we’ve put those characters through a lot on their journey back, and I think we’re almost there.”

There are also unanswered questions about the exact timeline for their reunion. Chen sleeping through Bradford’s expression of his feelings is meant to keep the suspense alive, something Bradford and Chen’s relationship in The Rookie has been doing since the beginning. Thanks to Bradford’s fairly aggressive training style, it seemed doubtful in the series premiere that Chenford would ever happen, let alone be given a second chance. That said, they could still be in for their most uphill battle yet.

Lucy’s New Role In The Rookie Season 8 Poses A Big Challenge In Terms Of Her Full Reconciliation With Tim

Chen Working Night Shift Won’t Be Easy On Their Relationship

Lieutenant Grey is arguably The Rookie’s most underrated character, but he generally seems to have the most objective viewpoint of the various happenings at Mid-Wilshire Station. He’s voiced concerns about Chenford in the past, but his primary concern is that Bradford and Chen don’t let their relationship interfere with their duties. With Chen now adapting to a new role, that concern should take even greater precedence than before. And, as The Rookie season 7 finale makes abundantly clear, Chen’s going to have her work cut out for her on that front.

Working different shifts will take a toll on any efforts to rekindle their relationship, a point that was teased when Chen failed to stay awake through a single conversation in the finale. On top of that, she’s stressed from running her own team, who largely sleeps while letting her respond to calls on her own. Trying to work things out with an ex can be strenuous enough all by itself, and additional outside stressors only to exacerbate the problem.

Chen’s new role could also be anxiety-inducing for Bradford. Having started as her trainer, Bradford is accustomed to looking out for Chen’s safety. Nonethehless, Melissa O’Neil’s stunt training for The Rookie season 8 suggests that the already dangerous nature of Chen’s job is about to be taken up a notch (and will include at least one sequence requiring O’Neil to practice stunt driving). Add Chen’s love for undercover work and her squad not having her back, and Bradford’s inability to protect the woman he loves, could become a major source of tension between them.

The Rookie Needs To Present Tim & Lucy With New Challenges (& This Is A Good Start)

Chenford Should Cover New Ground In Their Relationship’s Next Stage

Even when they’ve been over for a while, rekindled relationships never truly start back from square one. Bradford and Chen were broken up for a little over a year, so any problems that occurred during their first go at romance would still be fresh. However, rehashing a couple’s previous arguments and dramas can get stale for viewers quicly, so it’s important to constantly keep the relationship moving forward. Even if the past needs to be addressed, Chenford require fresh conflicts to maintain their story’s sense of momentum.

One way to accomplish this could be to give one or both of them a mutual villain to take down together, perhaps a threat big enough to rival The Rookie’s Oscar Hutchinson. This only brings them closer as police officers, which is a misstep since no longer working alongside each other already presents their relationship with a new challenge. Such an extreme route might only work if Chen’s given a threat to handle on her own while Bradford’s put in the position of trusting that she’s experienced enough to manage without his oversight.

Ideally, however, their issues should remain largely personal. If an outside player were to set the ball rolling, Chen’s hatred for Seth Ridley would provide a much better catalyst. He deserves to return in The Rookie season 8 after his incredible season 7 sacrifice, and Tim choosing to take his side over Lucy’s could present a new conflict while allowing Bradford to move beyond his past insecurities over Chen’s perceived moral superiority. But whether external factors play a role or not, seeing Chenford put their relationship on the right track is already shaping up to be a satisfying experience.

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