The end of The Rookie Season 7 delivered the kind of explosive, high-stakes payoff the series is known for. The focus was firmly placed on the escalating conflict with Monica Stevens (Bridget Regan), the ruthless, morally bankrupt defense attorney turned apparent criminal mastermind. The finale successfully set up a better, more intense storyline for Monica heading into Season 8, positioning her as a formidable, overarching villain.
However, in the relentless pursuit of an external, high-octane threat, The Rookie once again overlooked a glaring opportunity for deeper character development within its own ranks. While the Monica Stevens arc provides necessary dramatic tension, there is one underused character who desperately needs a central, season-long storyline to keep their momentum going: Aaron Thorsen (Tru Valentino). The energy spent elevating Monica could have been better invested in making Thorsen a truly integral pillar of the Mid-Wilshire family.
The Monica Stevens Arc: A Necessary Upgrade for the Villain
Monica Stevens’s evolution has been fascinating, albeit somewhat fragmented, over her tenure on The Rookie. Initially introduced as a brilliant, icy legal adversary, her character had plateaued, often serving as a one-dimensional legal hurdle for the Mid-Wilshire team.
The New, Formidable Threat
The Season 7 finale successfully elevated Monica from a courtroom antagonist to a criminal puppet master. By revealing her orchestration of a major power play, complete with coordinated attacks and an apparent disregard for the law, the writers have given her a clear, long-term purpose: She is now the Big Bad the show has lacked since the departure of some earlier antagonists.
This new setup is beneficial because it:
- Raises the Stakes: A recurring, intelligent villain with resources provides a sustained, personal threat that episodic antagonists simply cannot replicate. Every major character—Nolan, Chen, Bradford, and Harper—now has a vested, often personal, interest in taking her down.
- Justifies the Crossover: Monica’s wide-reaching criminal network could logically pave the way for organic crossovers with spin-offs like The Rookie: Feds or other ABC procedurals, expanding the narrative scope of the fight.
- Offers a Moral Challenge: Having a former lawyer as the main villain provides a compelling moral challenge, forcing the officers to fight her on legal, tactical, and ethical grounds simultaneously.
While this renewed focus on Monica is a better story than her previous sporadic appearances, it comes at the expense of a character who needs the spotlight for a wholly different, but equally crucial, reason.
The Underused Character: Aaron Thorsen Needs His Story
Aaron Thorsen has been an integral part of the team since his introduction, but his character development has felt stop-start, often pushed to the side in favor of “Chenford” romance or John Nolan’s evolving career. While he has arguably the most compelling, high-stakes backstory, his narrative has failed to move forward with the necessary force.
The Stagnation of the Thorsen Narrative
Thorsen’s defining arc—being falsely accused of murder and eventually exonerated—is one of the most powerful and unique elements of his character. This experience gave him a profound, empathetic perspective on the justice system, differentiating him sharply from his colleagues.
However, since his exoneration, his storyline has lacked consistent, high-stakes development:
- The TO Transition: His transition from rookie to a Training Officer (TO) has been too smooth, missing the inherent conflict and high-pressure situations that defined Tim Bradford’s tenure.
- The Emotional Distance: While Thorsen is well-liked, his personal life and deeper emotional turmoil related to his past are rarely explored outside of standalone episodes. His vast personal wealth and the complexities of his family life remain fascinating, largely untapped resources for dramatic storylines.
- Lack of a Personal Nemesis: Every central character has a defining professional rivalry or personal villain (Nolan had Rosalind Dyer, Chen had Caleb Wright, Lopez has La Fiera). Thorsen lacks this anchor, leaving him often relegated to a supporting role in other characters’ major cases.
The Stakes of Wasted Potential
Thorsen’s potential goes beyond a typical police drama arc. A season-long arc focused on him could explore vital, timely themes that the show often touches upon but rarely commits to:
- The Price of Exoneration: A storyline where Thorsen’s past accusers or the system that failed him comes back to haunt him would explore the long-term psychological and professional toll of being wrongly convicted. This is a story that only Thorsen can tell.
- Wealth and Privilege in Policing: The show could dive into the ethical conflicts of Thorsen using his immense wealth to aid his work—not just buying equipment, but navigating politics, funding deep-dive investigations, or even encountering criminal elements tied to his family’s business empire. This adds a unique layer of complexity to his commitment to public service.
- A Personal Threat: Instead of an external villain like Monica Stevens who targets the team generally, imagine a Season 8 villain who specifically targets Thorsen because of his past or his family. This would force Thorsen to lead the investigation, stepping into the emotional center of the show.
Why Thorsen’s Story is More Needed
The difference between the Monica Stevens arc and a potential Aaron Thorsen arc is one of necessity versus convenience.
The show needed a new high-level antagonist like Monica Stevens to drive procedural plots and create external action. However, the show needs an Aaron Thorsen central arc to justify his place among the main ensemble and avoid his character stagnating into a clever sidekick.
- The Ensemble Balance: Every member of the core cast has been granted a major, season-defining story (Nolan’s TO arc, Bradford’s Chenford and TO arcs, Chen’s detective ambition, Lopez’s La Fiera arc). Thorsen is the only main cast member whose most compelling story already happened largely off-screen before he joined the force. He needs an on-screen crisis to solidify his dramatic weight.
- Thematic Depth: Thorsen’s perspective as someone who has been a victim of the justice system is a powerful, underutilized thematic tool. A storyline focusing on his unique insight would offer a more nuanced and reflective view of policing than simply chasing a megalomaniacal former lawyer.
- Sustaining Engagement: While viewers will tune in to see Monica Stevens get caught, long-term audience satisfaction comes from watching beloved characters grow and confront their deepest personal challenges. Thorsen’s dramatic potential is currently one of The Rookie‘s greatest uncashed checks.
Conclusion: A Hope for a Balanced Season 8
The setup for Monica Stevens in Season 8 is undeniably exciting and promises a thrilling continuation of the overarching plot. It gives the Mid-Wilshire team a formidable target, ensuring plenty of high-stakes action.
However, The Rookie must strive for a more balanced narrative in the upcoming season. While the show chases the new external conflict with Monica, it should not forget the deep, personal drama waiting to be explored with Aaron Thorsen. Elevating Thorsen to the center stage for a significant portion of Season 8 is the needed change that would not only satisfy the character’s potential but would enrich the entire ensemble and provide the kind of layered storytelling that keeps a long-running procedural fresh and compelling. Fans are ready to see Thorsen move beyond the precinct halls and confront a personal demon that only he can conquer.
