The Rookie season 7’s latest episode brought back an important character with a complicated relationship with John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and the other LAPD officers, and now the actor is sharing some behind-the-scenes information about their dramatic storyline.
Season 7 episode 16, “The Return,” which aired one hour later than usual, focused on a character who fans might not have expected to see working with the team again. So far this season, fans have been shocked by past villains popping up again and intrigued by cases involving the dark web and influencers. Viewers have also laughed at the sometimes corny jokes that the ABC procedural characters can’t help but crack. Given the significance of the most recent episode, it’s interesting to find out more about this character’s storyline.
Patrick Keleher Shared More About Seth Ridley’s Comeback In The Rookie Season 7, Episode 16
“It’s how the episode was supposed to open. And in that scene, they just had this conversation. She says, ‘You can do it,’ and we get to see a little bit more inside their relationship.”
The actor also explained that he took a break from The Rookie season 7 because he starred in the off-Broadway run of the play Fatherland. He described the scene when Seth walks into the police station and the other characters are upset to see him. Keheler said:
“So coming back and then filming that scene where everybody stands up and turns their back, it felt too real. I remember telling everybody, ‘This doesn’t feel right. It feels like I really am being shunned.’ And yeah, it was a little too real.”
By the end of the episode, Seth has experienced several changes in a short time. He spills to Nolan that he lied about having cancer and he gets shot while working on a case, which results in his leg being amputated. In a moving and sad scene in the hospital, Nolan and Seth talk, and it’s clear that Seth has no idea what his next move should be. In the same interview with TV Insider, Keheler said Seth is “a good kid at heart” and is uncertain about what the future holds for the character. It would have been interesting to see Seth and Tamara chatting, but fans do get the sense that she supports him during the scene when several of the characters have dinner.
