The Rookie Season 6’s biggest mistake? Breaking up Chenford—just when fans thought they’d finally get their happily ever after.
Nathan Fillion’s The Rookie has been a fan favorite ever since it premiered in 2018, with each season better than the last. It has a perfect mix of high-stakes crime drama as well as slow-burning relationships that keep the fans entertained. And in this, the most prominent would be the evolving dynamics between Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen.
Over the course of multiple seasons, their bond shifted drastically from a strict training officer-rookie relationship to something very layered. This was something that even fans wanted to see unfolding, but Season 6 of the show took a shocking turn and left many frustrated.
What was The Rookie Season 6’s biggest mistake?
Fans carefully follow certain storylines for a good amount of time, only for shows to turn around and ruin them completely. The same thing happened when The Rookie decided to pull the plug on Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen’s slow-burning romance in Season 6.
While this obviously left many confused and frustrated Eric Winter, who plays Bradford in the show, talked about this storyline in an interview via Hollywood Life. He has been quite vocal about his involvement and added, “I couldn’t be happier to be a part of it.”
He also credited The Rookie fandom for shaping the Chenford (as fans call them) relationship into something bigger than what was originally planned. Winter also detailed how the relationship between Bradford and Chen happened.
Unlike his past relationships, particularly with his ex-wife, Isabel, Chen challenged him in ways he never expected. She saw through his hard exterior and stood by him even when he tried to push her away.
So, the actor pointed out that this relationship was in complete contrast to what his character had experienced before. Winter also compared Chenford to classic TV romances and said, “We always say it’s the Ross and Rachel moment. Everybody’s waiting for this to happen.”
After finally getting together in Season 5, Chen and Bradford’s relationship was short-lived, and by Season 6, the show had them breaking up. While the show still has a lot going on for it, the decision to break up Chen and Bradford is definitely one that will be hard to forgive.
What was it like for Jenna Dewan to work with Steve Kazee in The Rookie?
Jenna Dewan has been captivating viewers with her firefighter role as Bailey Nune in The Rookie. But her experience on the show reached an all-time high when she found herself face-to-face with her real-life fiancé, Steve Kazee. Kazee, who himself is a Tony-winning actor, played the role of Jason Wyler—interestingly, her abusive ex-husband.
For Dewan, this opportunity to work with her partner was both exciting and challenging. She detailed via People that when showrunner Alexi Hawley suggested casting him, she was immediately on board. She added, “He’s such a good actor that I felt we would be able to push each other.” So, having him on set allowed him to take the performance to another level.
The actor first appeared in Season 4 as Jason Wyler, who was released from prison just as Bailey’s romance with John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) was gaining momentum. Though he was soon locked away again, he made a dramatic return in Season 6, escaping from prison after Bailey and Nolan’s wedding.
