Most of The Rookie fandom is currently preoccupied with the relationship status of the Chenford pairing in Season 7, but there is another at stake for one of the show’s relationship pairings, specifically, Jailey. Wait a minute. Does the John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and Bailey Nune (Jenna Dewan) pairing in the show already have an official shipping name? Earlier this season, the John and Bailey romance appeared to be in jeopardy. The hitman, Malvado (Jimmy Gonzalez), solved the Jason Wyler (Steve Kazee) problem by executing Wyler after Wyler kidnapped Bailey. Bailey used a burner phone to text Malvado about her abusive ex-husband’s whereabouts, leading to Malvado executing Jason and his accomplice, Drew Davis (Katelyn Pippy). Unfortunately, The Rookie looks to be solving this issue by ignoring it completely, which is highly problematic.
John Nolan Discovers Bailey’s Involvement With Malvado
In Season 7, Episode 4, “Darkness Falling,” Bailey discovers that Malvado has been surveilling her because the hitman is targeting Wyler. Malvado gives Bailey his untraceable cellphone number, which Bailey keeps and does not inform Nolan about. Later in Episode 5, “Till Death,” Jason finally resurfaces, taking Bailey captive. Bailey manages to text Malvado about Jason’s whereabouts with a cellphone she was using to contact Malvado. At the end of the episode, Nolan discovers the phone and Bailey’s message to Malvado.
The thread continues in the next episode, “The Gala,” when Nolan confronts Bailey about the cell phone. Nolan points out that Bailey’s actions constitute grounds for criminal conspiracy, but Bailey snaps the phone in two and tosses it over a building. Bailey makes a good point since Jason terrorized her for years and intended to kidnap and murder her. Bailey’s actions exist in a morally gray area. Jason was a degenerate criminal and drug dealer who sought to torture and murder his ex-wife. It raises the question: Is it truly justice to punish a venerable and heroic individual such as Bailey, who was already victimized by Jason’s past abuse, by implicating her as an accessory to Jason’s death, especially when Bailey texted Malvado in the heat of getting abducted by Jason?
The incident causes friction between Nolan and Bailey for a while, with Bailey temporarily moving out of their house. The situation creates an interesting dilemma for Nolan, who is torn between his duty and integrity as a police officer and his love for Bailey. However, the series resolves the rift between Nolan and Bailey in the most haphazard fashion possible.
‘The Rookie’ Awkwardly Resolves the Rift Between Nolan and Bailey
The rift between Nolan and Bailey does not last very long. In Season 7, Episode 7, “The Mickey,” Bailey returns to Nolan and admits her longstanding issues and fears about Jason, something she did not previously discuss. She was not seeking to keep secrets from Nolan, but she was in denial over the trauma caused by Jason’s past abuse. Ultimately, Bailey acknowledges Nolan as an ally to help her heal from the trauma, and they forgive each other in a happy, joyous moment. Nolan and Bailey forgiving one another is great, but what about Bailey’s communications with Malvado?!
For the most part, Nolan and Bailey’s conversation ignores the Malvado situation. Bailey calls her text to Malvado a
“desperate move” because she was “scared.” Her fears are certainly understandable and warranted, but they do not absolve her of the act. Nolan apologizes, and Bailey claims they will fix this together, and that’s it. They never mention Malvado again, nor the evidence Bailey destroyed and threw away. The resolution for the couple does not adequately address Bailey’s legally sketchy actions. Although Nolan recognizes Bailey’s fears and understands her perspective, their talk does not acknowledge how they intend to handle the situation.
Bailey’s actions can be viewed as criminal conspiracy, as well as an accessory to murder in the first degree. Keep in mind, Malvado not only killed Jason but his accomplice Drew. Although Drew was not innocent, she was likely another victim who was manipulated and deceived by Jason. John and Bailey’s failure to properly address Bailey’s action will likely come back to bite them later. What if Malvado returns? Additionally, Nolan and the Mid-Wilshire Division have made many enemies over the years, so Bailey’s actions could have negative consequences in the future.
How ‘The Rookie’ Could Later Revisit Bailey’s Actions
Season 7, Episode 11, “Speed,” saw the villainous former defense attorney, Monica Stevens (Bridget Regan), resurfacing. She masterminded a bomb heist on a bus, all an elaborate ruse to steal and datamine a government worker’s ID for unknown purposes. In the past, Monica took secrets from police officer sessions with psychiatrist Dr. Blair London (Danielle Campbell), using them to leverage corrupt officers and sell information to the criminal underworld. If Monica learns about Bailey’s involvement with Malvado, Bailey’s mistake would certainly be exposed. Monica is not above using such information in an attempt to blackmail or coerce Bailey and Nolan to get what she wants. With Bailey and Nolan currently seeking to adopt a child, the revelation of Bailey’s secret would cause certain chaos in their lives and provide the series with an excellent source of drama.
Another of Nolan’s past enemies who is still at large is the convicted fugitive, Oscar Hutchinson (Matthew Glaive), whom Monica helped escape from prison in the Season 6 finale, “Escape Plan.” Oscar and Nolan have a long history, and considering Oscar’s connections to the criminal underworld, Oscar gaining access to information about Bailey’s actions would supply another excellent source of drama. Ultimately, The Rookie must avoid keeping Bailey’s actions with Malvado a secret between her and Nolan, so forcing the characters to confront Bailey’s mistake is the best move forward.
ADA Vivian Eckert (Necar Zaegan) would eagerly attempt to legally hang Nolan and Bailey if she got wind of the secret about Malvado. During Season 7, Episode 9, she wrongfully sought to implicate Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox) in the shooting of her husband, James Murray (Arjay Smith), and Kylie Thomas (Maria Zhang). Eckert is seeking the District Attorney’s seat, and based on her previous attempt to target Harper as a corrupt officer, it would not be surprisingif she gets involved in the Malvado case to get positive publicity for her election campaign.
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