The Rookie season 7 has been fun and surprising, proving that even when a character appears to say goodbye, they might not be gone for good. Recent episodes have ended the arcs of a few villains, shown the characters filming a documentary, and followed up on John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and Bailey Nune’s (Jenna Dewan) adoption wishes. And the season isn’t even over yet.
While a procedural always relies on guest stars since the characters investigate so many unsettling cases, The Rookie has had some particularly strong performances from actors who pop in and out. As the compelling police drama on ABC marches closer to the last episode of this season, fans are thinking about one unforgettable character who made a big splash and joined the LAPD officers recently. While some viewers want their arc to continue, others feel their story should be finished.
The Rookie Season 7 Brought Back Seth Ridley & Fans Are Torn About Him
“I hope this isn’t the last we see of him. Nolan’s message at the end of the episode where he tells Seth that he can change for the better should be shown.”
At the end of “The Return,” Nolan gives one of his famous pep talks to Seth and lets him know it’s not too late to change, even though it’s not going to be an easy road. Given The Rookie‘s positive tone, it would seem logical for the ABC procedural to bring Seth back again and show him in a good place. Seth, Nolan, and Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) could work together and Seth could show how much he’s grown since this terrible experience. But while some wonder if Seth’s story could have a happy ending, others are fine with him being an unlikable character who stirs up debate. Redditor @fly1234 said Seth is meant to be “complicated” and have “nuance” and, in their opinion, viewers are meant to be “divided” on them. This is a good point as if Seth was 100 percent good or 100 percent evil, he would be boring.
Redditor @Dennise_frfr isn’t happy with the way that The Rookie season 7, episode 16 wrapped up and thinks Seth needed a different conclusion. The fan wrote:
“Yeah but the show could have done so much more with him, character development wise but they just decided to give him a ‘heroic’ Ending that he did not deserve.”
Is Patrick Keleher Returning After The Rookie Season 7?
Although fans know The Rookie was renewed for season 8, it’s unclear if Patrick Keleher will reprise his role of Seth Ridley this season. As of now, fans expect main characters such as John Nolan and the rest of the team to come back.
It sounds like Seth’s arc was always meant to be a brief one. In 2024, Variety reported that Keleher and Deric Augustine, who plays rookie cop Miles Penn, joined The Rookie as “recurring guest stars.” In April 2025, Deadline reported that Augustine was upped to series regular, which suggests that viewers will see more of Miles in The Rookie season 8.
