Why Fans Are Furious Over The Rookie’s Delayed Season 8 (And They’re Not Wrong)

The Rookie season 8’s January 2026 premiere date is a bummer as fans don’t want to wait six months to see favorite characters such as John Nolan (Nathan Fillion), Angela Lopez (Alyssa Diaz), and Miles Penn (Deric Augustine) again. I’m among the many fans who are having a tough time being patient after the season 7 finale. Between the return of Monica Stevens (Bridget Regan) and the whereabouts of Oscar Hutchinson (Matthew Glave), a lot of plotlines were left hanging.

However, along with wondering how Monica, one of The Rookie‘s most notable villains, is going to fit into the framework of the popular show once again, I’m nervous about one thing in particular. I need to see one major storyline pick up some steam when the show returns.

The Rookie Season 8 Needs To Reunite Chenford Immediately (Or Risk Upsetting Fans Even More)

It’s good news that The Rookie season 8 premiere will have a bit of a time jump because the episode will catch fans up on what has been going on. However, I’m worried about one thing: Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) and Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) not getting back together right away. If their relationship status isn’t clear in The Rookie season 8 premiere, I’m not the only fan who is going to be frustrated. I hope that when the show airs as part of ABC’s mid-season schedule, these characters have moved in together, and fans will hear about all the positive changes in their lives lately.

I would also argue that The Rookie season 8 should give Lucy a day shift or change Tim’s schedule so they’re working together again. The series excels at crafting exciting cliffhangers but also focuses on the day-to-day dynamics between the main characters, and I always enjoy seeing Chenford banter. I think it would be a mistake for them to continue working different shifts.

Several fans have shared on Reddit that they hope Lucy and Tim will get back together shortly. One Redditor wrote:

“They‘ve played around with this couple way too long.”

Redditor @Forsaken-Molasses87 shared:

“I hope & pray they don’t drag it out if they do i’ll be mad. I’d still want time to be endgame.”

Another fan wrote, “if they’re going to keep dragging it out, they should just break up.”

While I don’t think that splitting Chenford up is the right move for The Rookie season 8, it’s a fair point. If the ABC procedural is going to air for several more seasons, which seems possible considering how popular it is, then the show needs to move past this dramatic storyline. The Rookie should focus on another couple’s ongoing problems or introduce a new villain or two. Lucy and Tim’s breakup has been the focal point for too long now, and it’s hard to think of a reason why they should be kept apart.

I’ve always found the concept of a TV show “jumping the shark” to be interesting, and I agree that sometimes it’s more compelling to watch the chemistry and banter between two characters when they’re apart rather than together. But Chenford is more engaging when they’re an official couple. They care so much about each other that if they stay broken up for any longer, I don’t think it’s going to be realistic or believable.

The Rookie Showrunner Let Fans Know Chenford Will Reunite (But Didn’t Say When)

In a June 2025 interview with TV Insider, showrunner Alexi Hawley addressed Lucy and Tim’s relationship. He said:

“I think we’ve earned where they’re going, and the promise of that scene is a corner has been turned. I feel like we really did find a lot of story to tell about these two people getting past something terrible, and now we’re in a much better place.”

Hawley continued:

“I do think that we’ve put those characters through a lot on their journey back, and I think we’re almost there.”

While I’m glad to hear that Chenford is definitely going to be in a relationship again in The Rookie season 8, I can’t help but hope that their problems will get cleared up at the beginning of the season. Since season 7 focused on their time apart, I can’t imagine that fans want to wait even one more episode to see them putting their issues behind them, at least for the time being. While Eric Winter likes how “complicated” things are between the former couple, I think viewers have waited long enough. If Chenford isn’t back together by the end of the season 8 premiere, it’s going to be more than a little frustrating.