6 Recruits John Nolan Has Trained On The Rookie And Where Each One Stands
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One of the most important aspects of John Nolan’s (Nathan Fillion) journey on The Rookie has been his work as a training officer, with each of the rookies he’s trained having taken an entirely different path. Throughout The Rookie’s early years, when Nolan himself was a rookie alongside Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) and the late Jackson West (Titus Makin Jr.), the show revolved around their training and the ways each officer was being shaped by their own training officers. Nolan, who was first trained by Talia Bishop (Afton Williams) before Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox) came into the picture, struggled as he learned on the job.
As Nolan, Chen, and West’s rookie year came to a close, however, each took a different path as they moved forward with their careers. Nolan, in particular, chose to become a training officer, wanting to help shape the next generation of rookies after being tested throughout his own rookie year. As the oldest rookie the LAPD had ever had, Nolan was a unique case, and he hoped to pass along a sense of acceptance to his trainees. As Nolan’s been a part of several people’s training, there have been quite a few officers he’s shaped in some way on The Rookie.
6
Aaron Thorsen
Season 5
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Aaron Thorsen, played by Tru Valentino, joined the team at Mid-Wilshire during The Rookie season 4, and had one of the most interesting backstories of any character on the series. The son of wealthy, famous parents, Aaron came from a privileged background, but after being arrested and accused of the murder of his childhood best friend, faced immense public scrutiny. Joining the LAPD after his eventual acquittal, Aaron was motivated to join the LAPD in order to ensure what happened to him didn’t happen to anyone else. Aaron was initially trained by Harper, but when she left on maternity leave, Nolan took over.
While Nolan wasn’t Aaron’s training officer for long, he was a part of the final stretch of Thorsen’s time in the FTO program. Nolan’s experiences being underestimated were key to pushing Aaron into the next chapter of his career, and the understanding that Nolan had of his unique situation was a great way for Aaron to finish out his training. Ultimately, Aaron’s journey with Nolan was short, but he was better off having worked with the TO. After graduating to become a P2, Aaron ultimately chose to leave Mid-Wilshire, but has returned to work with the team on occasion as he works to become a detective.
5
Celina Juarez
Season 5-Season 7
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Lisseth Chavez’s Celina Juarez joined the series during The Rookie season 5, becoming Nolan’s first full-term rookie. Challenging Nolan’s approach quickly with her instinct to think outside the box, especially bringing in more metaphysical elements to the show. Celina, who openly believes in astrological signs and has a spiritual side, wasn’t exactly the type of person Nolan anticipated as his first rookie, but her worldview began to make sense to him as he learned more about her. Celina lost her sister at a young age, and her agoraphobic, grief-stricken mother wasn’t aware that she’d become an on-duty officer, as she feared how dangerous it could be.
As Nolan learned more about Celina, he figured out the best ways to work with her and make her a better officer. Nolan came to understand that Celina’s intuition could help her notice details other officers might overlook, and while he didn’t entirely agree with her approach, he encouraged her to lean into her instincts in ways that could make her a better officer. Helping her deal with her trauma, Celina and Nolan’s relationship quickly became one of the most trusting on the series. Completing her training during The Rookie season 7, Celina has become a P2 and still works at Mid-Wilshire.
4
Connor Craig
Season 7
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In a somewhat unorthodox move, The Rookie brought in a trainee for Nolan during season 7 who only spent an episode with the show. Connor Craig, played by David Gridley, appeared in The Rookie season 7 episode 12, “April Fools”, being assigned to Nolan after transferring to Mid-Wilshire with just a month left in his training. Connor quickly proved to have little knowledge or skill as an officer, despite being close to finishing his training. Having worked under a sergeant, who was close to retirement and initiated Connor’s transfer so he wouldn’t have to pass an unqualified officer, Connor was far from ready to move forward.
While Nolan was clear with McAdams that he wasn’t comfortable with the lack of training Connor had, he needed to work with the officer in some capacity. Rather than dismissing Connor, Nolan gave him the opportunity to prove himself, but things quickly turned chaotic when the pair had to deal with a crisis situation involving the search for evidence connected to a murder. Connor proved some skill, but the gaps in his training and the lack of understanding of the job left Nolan feeling less-than-positive. Ultimately, Grey chose to let Connor move to a quieter division to finish his training.
3
Seth Ridley
Season 7
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As one of the most divisive rookies that has ever been on The Rookie, Seth Ridley (Patrick Keleher), was initially assigned to Lucy Chen during his early episodes on the series while Nolan was still working with Juarez. Ridley came into the FTO program with another rookie, Miles Penn (Deric Augustine), and seemed like an enthusiastic trainee who was ready for anything. As viewers got to know Ridley, however, it became clear he had struggles with honesty. Lucy caught Seth in lies consistently throughout their first weeks together, and when it became a critical issue, she reported him to Grey.
Seth’s lies, which started small but got large enough to see him telling Mid-Wilshre he had been diagnosed with cancer when he hadn’t been, got him bounced from the FTO program, but he found a legal loophole to be readmitted. When he came back to Mid-Wilshire, Seth was reassigned to work with Nolan rather than Lucy, even though Nolan was skeptical. The pair had a difficult dynamic, but quickly after his return, Seth was shot in the line of duty and wound up losing his leg from the injury. After a minor appearance during The Rookie season 8, Seth isn’t likely to return in the future.
2
Miles Penn
Season 8
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ABC (via MovieStillsDb)</figure>
In the same way that Ridley started out as Lucy’s rookie, Penn bounced through a few officers during his time as a rookie. Starting out with Tim Bradford (Eric Winter), a longtime training officer who’s tough on his rookies, Penn was a unique case – he’d already been a police officer in Texas. Going through the academy in Los Angeles and then training for a year was a step back for his career, and he struggled to learn new ways while feeling like he understood the job already. While Penn started out with Bradford, he got bounced over to Nolan when Bradford stepped in as watch commander.
While Nolan and Penn only worked together for a short time prior to Penn going on administrative leave, their time together was still important for his growth. Nolan’s interactions with Penn made it clear that he was working with a capable officer, and was going to be able to help Penn as he continued to grow in his role. When he returned from administrative leave, Penn continued to work through his training on the show with Harper, and will continue to be part of the series on The Rookie season 9.
1
Stephanie “Stevie” Monroe
Season 9
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Everett</figure>
While The Rookie season 9 won’t be out until the mid-season, with a January 6, 2027 premiere date, we’ve already learned some information about Nolan’s next rookie. With no current assignment, Nolan will be getting a new rookie in the upcoming episodes of the series, played by Troian Bellisario. Bellisario will be playing Stephanie Monroe, a single mother of two kids. A woman in her 30s, The Rookie’s creator Alexi Hawley shared that Stephanie chose to pursue a career in law enforcement after her divorce, hoping to change the direction of her life after enduring the end of a painful relationship.
While there’s not much known about how Nolan and Stephanie will get along or what their storyline will look like throughout the season, the new character’s background makes her an interesting addition to the Mid-Wilshire team. As a mother, Stephanie will be a rookie coming into the job with a vastly different home life than the previous rookies Nolan has trained. At the same time, Nolan will be able to relate to her on the level of being a parent, and because they both chose to pursue law enforcement after personal upheaval. The Rookie season 9 will see Nolan with a whole new story.
The Rookie
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