The Rookie Season 7, Episode 2, “The Watcher” Spoilers Ahead
Welcome to Chenford Chats, a column dedicated solely to highlighting Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen’s interactions during the latest episode of The Rookie.
I saw some theories going around the internet that Lucy and Tim are secretly back together, but the events of The Rookie Season 7, Episode 2, “The Watcher,” ultimately dismiss that a bit. And to be frank, I’m personally a little (okay, super) glad because I don’t want their reunion to happen off-screen when their breakup occurred on-screen. Viewers are equal players in their relationship now, and part of what makes a second chance romance excellent is seeing all the little moments that lead to the eventual reunion.
As mentioned in last week’s Chenford Chats, we’re back to the beginning with their dynamic because if there’s one thing they’ve both accepted, it’s how important their friendship is. It’s why they work as a couple and why we’ve been rooting for them since day one. Their ease and banter have been catalysts in their early days, so going back to that after everything isn’t the challenging part. It’ll be opening up again that we’ll have to look more closely at because that’s where they both needed to climb through their individual walls to get to a place where they could be a couple. (Tim, more so.)
Most of what we get in this episode is innocuous, typical banter, and then there’s the awkward moment at the end of the night. The fact that they can joke about when they were dating is a big deal. The comfort in their body language (Tim’s especially) and juxtaposing that with the two of them mostly keeping their conversations about their boots says something about the path they’re headed toward. And even that small moment of silence before they even talk again after Nolan leaves shows us that it applies to more than just their work situation.
Chenford are figuring themselves out in this process, even while there are moments that are easier to talk than others. Melissa O’Neil does such a great job of subtly showing us something more beyond the words she says aloud. Lucy misses Tim tremendously (as does he, full stop). She’s meeting him halfway by focusing on their jobs but there’s a clear moment during this conversation where she’s thinking about their past. They can joke about all things except the serious issues that broke them apart.
Further, we can look at Lucy jokingly saying the words, “You made my life hell,” and Tim internalizing them a tiny bit because, at the end of the day, that’s his biggest fear. Everything he’s done and does is to protect her. Eric Winter even confirms as much in his latest interview with Parade. It’s to ensure that she’s happy, safe, and protected, not to mention he’s still deeply traumatized by who Blair turned out to be. For your therapist to be the one who’s untrustworthy is a huge hindrance — the fact that he’s even smiling and cracking jokes right now is extraordinary because it shows us he’s trying without all the added help, so I can’t wait to see what happens when he does learn to trust and open up again.
The Rookie Season 7, Episode 2, “The Watcher,” is ultimately about ensuring that we understand that even if their dynamic is currently different, their foundation hasn’t shaken. It’s still solid. Chenford can deny whatever they want out loud to their friends, but we can see what’s happening with the path they’re walking on, even if they themselves don’t realize it. They’re going to continue gravitating toward each other. They understand each other better than anyone else could, which is exactly why they could continue easily venture back to their early days. It’s why Lucy can keep a straight face. It’s why he can feel slightly at ease. Their foundation is rock solid, no matter what angle we examine it from, and I can’t wait to see what next week will bring.
Now streaming on Hulu: What are your thoughts on Chenford’s scenes in The Rookie Season 7, Episode 2, “The Watcher?” Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ABC