The Rookie Season 8, Episode 2, “Fast Andy” 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.
The Rookie continues to be excellent now that Tim and Lucy are a couple again. It’s also easy to adore the natural progression of both their new positions after last week’s “Czech Mate,” and how they’re getting the hang of things while also navigating being a couple this time around.
There’s something so lovely about this new chapter and how it’s all happening so organically, too. Granted, they’ve been a couple before, and they’ve now strengthened their partnership beautifully, even before they did this the first time around, but everything feels different now. It feels grounded and honest. It feels right. It feels permanent.
And while a lot doesn’t actually happen in The Rookie Season 8, Episode 2, “Fast Andy,” it’s still plenty to show us that this new chapter in their lives is a special one. It’s an especially big change for Lucy because her apartment has been a pivotal location from the beginning, and I love that the show gives us the chance to say goodbye to it alongside her.
The ending is also a poignant display of casual intimacy as the normalcy of their relationship now feels more settled. The move to Tim’s house is a real turning point because everything about ensuring that their relationship lasts this time has to involve this change. It’s also easy to appreciate their approach in how they’re handling their working relationship, too, because small moments like getting each other lunch when everyone’s a little on edge matter. It’s all going to feel different, and the emphasis on “girlfriend Lucy” is also a sign that we’ll likely get fiancée Lucy by the end of this season, if not sooner.
So the fact that we’re getting all these reintroductions and seeing key milestones continues to make Chenford such a perfect pairing to follow. There’s something so lovely about their last-minute dinner plans with Kojo, which is icing on top of the cake.
But lastly, we have to talk about Melissa O’Neil’s performance in that last shot as she looks in at the new house and briefly takes in all these new beginnings. Lucy’s been through so much throughout the eight seasons we’ve known her that this moment feels even bigger. To know that she always has someone looking out for her is exactly what a character like her deserves. In a lot of ways, her apartment was a sanctuary for other people, and all the ways she could’ve helped them. And yes, they’ve been there for her, too, but with Tim being her person, it makes everything that much more comforting today. Because now, she has a home where her milestones will be shared and celebrated alongside someone who loves her deeply. Now, she’s in a place where everything is permanent. A place where she doesn’t have to question her security or the fact that she’s valued as a person. A place where she knows that in and out of work, she’s loved and appreciated. And I adore that so much for her.
Now streaming on Hulu: What are your thoughts on Chenford’s scenes in The Rookie Season 8, Episode 2, “Fast Andy?” Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: (Disney/Mike Taing)