‘Supernatural’ Crossover Fails to Rescue ‘The Rookie’s’ Lowest-Rated Episode
Season 8 episode 15 of The Rookie returned to a mockumentary style. The format interrupted the central case with repeated interview segments.
Plot and structure
The story opens with John Nolan, played by Nathan Fillion, and Celina Juarez, played by Lisseth Chavez, responding to a disturbing 9-1-1 call. They find a disheveled man with a knife and a connection to a retired LAPD officer.
That retired officer is Rich Rowley, portrayed by Jamie Martz. Rich had been reported missing in 2022 after a boat incident. Investigators later discover a coffin in Rich’s garage.
Victims and clues
The coffin contains the body of Marcus Ford, a 54-year-old truck driver who died in 2020. A tattoo and other details tie Ford to footage in Rich’s training videos.
Detective Lucy Chen, played by Melissa O’Neil, reviews Rich’s old training tapes. The tapes link Rich to seven cold cases. Each victim was stabbed in the heart and found with a 1930 penny.
Conspiracy detours and horror elements
Rich’s cloud records reveal a break-in at a military site called Area 67. The episode then shifts into B-movie lore and cult myths.
The fictional film within the episode is titled 300 Days of Hell. Its plot involves a demonic entity named Malaphus moving hosts every 300 days. The show suggests copper might slow the entity.
Fringe leads and diversions
Side threads include Nolan’s past radio comments on aliens. Officer Quigley Smitty, played by Brent Huff, claims an alien abduction experience.
An army base contact, credited to Thomas Lennon, points detectives toward the movie’s director. Investigators also revisit a convicted priest, Father Simon.
Connections to past episodes and cameo
The episode brings back the documentary crew from an earlier storyline. Abigail Tierney, played by Madeleine Coghlan, returns after last season’s supernatural incident.
A notable cameo features Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki. The pair meet cops at a fan event and recall an interaction with Rich Rowley.
Case resolution
Angela Lopez, played by Alyssa Diaz, and Nyla Harper, portrayed by Mekia Cox, trace the murders to the director. The detectives conclude the killings were personal revenge.
Abigail and the documentary filmmaker finish their project. She reveals plans for additional films and a three-picture deal with Hulu.
Production notes and credits
The Rookie series lists Alexi Hawley as showrunner. The franchise’s credited directors for various episodes include Tori Garrett and others.
Several writers are credited on the show, including Corey Miller and Madeleine Coghlan. The series premiere date appears as October 16, 2018.
Reception and critique
Critics noted the repeated documentary approach. Many found the format distracting from character development and case cohesion.
- Pros: The Supernatural cameo offered a standout moment.
- Cons: The mockumentary style felt overused and fragmented the plot.
- Cons: Reintroducing recent characters reduced the episode’s freshness.
- Cons: Side stories, such as Smitty’s abduction claim, seemed misplaced.
- Cons: Abigail’s return divided viewer opinion due to her portrayal.
At Filmogaz.com, reviewers argued the Supernatural crossover failed to rescue the episode from heavy criticism. The segment didn’t resolve concerns about pacing and coherence.
Where to watch
New episodes air Monday nights on ABC. U.S. viewers can stream episodes on Hulu.
