I Always Wondered Why The Rookie Wrote Out Rachel Years Ago, And Amid Her Return, The Show’s EP Shares A Reason That Makes Sense

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In January 2025, The Rookie‘s Season 7 made its debut on the TV schedule, introducing new characters and bidding farewell to some familiar ones. In the first episode, viewers discovered that Aaron Thorsen (played by Tru Valentino) had transferred to the North Hollywood division. A fresh detective has also joined Mid-Wilshire, presenting an engaging challenge for Wesley. More recently, we’ve seen the return of Rachel Hall, a college friend of Lucy’s, which I’ve often pondered about her absence. It appears that the Executive Producer had valid reasons for writing her off the show.

In the second season of “The Rookie,” the character Rachel, played by Jasmine Matthews, entered the scene and started dating Tim. Throughout the season, their relationship faced challenges but remained a significant part of the storyline. However, Rachel got an opportunity of a lifetime in New York for her dream job, which led to a long-distance relationship with Tim. Despite their efforts, they eventually decided to part ways. Given Rachel’s potential and her strong connections with both Lucy and Tim, I was taken aback by how swiftly she was written off the show. Alexi Hawley, the series creator, explained the reasons behind her departure, and it appears that certain practical considerations were at play.

In simpler terms, since Jasmine Mathews (who plays Rachel) had a busy schedule, one factor leading to Rachel’s departure from the show at the end of Season 2 was an attempt to accommodate for her potential unavailability in future episodes.

Managing schedules can indeed be a significant challenge, especially in Hollywood productions like TV shows. It often leads to changes within the cast, as we saw when Rachel had to depart from The Rookie. While I hated to see her go, I can empathize with the producers who decided to write her character out before Jasmine Matthews might have chosen to leave on her own. If the creative team hadn’t anticipated this situation, there was a risk that Matthews could’ve requested to depart at an inconvenient time for the production.

I found it commendable that Rachel’s character was portrayed without excessive tragedy, which made it feasible for the writers to reintroduce her to the series whenever they desired.

In Episode 3 of Season 7, titled “Out of Pocket,” we find Rachel unexpectedly encountering Lucy at Mid-Wilshire, five years since Lucy left for New York. This reunion was prompted by Rachel losing her job and apartment in the Big Apple. As a result, Lucy graciously offered Rachel temporary accommodation. Rachel also mended fences with Tim, but their relationship remains non-romantic. Showrunner Alexi Hawley delves deeper into Rachel’s return and her decision to not maintain a superficial friendship with Lucy, causing some stir among Chenford fans as they navigate the aftermath of Lucy and Tim’s breakup.

In my search for ways to reintroduce her character, it seemed appropriate following Tim and Lucy’s split – however, I didn’t want to create a love triangle as I believe that could be manipulative towards the audience. As someone who had distanced myself from both of them earlier, there remains untold stories about their relationship. Indeed, more revelations are coming up in future episodes. Essentially, it was an opportunity to shake things up a bit and bring Jasmine back onto the show.

It’s clear that Tim and Lucy are going through a lot due to their split, and many fans, including me, are rooting for a reunion between them – affectionately known as Chenford. To add to the complications, it seems unfair if Tim were to reunite with an old flame who is also close friends with Lucy. Given the strong bond they share that doesn’t seem to be fading even in the midst of their breakup, fans are hoping for a reconciliation in the future – ideally sooner rather than later.

Despite the uncertainty about the number of episodes Jasmine Matthews will feature in, it seems we’re embarking on a fresh storyline for Rachel. Catch how events unfold when fresh installments of The Rookie broadcast every Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on ABC. Or, you can catch up the next day with a Hulu subscription.

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2025-02-01 22:07