The Rookie is coming back. The sixth season concluded on a fairly ambiguous note, and fans have had to wait a long time for answers. Thankfully, showrunner Alexi Hawley decided to take mercy on impatient fans and provide some information ahead of the season 7 premiere.
Hawley recently spoke to TV Line about the upcoming season, and which characters will pose the greatest threat for John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and his family. Those who are caught up with all the family drama involving Nolan and his wife, Bailey (Jenna Dewan), should not be surprised by the fact that her ex-convict ex-boyfriend, Jason Wyler (Steven Michael Kazee), is going to be occupying the role of season 7 villain.
Bailey's ex will be John Nolan's main adversary
The showrunner told the outlet that Jason is at the top of Nolan's list when it comes to concerns. Given that the character has a vendetta against his loved ones, the concern makes sense. "Jason is more of the existential threat to Nolan’s family," Hawley noted. "We come in with that sense of, 'We have to catch this guy before he comes for my wife and myself.'"
Unfortunately, finding Jason and stopping him are going to prove trickier than Nolan initially thought. Hawley clued TV Line in on a crucial detail involving the hunt for Jason, and that is the fact that false information will be spread about his whereabouts.
The conflict between Nolan and Jason may sound like the main event, but the showrunner made a point of noting that Bailey's relationship with her ex is also going to play a crucial role during season 7. "We’ll also lean into some of the trauma of Bailey’s relationship with Jason that maybe she hasn’t processed yet," he admitted. "The abusive relationship she was in with this guy."
Nolan has recovered from his gunshot wound
Alexi Hawley also confirmed that there will be a time lapse between the events of season 6 and the beginning of season 7. He acknowledged that several weeks have transpired since we last saw the main characters, and a lot has happened in this time period.
For one, Nolan has healed from being shot in the butt. For another, the paranoia involving Jason and his plan to disrupt the Nolan family has been allowed to fester and build up to a breaking point. We are extremely excited to see how this conflict gets handled, and how early in season 7 it will occur.