After four seasons of interesting plot twists full of drama and sprinkled with a few lighthearted moments, The Rookie season 5 is here, once again prepared to leave viewers glued to their screens.
As with most shows, it owes a large part of its success to the characters. The rich stories fueling the onscreen members of the LAPD have caused fans to fall in love with the series and develop a great amount of adoration for the actors playing the officers. So just who is featured in this slate of all new episodes?
Here’s what we know about The Rookie season 5 cast.
Nathan Fillion as John Nolan
Nathan Fillion is probably most known for his role as Malcolm Reynolds in Firefly. His character John Nolan made LAPD history as the oldest recruit at 40 years old. Over the years, he’s been determined to take on all challenges thrown his way.
What John lacks in youth and agility, he makes up for with his age and wisdom, often able to navigate tense situations and achieve optimal results. Whether it’s surviving being kidnapped by a serial murderer/arsonist or defending an undermanned station close to the border, John Nolan can be counted on to get the job done. Fans can expect to see more of this in season five as he works towards becoming a training officer.
Eric Winter as Tim Bradford
Eric Winter is no stranger to acting, having held roles in TV dramas The Mentalist and Witches of East End. In The Rookie, Eric Winter takes on the role of Sergeant Tim Bradford - the good-looking and very stern law enforcement officer. Sergeant Bradford is very gruff, saving his soft spot for his dog.
He is excellent at doing undercover work and is a dependable teammate. Whether his team is in a gunfight or in need of rescuing from a deranged drug lord, he’s there. Sergeant Bradford and his former "boot" Lucy Chen have an amazing relationship and understand each other really well. After the steamy practice kiss for their undercover assignment, fans are waiting to see if they take it further in season five.
Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez
Alyssa Diaz is familiar to TV drama fans for her previous roles in As the World Turns and Army Wives. She portrays Detective Angela Lopez, bringing a lot of fire to the role. Being openly defiant and stubborn, she’s been promoted to detective where she continues to make her mark - particularly against drug cartels.
Having survived a kidnapping, and a very real threat to her baby’s life, Detective Lopez is tenacious about pursuing criminals and bringing them to justice. In season five, viewers expect more of this fire and tenacity as she partners with Detective Nyla Harper, helping her balance the job and new motherhood.
Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen
Melissa O’Neil is the first Canadian to have won American Idol and she appeared in the TV drama Dark Matter. In The Rookie, Melissa portrays Lucy Chen, the bubbly and eager-to-learn young officer. She’s also very competitive. This makes her work extra hard at everything she does and determined to pass all her "Tim Tests."
She survived being abducted by a dangerous criminal, and worked her way to overcoming the emotional trauma of the experience. Additionally, she’s both a reliable police officer and friend. In season five, fans are looking to see how Lucy copes with having to face Rosalind, her captor, again, and whether she pursues a relationship with her former training officer Sergeant Tim Bradford.
Richard T. Jones as Wade Grey
Richard T. Jones has had an extensive career in film and television. His TV roles include Judging Amy, CSI: Miami, Grey's Anatomy, Hawaii Five-O and Criminal Minds. He's also a familiar face from Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married movie and sequel.
In The Rookie, Richard is Watch Commander police Sergeant Wade Grey. He commands the Mid-Wilshire Division with an iron fist, overseeing the training of his rookies while managing investigations. Despite his stern demeanor, Sergeant Grey sees his officers as family. This was on display in his advocacy for the former 40-year-old rookie, in how he grieved the death of Officer West, the lengths he went to rescue both Officer Chen and Detective Lopez when they were abducted and his soft touch in helping Officer Harper acknowledge her limitations during pregnancy. In season five, viewers hope to see more of this Sergeant Grey as his department seeks to protect and serve Los Angeles.
Mekia Cox as Nyla Harper
Mekia Cox has held roles in TV dramas Bones, 90210 and Chicago Med. She came to The Rookie as Nyla Harper, a hard-nosed and extremely capable law enforcement officer. With a golden ticket earned from her years working undercover against cartels, she had her pick of assignments but chose patrol in order to become a more present mother. This position saw Officer Harper training rookie John Nolan, while taking on and solving dangerous cases while rebuilding her relationship with her daughter.
Officer Harper eventually found love again, along with a surprise pregnancy. Viewers are eager to see how she navigates her second-time mom role while keeping the streets of Los Angeles safe.
See these crime fighters and follow their story as The Rookie continues to air on Sundays on ABC at 10 pm ET/PT. Episodes become available to stream the next day on Hulu.
