The Rookie Boss on ‘Next Chapter’ Chenford, Nolan and Drama Bailey

The Rookie the boss warned fans that season 7 will put two couples to the test – Chenford aka Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen, and John Nolan and his wife, Bailey Nune. In other words, we were warned.

During season 6, Tim (Eric Winter) broke up with Lucy (Melissa O’Neill) as a form of self-punishment for crossing the line during op a putting Lucy’s career in jeopardy.

According to the season 7 trailer, there is Us Weekly release only on Thursday, January 2, the connection between the pair has not disappeared. But while they share a steamy moment together – a shirtless Tim takes part – the showrunner said Television line in an interview published on Thursday that Tim is not done working through his inner demons.

“At one point we have a scene where he’s in a veterans support group, so he’s still trying to do the work on himself,” Alexi Hawley he said of Tim when speaking to the outlet.

Hawley noted that the “good news” is that Tim “understands what he did wrong,” that he is “trying to figure out” the “why.”

“The worst thing he could possibly think of doing to himself was breaking up with Lucy, and he’s going to find that out fully, and then deal with the repercussions of that as well,” the showrunner explained.

Fans got a glimpse Tim and Lucy’s undeniable love to each other when he saved his life during the season 6 finale. That bond will continue to grow, according to Hawley.

“We really wanted to come into this season positive about Tim and Lucy. Obviously, they did a lot of work, Tim in particular, at the end of last season,” he said. “It felt like they were getting back together in a way that was at least positive.”

Looking ahead, Hawley says Chenford will have to ask themselves, “Okay, we’re on to the next chapter – what does that look like?”

The television writer added that their new normal will include a bet over training the LAPD’s new rookies.

That wager allows The Rookie team to “play (up) the banter” and “the chemistry,” Hawley explained, adding that “it allows us to lean into the rivalry between them that’s been baked into them since the beginning, even when he was basically her boss.”

Tim hopes that winning Lucy back is one big romance to keep an eye on in the new season. Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and his wife Bailey (Jenna Dewan) received shocking news at the end of season 6: Bailey’s ex-husband Jason Wyler (Steve Kazee), broke out of prison alongside Oscar Hutchinson (Matthew Head).

“Jason will end up posing the biggest threat in the first half of the season,” Hawley told the outlet. “It’s kind of the existential threat because it’s a threat to the family, Bailey in particular.”

As the first part of the season unfolds, viewers will learn more about “the trauma of Bailey’s relationship with Jason that maybe she hasn’t processed yet, the abusive relationship she was in with this man,” he continued.

Hawley added: “That seeps in fear of the reunionbecause part of the drama of the first half of the season is, ‘When is he going to show up?’ And that sense of fear is not always healthy, obviously.”

Nolan and Bailey’s past talks about possibly expand their family through adoption he will also “come back” up, per showrunner. “Without spoiling anything, I don’t know what else to say,” Hawley concluded.

Season 7 of The Rookie premieres on ABC Tuesday, January 7, at 10 pm ET.