'The Rookie's Latest Gritty Episode Proves It's Time for John Nolan To Make a Major Change in Season 8

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for The Rookie Season 8, Episode 3.The Rookie Season 8 just delivered its darkest, most intense storyline in the show's history with the latest episode, "The Red Place." The episode marked a major departure for the series, featuring very few jokes and no comedic subplots, as the Mid-Wilshire Division stumbles upon a vagrant, Ezra Kane (David Krumholtz), who turns out to be a violent sociopath who murdered multiple people and kidnapped and tortured two young women. Additionally, the episode provided a great spotlight for series veteran Nathan Fillion as John Nolan. John significantly steps up his game in the episode, as he takes the lead in the Kane interrogation. "The Red Place" recalls John's original goal of wanting to join the Robbery Homicide Division back in the first season. After earning his proverbial stripes in this episode, perhaps it is a good time for John to pursue his original goal of ascending to the rank of detective in the RHD.

John Nolan Originally Wanted To Become an RHD Detective

In the first season of The Rookie, when he was still the Los Angeles Police Department's oldest rookie officer in training under Talia Bishop (Afton Williamson), John Nolan revealed his goal to become a Robbery Homicide detective in the LAPD. In Season 2, John took more steps toward that goal, forming a relationship with Detective Nick Armstrong (Harold Perrineau), who befriended Nolan and started mentoring him. Unfortunately, Armstrong was later revealed to be corrupt, and the investigation to expose Armstrong led to John receiving a letter of reprimand, meaning he could never become a detective or join a specialized unit within the LAPD.

After receiving that letter of reprimand, John switched tracks to becoming a training officer, a job he took seriously. John developed an affinity for the new role, and when he received a golden ticket in Season 5, with his pick of any job in the LAPD, John still opted to maintain the training officer path. Basically, in terms of the show's narrative, John's golden ticket wipes the slate clean on his letter of reprimand. Although John has done a great job switching career paths as a training officer, his recent actions in "The Red Place" prove he deserves the chance to revisit the detective route.

John Nolan Levels Up in ‘The Red Place’

John is the one who initially arrests Kane for vagrancy, and then it's revealed that Kane's fingerprints match those found at an unsolved double-murder scene from years earlier. Detectives Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox) and Angela Lopez (Alyssa Diaz) allow Nolan to lead Kane's interrogation to learn more information about him and his victims. The scenes with Kane proved deeply tense, as John seeks to maintain their earlier rapport and not reveal that the LAPD is aware of his crimes. John notes from his earlier conversations with Kane that the suspect hates the cold, so John recommends that Harper and Lopez crank up the air conditioning during the interrogation.

John's actions during the investigation proved crucial in recovering Kane's last victim, who was still being held captive in Kane’s vehicle and was gravely wounded. Additionally, Harper and Lopez trusted John to take point on the questioning, allowing their colleague to spread his wings, and John masterfully handled the initial sessions with Kane. John has questioned subjects before, but he proved how much his skills have improved in dealing with a deranged and unhinged madman. "The Red Place" marks a moment of John leveling up as a police officer, and he finally demonstrates that he's ready to move on to becoming a detective.

It's Time for John To Revisit His Original Goal

For fans who have been watching The Rookie since the beginning, "The Red Place" provides a deeply rewarding experience. Despite the disturbing, unsettling nature of Ezra Kane and the reprehensible crimes he committed against his victims, John maintains a cool head and grace under pressure. The episode highlights John's growth as a police officer and his ability to learn from previous mistakes, such as his failure to apprehend Oscar Hutchinson (Matthew Glaive) in the Season 7 finale. John also shows a keen initiative and insight when spearheading Kane's interrogation, coming up with the idea to bring in a sandwich to keep the killer at ease, since Kane had previously asked for food. It was also compelling to watch Harper and Lopez trust Nolan to continue with the interrogation before tagging in at a later point.

In the past, John was not ready to make it as a detective in the LAPD, but "The Red Place" completely recontextualizes everything for his character arc. He has done tremendous work as a training officer, and he helped push Officer Celina Juarez (Lisseth Chavez) through her probationary period. However, it's now time for John to finally put his golden ticket to good use and join RHD. He has finally proven himself as a seasoned veteran police officer, and a career change fits thematically well with Season 8 — the season of change for the main cast. John's potential transition to a detective role in The Rookie would now look like an organic change that would complement both the series and the actor in Season 8.