‘The Rookie' season 8: Chenford's future, Monica's deal & key plot questions answered
Season 8 of The Rookie will explore Tim and Lucy's reconciliation, Monica's immunity deal, Oscar's escape, and new character arcs, premiering in 2026 on ABC
Tim and Lucy's relationship status in season 8
Season 7 of The Rookie concluded with Tim and Lucy still separated. Despite reconnecting throughout the season, including intimate moments on Valentine's Day and April Fools', the finale showed a miscommunication. Lucy fell asleep during an important conversation about their future due to her night shift.'I think we've earned where they're going, and the promise of that scene is a corner has been turned,' said showrunner Alexi Hawley. He confirmed the couple will reconcile but declined to reveal specific timing. 'I do think that we've put those characters through a lot on their journey back, and I think we're almost there,' Hawley added.
Also read: The Rookie Season 7: Episode 11 release date, time, plot, where to watch and episode schedule
Lucy's role and night shift timeline Lucy passed the sergeant's exam and began working the night shift, where she managed a team with low engagement. The series showed her excelling in this new role despite workplace challenges. 'How does she get these guys in shape and how does she do her job and all that kind of stuff was really important to show in that episode,' said Hawley. The shift may not last long, as the schedule isolates Lucy from the main cast. 'I think ultimately that obstacle would get old fairly quickly, so it's on us to figure out a way to move past that at some point,' Hawley noted.
Monica's immunity deal and Oscar's escape
The finale saw recurring antagonist Monica secure an immunity deal using sensitive information stolen from a Los Angeles NSA facility. Although LAPD officers are determined to hold her accountable, Hawley acknowledged the limitations. 'I think it's tough with immunity deals especially made at the top of the food chain for anybody lower to affect them. But we'll see. Never say never.'Also read: The Rookie Season 7 Episode 6: See release date, where to watch, what to expect and trailerMeanwhile, Oscar escaped once again after kidnapping Nolan. He murdered two accomplices when unable to pay them, continuing his evasion of law enforcement. Hawley acknowledged the need for resolution. 'In a show full of nemeses for our characters, he's just a really fun one… I would say next season we would need a little bit of resolution on that.'
New characters, Wesley's future, and potential crossovers
Season 7 introduced new rookies with mixed outcomes. Miles (Deric Augustine) was promoted to series regular, while Seth (Patrick Keleher) was written off following serious injuries. The introduction of a new rookie is expected in Season 8. Additionally, Wesley's storyline may expand following D.A. Sean's exit. 'I think that there'll be some interesting story to tell there,' said Hawley. 'So yeah, no, you're not wrong. We're going to keep that going.'
Also read: The Rookie Season 7: Episode 17 release date, time, where to watch, remaining episode schedule and what to expect
Crossover events remain possible, particularly after ABC's past integrations across unrelated shows like 9-1-1 and Doctor Odyssey . While no official announcement has been made, the shared TV universe continues to create new opportunities for narrative expansion.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Why Anne Burrell stepped down from hosting ‘Worst Cooks in America' before her demise
Anne Burrell passed away at the age of 55. Her family confirmed her death on Tuesday, calling her a 'beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend.' They said her 'warmth, spirit, and boundless love remain eternal.' Chef Anne Burrell left Worst Cooks in America in 2024, after hosting the show for 27 seasons since it began in 2010.(Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) Before her death, Burrell had taken a step back from TV. She left Worst Cooks in America in 2024, after hosting the show for 27 seasons since it began in 2010. Anne Burrell's break In March, she appeared on Tori Spelling's podcast, misSPELLING, where she talked about why she took a break. 'I can cook, yes, I can do TV, but also, what else? I've got more to do in my life, I feel like,' she said. Also Read: Anne Burrell's last selfie shocks fans as tragic clue emerges about her sudden death; 'This can't be true' She explained she had just started taking acting classes. 'Interestingly, I just started taking acting classes. I started yesterday, actually … It's like an improv for actors' class,' she said. 'I got there and it's like eight people in the class. I'm the oldest one. Every other person has like, 'Oh, I have a master's in fine arts in theater.'' She went on to stress that it was a new path for her. 'I'm like, 'OK, I've never taken an acting class. I don't know, this is new to me.' I wonder if these delightful and super talented kids look at me and they're like, 'What's this old lady doing here?'' she said. She added, 'I'm just dipping my toe' into acting and said, 'I feel very excited about it. I've got a few other things that I'm working on as well, which I'm not quite ready to share yet. Hopefully, exciting [are] things coming.' Anne Burrell and Stuart Claxton On the same podcast, she talked about getting married to Stuart Claxton in 2021 and becoming a stepmother to his son, Javier. They met in 2018 on Bumble. When Spelling asked if she waited on purpose to settle down, Burrell said, 'From when I was a kid, I don't know why, but I always was like, I am not getting married until I feel like I have something in life to share. Until I have accomplished stuff.' She described her 20s and 30s as being full of work and fun. 'I was like, living the rock star chef life. I was working a lot, and I had a great social life.' But later, she said, 'I just started to feel like, all right, you're getting a little old to keep on doing this.' About children, she added, 'Kids were never on my radar, really. I love being an aunt. I have nieces and nephews. So I'm like, [being a stepmom] is the perfect amount of parenting for me.' She talked about married life again a month later in an interview with the Daily Mail: 'October will be four years. It seems like it's been four minutes. I don't know if it's a honeymoon [phase] but I feel like it's settled into married life days which I really enjoy.' On Valentine's Day 2022, she posted, 'You make me the happiest girl in the world!!! I love you to the moon and back my sweet!!!' No official cause of death has been released yet. Police said they responded to a 911 call for cardiac arrest and found Burrell already deceased. A report from Thursday said her body was found next to dozens of pills. The case is still being investigated. Food Network released a statement after her death: 'Anne was a remarkable person and culinary talent — teaching, competing and always sharing the importance of food in her life and the joy that a delicious meal can bring. Our thoughts are with Anne's family, friends and fans during this time of tremendous loss.' 'Anne was bigger than life…' Beau MacMillan, who co-hosted the first season of Worst Cooks in America with Burrell, also spoke out. 'The news hit me like a gut punch. Anne was bigger than life, whether she was running a kitchen or filming a show, you knew she was in charge.' He added, 'One of the most beloved icons of our industry, she inspired millions of people. She was smart, talented and so much fun to be around. She has left us way too soon.'
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Time of India
Top 10 strongest female anime characters of all time from Naruto to Dragon Ball Super
Anime has created some of the strongest female anime characters ever produced in fiction—warriors, goddesses, and strategists who redefine battles and storylines alike. These strong anime heroines shatter traditional molds, possessing powers that vary from supernatural devastation to unmatched intellect and fighting ability. Whether bending time, merging with energy, or overpowering enemies with sheer brute force, they are the embodiment of power and grit. From godly figures such as Kaguya Otsutsuki to all-around fighters such as Jolyne Cujoh, this list counts down the top 10 most powerful female anime characters who have left an indelible impression on anime history. Powerful female anime characters Character Anime Power Abilities Kaguya Otsutsuki Naruto Reality warping, interdimensional travel, energy blasts, memory erasure, nature manipulation, hypnosis, telepathy Lucy Elfen Lied Psychokinetic Vectors, telekinesis, mass destruction, enhanced strength, Diclonius virus transmission Caulifla & Kale (Kefla) Dragon Ball Super Super Saiyan transformation, berserker mode, fusion, massive energy attacks, crater-making power Genkai Yu Yu Hakusho Spirit Wave technique, energy projection, spiritual energy manipulation, combat reflexes, energy inheritance Biscuit Krueger Hunter x Hunter Nen enhancement, transformation into muscular form, superhuman strength, advanced combat skills Setsuno Toriko Air heating (microwaving), pressure manipulation, beast-hunting strength, fear-based intimidation Nezuko Kamado Demon Slayer Blood Demon Art (explosive flames), regeneration, size alteration, super strength, sunlight resistance Android 18 Dragon Ball Z Infinite energy, super strength, energy blasts, flight, precision fighting, durability Erza Scarlet Fairy Tail Requip Magic, 100+ magical armors, 200+ weapons, weaponized magic, tactical versatility Jolyne Cujoh JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean Stand: Stone Free (string manipulation), body deconstruction, trap setting, surveillance, stealth movement Top female warriors in anime and their abilities Kaguya Otsutsuki | Anime: Naruto Source: Pinterest Kaguya Otsutsuki is the undisputed queen of anime power. As the original user of the first chakra and the heavenly creature that ate the God Tree's fruit, she is literally a goddess with a formidable array of powers. From dimension travel and control over nature to memory erasure and telepathy, Kaguya is the personification of omnipotence. Her abilities range from reality warping, energy blasts that can disintegrate enemies, and an aura of hypnosis that can subjugate civilizations. Even Naruto and Sasuke together weren't enough to take her down without the help of a god. When it comes to sheer, universe-ending power, Kaguya stands alone. Lucy | Anime: Elfen Lied Source: YouTube Lucy is not just a genetically altered murderer—she's a representation of psychological trauma, evolution, and devastation. The most evolved Diclonius, Lucy has at her disposal invisible arms known as "Vectors" that cut, crush, and annihilate everything in their vicinity. These Vectors grow strong over time and are capable of leveling mass destruction, destroying buildings, and producing humongous explosions. Her presence is a danger to humanity, as interaction with her kind causes a virus that gives birth to more Diclonii. Although she has a pathetic history, Lucy's power is raw, merciless, and catastrophic. Caulifla & Kale | Anime: Dragon Ball Super Source: Pinterest The first two female Super Saiyans of Dragon Ball history, Caulifla and Kale, are a volatile pair even without being fused. Kale's berserker form releases earth-destroying power that can withstand Goku's Super Saiyan Blue Kamehameha. Together, when fused into Kefla, the two are one of the strongest warriors in the Dragon Ball world, and Goku has to use Ultra Instinct in order to defeat her. Their combination of power is more than mere power, but battle chemistry spawned by Saiyan instincts makes them an unstoppable force that almost redefines the power level of the series. Genkai | Anime: Yu Yu Hakusho Source: Pinterest Genkai may look like a weak old lady on the outside, but her spirit energy would reduce cities to rubble. A great martial artist, Genkai overwhelms the Dark Tournament and leaves her legacy behind in the form of the Spirit Wave technique. In her prime, she's nearly as strong as Toguro in his demon form, with lightning-fast reflexes and brutal energy attacks. Even in old age, she crushes foes who underestimate her. Genkai's strength lies not only in power but in wisdom and endurance, making her one of the most balanced and formidable fighters in anime. Biscuit Krueger | Anime: Hunter x Hunter Source: Pinterest Don't be deceived by her boyish looks—Biscuit Krueger is a Double-Star Hunter with godlike physical strength and top-tier Nen powers. Her true form is a hulking warrior with crushing force and combat mastery. Bisky can fight equally well as the best brawlers in the series and has trained both Gon and Killua into world-class warriors. Her combination of brains, combat skill, and raw power make her an unorthodox and formidable opponent. Setsuno | Anime: Toriko Source: Pinterest A legendary chef with god-tier beast-hunting power, Setsuno is a member of the Five Gourmet Living Legends from Toriko. Her powers include scalding the air around her to microwave enemies alive, and her name alone will instill fear into top-level fighters. Apart from her fighting skills, she has an empire employing more than a million staff. Setsuno demonstrates that power has no age limit—she blends business acumen with raw fighting skills, securing a high rank in anime's deadliest ladies. Nezuko Kamado | Anime: Demon Slayer Source: Pinterest Nezuko goes against demon conventions by becoming incredibly strong without eating human bodies. She gains immense strength after transforming, with fast healing, greater resilience, and the Blood Demon Art—explosive flame power that burns demons and demonic things to a crisp. Although she needs long periods of rest to recover, her fight reflexes and sunlight resistance make her in a league of her own. Nezuko isn't only strong—she's evidence that kindness can exist alongside horrific might. Android 18 | Anime: Dragon Ball Z Source: Pinterest Android 18 was constructed for devastation—and she does not disappoint. Her android upgrades provide her with superhuman abilities, flight, and limitless power. She shattered Trunks' sword like it was made of glass, splintered Vegeta's pride (and his arm) in two, and more than held her own against powerful Saiyan hybrids. Android 18 does not get tired or lose energy like her adversaries. Her tactical fighting approach, emotionless accuracy, and simply incredible durability make her a formidable foe in any universe. Erza Scarlet | Anime: Fairy Tail Source: YouTube Erza Scarlet's notoriety travels ahead of her. She has more than 100 magical armors and 200 swords in her arsenal. Her Requip Magic lets her change gear instantaneously according to the needs of battle—defense, speed, or strength. Armadura Fairy, her strongest armor, taps into humongous magical power that annihilates holy weapons. Aside from equipment, Erza is a tactician and blade master, often taking down enemies with her skills instead of brute power. Her unparalleled adaptability in combat puts her on par with anime's greatest. Jolyne Cujoh | Anime: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean Source: Pinterest Jolyne Cujoh defies shonen convention as a female JoJo protagonist—and she does so with flair. Her Stand, Stone Free, enables her to decompose her body into string, giving her powers from espionage and infiltration to trap setting and high-speed combat. Jolyne doesn't solely depend on the power of her Stand; she utilizes wit, determination, and strategic thinking to defeat more powerful foes. Her versatility, fast reflexes, and innovative fighting style earn her a place as one of anime's greatest female fighters. Also Read | 10 anime characters stronger than Dragon Ball Super's Zeno without breaking a sweat
Hindustan Times
18 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Love, and other bugs: Deepanjana Pal writes on Materialists
I have a deep-seated aversion to AI-generated content. Even so, watching Chris Evans deliver his heroic monologue in Materialists (2025) made me wish there was a version of Celine Song's new film in which artificial intelligence had scrubbed Evans out and replaced him with Cary Grant. Or a young Shammi Kapoor. Or Gong Yoo (of Train to Busan). Or Richard Ayoade (of The IT Crowd). PREMIUM Even Pascal's crinkly-eyed smile can't plug the gaps. Materialists isn't nearly as heart-wrenching as writer-director Celine Song's last film, Past Lives (2023). Evans is the petard on which Materialists hoists itself. He plays John, the quintessential artist: short on money, but tall in every other way. He is a man of passion and sensitivity; a man who makes love seem easy. Unfortunately, when embodied by Evans, John has all the charm of melting vanilla ice-cream. He doesn't make one want to throw caution to the wind. Instead, he makes an excellent case for warily raising one's standards. It doesn't help that Pedro Pascal plays John's counterpoint, a capitalist Prince Charming named Harry. He lives in a $12 million penthouse in New York, works at a private equity firm. But, most importantly, he has Pascal's crinkly-eyed smile and gift for turning vulnerability into a pheromone trigger. One of the loveliest moments in the film is when Harry crouches to show what he'd look like if he was half a foot shorter, becoming smaller, sadder and more insecure with every lost inch. At the apex of the love triangle is Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a matchmaker who presents herself as an emotional calculator adept at cracking the math of romantic relationships, while also mournfully declaring early on: 'I'm going to die alone.' It's a line that makes everyone laugh, both in the film and outside it, because if someone as radiant as Lucy can't find love, well, what hope is there for any of us? Yet, as Song shows us over the course of Materialists, for all her slaying and sashaying, Lucy is floundering. She keeps repeating how important it is to be practical when looking for a match, but it soon becomes clear that the person she's trying to convince, first and foremost, is herself. Through the film, long-held conventions of gender and romance do little to empower either the men or the women. Meanwhile, even for those who appear to be thriving in the materialist world, marriage appears like the equivalent of a band-aid on a gaping wound: it can't heal the injury, but it can help cover it up. Writer-director Song's boldest play in Materialists is her bid to redefine marriage as an act of romantic agency, wrenching it away from its history as an economic and social contract that commodifies women. In the film, marriage ends up being the most impractical of decisions, taken by two people because they simply can't help themselves. It marks a compromise, not with one's dreams but with societal expectations. At the end of Materialists, Lucy 'settles' for a man whose greatest commendation is that he proposes to her with a ring fashioned out of a plucked flower. The 'loser' emerges as the prize catch. Or would have, if Evans hadn't played John so blandly that everything about him felt trite. Materialists isn't as heart-wrenching as Song's 2023 hit, Past Lives (2023), but it is full of beauty and hope. Much like its key characters, it doesn't check all the boxes, but it does serve as an antidote to cynicism. Song adamantly champions the idea that love at its sweetest and most impractical is a dream worth striving for. In a world full of grief and despair, its decision to celebrate unpretentious romance feels not just refreshing but like a necessary act of defiance. (To reach Deepanjana Pal with feedback, write to @dpanjana on Instagram)
