Summary
The Rookieseason 7’s latest episodebrought back an important character with a complicated relationshipwith John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and the other LAPD officers, and now the actor is sharing some behind-the-scenes information about their dramatic storyline.
Season 7 episode 16, “The Return,“whichaired one hour laterthan usual, focused on a character who fans might not have expected to see working with the team again. So far this season, fans have been shocked bypast villains popping up againand intrigued by cases involving the dark web and influencers. Viewers have also laughed at the sometimes corny jokes that the ABC procedural characters can’t help but crack. Given the significance of the most recent episode, it’s interesting to find out more about this character’s storyline.
Patrick Keleher Shared More About Seth Ridley’s Comeback In The Rookie Season 7, Episode 16
In an interview withTV InsiderforBooked: The Rookie Aftershow,Patrick Keleher said thata scene was scrapped from the beginning ofThe Rookieseason 7, episode 16. Fans were supposed to see Seth Ridley’s partner Tamara (Dylan Conrique) driving him to the police station, and that would have given the characters a chance to chat about Seth’s nerves and anxiety about coming back. Keleher said:
“It’s how the episode was supposed to open. And in that scene, they just had this conversation. She says, ‘You can do it,’ and we get to see a little bit more inside their relationship.”
The actor also explained that he took a break fromThe Rookieseason 7because he starred in the off-Broadway run of the playFatherland.He described the scene when Seth walks into the police station and the other characters are upset to see him. Keheler said:
“So coming back and then filming that scene where everybody stands up and turns their back, it felt too real. I remember telling everybody, ‘This doesn’t feel right. It feels like I really am being shunned.’ And yeah, it was a little too real.”
Bythe end of the episode, Seth has experienced several changes in a short time. He spills to Nolan that he lied about having cancer and he gets shot while working on a case, which results in his leg being amputated. In a moving and sad scene in the hospital, Nolan and Seth talk, and it’s clear that Seth has no idea what his next move should be. In the same interview with TV Insider, Keheler saidSeth is “a good kid at heart"and is uncertain about what the future holds for the character. It would have been interesting to see Seth and Tamara chatting, but fans do get the sense that she supports him during the scene when several of the characters have dinner.
FromNolan and Bailey Nune’s (Jenna Dewan) plotline about adoptionto Seth’s big and vulnerable moment,The Rookieseason 7 has had more than a few emotional scenes. While the team is close for the most part, Seth’s reappearance is a reminder that sometimes, the characters have trouble getting along. Although Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) doesn’t want to work with Seth again since things went so poorly the last time, Nolan is assigned to Seth, and as usual,Nolan approaches the situation with calmness, clarity, and wisdom. He might not appreciate that Seth has lied so much and he might not want to work with him, but Nolan knows he has no choice, and he’s going to attempt to help if he can.
The Rookie season 7airs on Tuesday nightsand will be wrapping up soon.Deadlinereported thatThe Rookiewas renewed for season 8. It could be part of ABC’s fall 2025 broadcast schedule or could premiere midseason in January 2026. Either way, fans will be happy to see what’s coming up next for Nolan, Bailey, Lucy, Tim Bradford (Eric Winter), Miles Penn (Deric Augustine), and the other clever characters.
