What To Know
Miles goes off-the-books in The Rookie Season 8 Episode 7.
Eric Winter explains Tim’s response.
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for The Rookie Season 8 Episode 7 “Baja.”]
Before Miles (Deric Augustine) was Nolan’s (Nathan Fillion) rookie, he was Tim’s (Eric Winter). But this season on The Rookie, Tim is now watch commander, following Grey’s (Richard T. Jones) move to the Monica task force. That meant it was his call what happened to Miles after he went rogue, running off-the-book surveillance, pulling in Seth (Patrick Keleher), and briefly getting kidnapped.
Seth called in Nolan, who then called in Tim as part of the cavalry, and once Miles was safe, his former training officer yelled at him about what he’d done and told him that he was done at the LAPD.
Tim was “more disappointed” than angry, Winter tells TV Insider. “Tim takes a lot of pride in the way he trains his rookies, and when someone tries to go off on a tangent, do their own thing, that tends to rub him the wrong way, for sure.”
As Miles is leaving, however, Nolan stops him and tells him he convinced Tim to adjust his punishment to suspension, two weeks of administrative leave, and a six-month extension in the program, which will affect his career choices moving forward in the department.
Winter does think that Tim just needed “a bit” of time to cool down. “I think we’re seeing this in Tim’s growth as a character and in his new role and new position,” he explains. “It’s trying to see a bigger, broader picture of giving a good cop a chance to make mistakes and learn and grow.”
But, he adds, Tim “struggles” with Miles having Seth in his life again. “It’s not easy,” Winter says. “I think we saw everything with him. That was a lot of stakes and change and lies and things that you just don’t — Tim definitely doesn’t appreciate and doesn’t forgive easily. So, seeing him come back around wasn’t smooth.”
What did you think of Miles’ recent actions and his punishment? Let us know in the comments section below.
The Rookie, Mondays, 10/9c, ABC