Posted in: ABC, Preview, Trailer, TV | Tagged: ABC, chenford, preview, The Rookie, the rookie: feds

The Rookie Showrunner on Show Taking Time with Chenford & More

With only 24 hours to go until ABC's Nathan Fillion-starring The Rookie & Niecy Nash-Betts-starring The Rookie: Feds return for a two-hour, two-episode crossover, we have intel from showrunner Alexi Hawley regarding the storyline that's on viewers' radars. Just to b clear, The Rookie S05E10 "The List" & The Rookie: Feds S01E10 "The Silent Prisoner" contain a killer storyline involving a missing file listing undercover FBI agents and a race against the clock that looks nerve-crushing. But it might just get edged out by Bradford's (Eric Winter) & Chen's (Melissa O'Neil) first date and the teased "complications" they're apparently going to face. After four previous seasons of "will they, won't they," Chenford appears to be moving forward with the next stage of their relationship. Speaking with EW, Hawley explains why the show needed to take its time with the couple, the audience appreciating their "romance," and not offering Chenford any obstacles "in a manipulative way."

Ultimately, it was important to get there in an organic way. He was her superior and her training officer for several years on the show. The 13 months of her rookie year were two and a half seasons of our show. We couldn't just jump right into it. Once we started to go down that road with Dim and Juicy and the undercover work and everything, the last thing I would want to do is rush it or to do it in a way that felt surface. Audiences like romance; that's what they want more than anything. The big Chenford fans have always seen this as romance, even when it's not on the page, so to speak. But we've got to a place now where we have to keep going forward with it. There will have to be obstacles… there will have to be drama… there will have to be stuff, but never in a manipulative way. That would be really mean to the audience."

ABC's The Rookie/The Rookie: Feds Crossover Event: What We Know

The Rookie Season 5 Episode 10 "The List": Detective Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox) and James (Arjay Smith) find themselves in the middle of a bank robbery which leads the entire team on a citywide manhunt. Meanwhile, Bradford (Eric Winter) and Chen (Melissa O'Neil) finally go on their first date, but it does have a few complications. Here's a look back at the clip that was released that we're sure made more than a few Chenford fans' hearts skip a few beats:

The Rookie: Feds Season 1 Episode 10 "The Silent Prisoner": A mysterious caller threatens to reveal a leaked list of undercover FBI agents if a prisoner is not released. After an exposed agent is mortally wounded, the team identifies the caller and heads to the Port of Los Angeles to secure the release of the prisoner. Later, Simone (Nash-Betts) enlists John Nolan (Fillion) to help her remodel Cutty's (Frankie Faison) garage into a living space, and Brendon (Kevin Zegers), ready to confess his feelings to Antoinette (Devika Bhise) discovers she has feelings for someone else.

Now here's a look at the extended trailer for The Rookie/The Rookie: Feds crossover, as well as a look back at the previously-released promo for the crossover event:

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