A new behind-the-scenes photo from The Rookie suggests that season 8 could finally take a necessary step toward fixing one of the series’ biggest villain problems. There are definitely a number of interesting villains peppered among The Rookie cast, but many of them haven’t been given the chance to live up to their potential. Malvado barely even got to live.
The Rookie season 7 finale suggests there are big plans brewing for at least two of the series’ primary recurring villains, particularly now that Monica’s been legally cleared of past wrongdoings while Oscar’s in the wind with access to a helicopter. Nonetheless, big changes need to be made for The Rookie season 8 to make the most of Monica’s storyline.
Bridget Regan’s BTS Photo Suggests Monica May Play A Bigger Role In The Rookie Season 8
She Should At Least Appear Much Earlier Than She Did In Season 7
Monica may well be the most-hated villain in The Rookie, but the season 7 finale makes her vital to next season’s plot. In late July, an Instagram post revealed that Bridget Regan has recently been called to set to film her role in The Rookie season 8. Joking about her recent legal victory, the post labels Monica “An Innocent Woman.”
Of course, multiple commenters couldn’t pass up the opportunity to tell Regan directly what they think of her character. “Hate the character but love the actor” was their shared refrain in response to Regan’s post, with only one commenter at the time of writing expressing their excitement for Monica Stevens’ return. Most comments were simply smitten with Regan’s well-composed glamor.
There aren’t many details that can be gleaned from the background, especially as she seems to have made the post from quite literally “behind” the scenes rather than directly on set. However, the timing of her post (roughly a month into filming) suggests she’ll be appearing much earlier this season. She didn’t appear in season 7 until over halfway through.
This could potentially mean one of two things. Monica’s plan could ultimately flame out much earlier than expected, or she could have a much bigger story arc than her mere two appearances in The Rookie season 7 allowed. And if it’s the latter, then the series can finally redeem her by resolving one of the biggest issues with her character.
The Rookie’s Monica Stevens Has Partly Become Divisive Because Of Imbalanced Story Pacing
Her Season 7 Storyline Especially Gave Viewers Little Time To Get Invested
Monica’s critics aren’t necessarily unified by a single complaint. Some feel she’s too overtly villainous for a lawyer of her cunning, others find her bland, and a number of fans have simply grown tired of the series’ refusal to end its most stagnant villain arcs. But when these issues are broken down to their source, pacing is her biggest issue.
A villainous lawyer with the potential to help other villains escape justice is a provocative concept, particularly since Wesley doesn’t really get to be the villain’s main rival as often as you’d expect for a man of his profession. The problem is that Monica’s story never felt like it had enough legs to run more than one or two seasons.
Not only do many fans feel she’s overstayed her welcome, but also that her appearances have begun to add substantially less. Monica peaked as a villain when she evolved from corruption to outright criminal activity in season 6, setting off a chain reaction that led to Oscar and Wyler escaping from prison. But she’s never actually had a clear endgame.
Her two season 7 appearances were paced in particularly odd fashion, lasting one scene each and spaced several episodes apart. And, other than blackmailing her way to freedom, she still hasn’t done anything meaty enough to warrant her continued appearances. It’s disappointing for a villain with Monica’s intelligence, ruthlessness, and connections, but there’s at least one fairly obvious solution remaining.
How The Rookie Season 8 Can Redeem Monica As A Villain For Good
It’s Time To Finally Give Monica Her Biggest Villain Arc To Date
Monica’s been spinning her wheels for far too long without really going anywhere, but the character herself is largely fine. She hasn’t even appeared in a single one of The Rookie’s lowest-rated episodes. Still, The Rookie can’t give Monica’s story proper momentum without a tangible goal to work toward. She can’t just go around hijacking buses with no discernible endgame.
With Oscar free, Liam in need of solid legal defense, and a seemingly clairvoyant artificial intelligence haunting the internet, there are enough criminal threats surrounding Mid-Wilshire for Monica to pull off her most evil plan yet. She also has a patsy doing time for the bus heist, and likely countless other allies that haven’t yet been introduced in the show.
Fans may largely want Monica gone, and Nathan Fillion’s wish to see Neil Patrick Harris as The Rookie’s next villain is only liable to drive even more interest in moving away from baddies who seemingly ran out of plot years ago. At this point, The Rookie’s best gift to Monica would be to conclusively bring her story to an end.
That’s not to say she needs to die, nor that she can never return if there’s a truly good use for her character in a future story arc. But The Rookie has been wasting Monica with too many appearances that do little to drive her story. It’s time to give her a proper sendoff, worthy of a villain with class.
Source: Instagram
Enjoy ScreenRant’s primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for our weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check “Network TV” in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.
SIGN UP NOW
