Easily one of the most successful network TV shows in recent years, The Rookie has been a major hit for ABC since the show began. There are many reasons that the police procedural series' ongoing success has been possible, including the fact that it continued to create compelling moments that aired in 2025. While the show has gotten a lot right, there is no denying that the series has also made some major missteps that it should learn from.
Recognizing that The Rookie can be a bit of a mixed bag at times makes it interesting to look back at how the series has handled its main character over the years. After all, anyone who has watched the show for years will almost certainly agree that John Nolan has changed a lot since the show began. Fortunately for the team behind The Rookie and viewers alike, it makes perfect sense that the character has evolved the way he has.
Why its okay that The Rookie's John Nolan isn't really fun anymore
When The Rookie season 1 began, fans of the show were quickly introduced to the show's main character, John Nolan. Brought to life by Nathan Fillion, the character played into many of his charms as an actor since he behaved with sincerity, was charming, and had great comedic timing. Most of all, Nolan was often the only The Rookie character who made viewers laugh, as his overenthusiasm would inspire him to say and do amusing things.
Over time, Nolan's energy as a character has shifted as he has become a training officer instead of a rookie cop. While Nolan is still as earnest and genuine as ever, he now carries himself with the gravitas of an experienced officer whose top concern is protecting the public. More than that, Nolan was even memorably depicted as being very angry due to a man singing a song about how attractive he is. It certainly feels like the version of Nolan who was introduced during the first episode of The Rookie would have at the very least turned a blind eye to that song, if not loved it.
I have to admit that I find it a little bit sad that the earliest version of Nolan is, at the very least, largely gone. However, I also think that viewers shouldn't complain that Nolan has matured and changed throughout The Rookie's first seven seasons. After all, it honestly would have been pretty ridiculous if Nolan was still goofy after everything that his character has been through. As a result, I support the Nolan evolution, as long as it doesn't go too far.