Since The Rookie premiered on ABC, the hit police procedural show has introduced several beloved characters who are among the series' main characters. The fact that the show has so many compelling characters is why I continue to love the series, even though it has a huge flaw that drives me nuts sometimes.
While The Rookie's main characters take up the majority of the spotlight, it has also featured several supporting characters who've been incredibly well crafted as well. In fact, I don't believe that it is any of the show's main characters who are the most compelling in the series' history. Instead, I think that The Rookie's two best characters ever are both criminals who appeared in several episodes of the show.
Why Rosalind Dyer is one of The Rookie's best characters ever
Throughout pop culture history, there has always been a fascination with diabolical and brilliant villains like Hannibal Lecter or Moriarty. While characters like those can be outstanding when they are done well, they can be very difficult to pull off properly. Since so many films and shows have flopped when trying to create a character like that, The Rookie deserves to be celebrated for pulling it off.
During the second season of The Rookie, viewers were introduced to Rosalind Dyer. A remorseless villain who'd caused mass suffering amongst her many victims who died prematurely and their loved ones, Rosalind soon proved to be intelligent enough to manipulate people in fearsome ways, even from her prison cell.
As compelling as Rosalind's villainous ways were in general, the best part of the character was her fascination with John Nolan. After meeting someone as kind and good as she was malicious and evil, Rosalind's desire to manipulate Nolan became one of the most interesting elements ever introduced to The Rookie. Those two characters having such a complicated connection made every scene Rosalind was a part of interesting to see.
Why Oscar Hutchinson is one of The Rookie's best characters ever
Unlike Rosalind Dyer, Oscar Hutchinson isn't a criminal mastermind who sees everything as an elaborate chess game. Instead, Oscar is The Rookie's human being version of a cockroach since he manages to wiggle his way out of seemingly insurmountable odds over and over again in ways that manage to be believable and outlandish. Similar to a different supporting character who has been confirmed for The Rookie season 8, I need to see Oscar be a notable part of the show's future because the character is extremely entertaining.
The biggest reason why I can't get enough of Oscar as a character is that he manages to keep me guessing while he also remains entirely predictable in another way. The predictable aspect of Oscar is that it is obvious that he will always make the selfish decision, since all he cares about is surviving and trying to come out on top. The thing that keeps me guessing about the character is that he comes up with ways to survive and thrive that I often don't see coming. Those two elements of the character combine to make Hutchinson a lot of fun.
Another reason why Oscar is one of The Rookie's best characters is how incredibly charming he is. Thanks to Matthew Glave's flawless portrayal of Oscar, it is easy to imagine why other characters would want to have some faith in the unrepentant villain, even though they intellectually know he can't be trusted. Viewers can't help but be charmed by the character in the same way.