“The Rookie” started in 2018. It’s about John Nolan, a middle-aged guy who decides to join LAPD as oldest rookie. He faces all sorts of challenges and grows up a bit while dodging chaos on LA streets. People love this show for its gripping stories, solid acting and a peek into real-life cop stuff.

Meet the characters from The Rookie

Tim Bradford

Tim Bradford is the solid, no-nonsense backbone of the squad. Ex-military, straight-laced leader who runs on rules and early-morning coffee, but also low-key soft about his team — like he’d pretend not to notice someone sleeping in the briefing room, then bring a spare blanket. He’s strict and dependable, literally the guy you want watching your back, yet somehow he tells dad jokes at the worst possible times. He keeps everything organized (color-coded binders, of course) and will fight anyone who says otherwise. Also, I’m pretty sure he secretly reads romance novels when nobody’s looking — don’t tell.

Lucy Chen

Lucy Chen is the feisty, heart-on-her-sleeve patrol cop who refuses to let bureaucracy slow her down. She’s fierce and empathetic — like hops out of her cruiser to help a stranger and then argues with dispatch about paperwork for an hour. Lucy’s got this bright energy and an annoying-but-endearing habit of making playlists for every mood, including “Paperwork Pump-Up.” She’s brave, a little impulsive, and somehow manages to be both incredibly practical and wildly sentimental (she keeps a tiny trinket from her first case in her glove box). Also, she hoards pens. Don’t ask where all her pens come from.

Jackson West

Jackson West is literally the textbook definition of by-the-book and I mean that in the best way possible. Ambitious, smart, tech-savvy, super polite — he’s the guy waving his hand in training like he’s answering an exam and honestly it’s wholesome. He wrestles with identity and the pressure to prove himself but also has this irresistible optimism that makes him someone people want on their shift. He labels everything (seriously, you’ll see his neat little sticky notes) and also sings show tunes when nervous, which is both adorable and slightly terrifying during a stakeout. Also, watch him slowly become that person who organizes team potlucks with spreadsheets and color coding.

Sergeant Wade Grey

Sergeant Wade Grey is grizzled, blunt, and kind of the “don’t test me” energy personified. He’s got this crusty exterior — scowls, tough love, prefer a good ribbing to a hug — but he’s quietly loyal in a way that feels like a warm, inconvenient truth. Grey tells it like it is, loves a cynic’s one-liner, and probably owns more leather jackets than is socially acceptable. Also he collects vintage pens? Or was it whistles. I swear there’s a weird hobby there somewhere.

Angela Lopez

Angela Lopez is sharp, confident, and effortlessly cool — like she has three backup plans and a nap schedule that no one else knows about. She’s a detective who sees patterns in chaos and won’t let ego get in the way of the job, which makes her brilliant, if intimidating. Lopez is compassionate but direct, the sort that will call you out and then bail you out of the worst possible scenario. She likes coffee, long case files, and secretly binge-watching cheesy soap operas on her day off (don’t tell her colleagues). Also her poker face is legendary, except when she’s emotionally invested — then she’s impossible to hide.

John Nolan

John Nolan is the perpetual rookie with the tenacity of someone who read every field manual and also a dozen inspirational memes. He’s idealistic, annoyingly determined, and makes mistakes but learns faster than anyone else — classic underdog energy. Nolan’s older than your typical recruit which makes him weirdly wise and also prone to dad jokes at bad times. He’s endlessly optimistic but carries this painful vulnerability from past choices that makes him both infuriating and deeply lovable. Oh and he has these lucky socks he swears by — they might be cursed, honestly, because drama follows him, but he’ll still wear them.

Nyla Harper

Nyla Harper is ferocious, relentless, and every bit the adrenaline junkie who’d rather chase a lead than eat breakfast. She’s got a quick mind, a sharper tongue, and a personal code that sometimes clashes with rules but usually works out in the long run. Nyla is utterly dependable in a crisis and also inexplicably into spreadsheets — yes she loves lists and yes she’ll make one for your feelings. Also, sometimes she’s sweet? Like brings you gum when you need it and then punches someone two minutes later — consumingly human.

Wesley Evers

Wesley Evers is the quietly brilliant cop who’s low-key a walking database of random facts and procedural knowledge. He’s calm, compassionate, and annoyingly good at reading a room (which he denies, but it’s true), making him the person people confide in. Evers has a dry sense of humor, loves a good puzzle, and keeps an absurdly organized binder that probably has its own zip code. He’s got this subtle moral center and also a weird hobby of collecting tiny keychains from every precinct — tiny, slightly contradictory treasures of a soft soul.