Spoiler alert: The following article contains spoilers from The Rookie season 7, episode 8, “Wildfire.“Newcomer Seth Ridley has been a borderline villainous presence inThe Rookieseason 7, but I, for one, am glad of what he brings to the table, especially regarding Chenford. Played by Patrick Kelehe, Seth joinedThe Rookie’s cast of charactersin the season 7 premiere. Along with Deric Augustine’s Miles Penn, Seth replaced the still sorely missedAaron Thorsen following his poorly handled exitafter three seasons. Assigned to Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil), Seth was quick to attract the distrust of countless fans, including myself. And that feeling has only turned to frustration and grown more fervent in subsequent episodes.
The situation with Seth took a turn into dangerous territory inThe Rookieseason 7, episode 8, “Wildfire.“The installment saw Seth once again struggling with the demands of his assigned station. In this case, he had to help highlight which areas were no longer safe during the spread of a titular wildfire. Seth’s inability to keep up meant thatboth Lucy and Tim (Eric Winter) were steered into a life-or-death situation. As they fought to survive, Seth destroyed evidence of his negligence. As infuriating as it has been to watch, I still think he’s contributed unique drama to the show.
Why Seth Is Such An Untrustworthy Character In The Rookie Season 7
Seth Has Been A Deceitful Presence Since The Rookie Season 7 Premiere
Initially, Seth seemed like yet another good-natured rookie with a tragic backstory. That backstory revolved around a previous girlfriend who had died from an overdose, and it was revealed after Seth contaminated a crime scene by vomiting. Though Lucy was empathetic,she soon overheard Seth claim to Miles that his girlfriend had died in a car crash. When confronted, Seth tried to talk his lies straight, claiming these were two different girlfriends and years apart, but Lucy was still suspicious. As a result, she went to his former school to get answers inThe Rookieseason 7, episode 5, “Til Death.”
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The Rookie season 7, episode 7, “The Mickey” sees Nolan and Bailey work through their issues, though not just for the reasons fans may think.
Caught out, Seth confessed that he’d lied about both cases. He then vowed never to lie again, but the damage was already done, in my eyes and those ofThe Rookiefans. It was just difficult to believe anything he said going forward, making it understandable that Lucy didn’t trust him with Tamara (Dylan Conrique).Furthermore, I have to question whether he even has cancer, as he has also stated. Whatever the case, I believe Seth to be truly unique among the rookies we’ve followed, and I’m engrossed to see where he goes next.
Seth’s Actions Resulted In Tim & Lucy’s Best Scene In The Rookie Season 7 Thus Far
Chenford Always Shines Brightest Amid Stakes And Conflicts
Conflicting things even further was howThe Rookieseason 7, episode 8, “Wildfire” gave usthe best Chenford scene of the year so farand, possibly, one of the best ever. Huddled beneath a fire blanket, all they could do was hope and, in Tim’s case, get all the pent-up feelings off his chest.Lucy and Tim don’t get back together in episode 8, but it was nonetheless a powerful moment that has stuck with me. It was a testament to how far Tim had come, and both actors passionately delivered, offering heart and humor amid genuine stakes.
ABC releases new episodes ofThe Rookieseason 7 on Tuesdays at 9 pm ET. Episode 9, “The Kiss,” will air on Tuesday, March 11.
None of it would have been possible without Seth being the character that he’s been throughout. Dramas have always been built on conflict and I think Seth has delivered some of the best conflict the show has had in years. That will no doubt only grow in the coming weeks.Tim and Lucy already had doubts about Seth as a police officer, but that would go double with the knowledge that he had caused their shared near-death experience. Even with heartfelt exchanges aside, Tim and Lucy can be more of a team than ever by exposing Seth’s ongoing lies and ineptitude.
Can Seth Be Trusted In The Rookie Season 7?
There’s Still A Lot Of The Rookie Season 7 To Come
The Rookiehas shown that anybody can achieve redemption, with even the hardest of criminals ultimately doing the right thing. And with villains likeLiam Glasser, who may return inThe Rookieseason 7, there’s potential for heroics. As far as Seth goes, however, I can’t see it. His lies were one thing, as they could be attributed to nervousness and his need to please. More recently, though, his mistakes have only gotten bigger and more dangerous, and his willingness to cover them up rather than make amends for them is almost pathological.
Patrick Kelehe
Seth Ridley
Time and again,The Rookiehas emphasized that trust is the most important thing for the Mid-Wilshire division. That’s why the show’s characters have become a tight-knit group over the years. Seth has repeatedly broken that trust - known and unknown - and I feel like it would take something monumental to heal the rift that has been created withLucy and Tim, who need to get back together inThe Rookie, much less the others. His need to be seen positively, though, seems to trump actually working for that respect. But we shall see what happens whenThe Rookiecontinues, and I can’t wait.
The Rookie
Cast
The Rookie follows John Nolan, a small-town man who embarks on a new career as an LAPD officer after a life-changing event. As the force’s oldest rookie, Nolan faces skepticism from superiors who view his pursuit as a midlife crisis.
