Like most procedurals on air right now, the majority of viewers aren't tuning in for the cases or the action, but we're investing in the time for the character journeys and their relationships, both romantic and platonic.
This much is especially true for The Rookie (2018) because the romantic relationship between Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen, affectionately dubbed as Chenford by the fans, is one of the best pairings on TV. Their grumpy-sunshine dynamic has been an instant pull from day one, and the satisfying love story we've watched them build has been the best thing in the eight seasons thus far.
The best part about rooting for Chenford is that there are so many little moments throughout the series that showcase just how deeply the two care for each other and why they make such a solid pair. It's impossible to narrow down their best moments without writing a dissertation, but here are the ten most essential episodes for Chenford fans. In the meantime, you can stream The Rookie on Hulu now.
Season 1, Episode 1 - Their First Meeting
There's so much that happens in The Rookie's pilot episode, it's actually wild when we look back. It's the definition of every song or saying that emphasizes some sort of "looks like we made it" idea. Tim is ruthless as Lucy's training officer, and he isn't exactly kind, but the sprinkles of what they could be are already there, and we see this right as Tim shows a glimpse of vulnerability when they run into his ex-wife on the job.
As the episode essentially shows that these two will be on patrol together a lot, the brief beat of Lucy telling him that she'll keep all this to herself also reveals so much of who she is as a person. It's in this opening episode that we can grasp that they're foils of one another, and the path that they'll go on will lead to big things for them both. There's so much that's packed into the first episode on an emotional level that it makes looking back incredibly sweet.
Season 2, Episode 11 - Tim Rescues Lucy
There's a moment in every procedural where the inclusion of the hurt/comfort trope practically indicates that the pair in front of us is the endgame romance, and for Tim and Lucy, it happens in "Day of Death," when Lucy is buried alive, and Tim frantically rescues her out of the dirt. Every Chenford fan remembers where they were when this came out, and the gorgeous way it indicated that these two are it for each other is still unmatched.
This moment in The Rookie also features such tremendous performances from both Eric Winter and Melissa O'Neil that it's a shame network shows are seldom recognized at most award shows. It's a driving force in their relationship, where, while neither Tim nor Lucy has grasped that they might be interested in each other beyond their partnership, they know that the other is someone they'd move mountains for. There's also a quarantine scene in Season 1, Episode 20, "Free Fall," that's also an essential hurt/comfort moment, but if we had to choose one, Lucy buried alive wins by miles.
Season 4, Episode 22 - Practice Kiss
Another trope that procedurals often play with is some sort of undercover kiss before the couple's real one, and the way it pans out with Chenford is utterly delicious. As Tim and Lucy are about to go undercover, Tim proposes that they should practice so they can actually fool the perps into believing they're a real couple. It's a little awkward, and Lucy adorably giggles through it at first, but when Tim plants the most chaste peck on her lips, she pulls him in for something more passionate.
And despite this kiss being "fake," nothing about it feels fabricated because at this point, Tim and Lucy do have feelings for each other, even if they aren't saying it aloud. There's something really precious about the moment and how honest it feels, which makes it so special for the pair when we look back now that they're an established couple.
Season 5, Episode 8 - Tim Asks Lucy Out
Though Lucy is still in a relationship with Chris when "The Collar" begins, discussions about her relationship with Tim on Patrol make them both realize they should actually act on theirs. "The Collar" is also the episode where he tells her that she "deserves someone worth the effort," and it helps her recognize that their partnership is the most important relationship she currently has and the one she wouldn't ever risk jeopardizing.
At the end of the episode, the two meet up to talk, and in an honest moment, Tim asks if she'd like to go out for dinner, but Lucy notes that she needs to break up with Chris first. She makes Tim promise that he'll ask her again under better circumstances, and thankfully, he does. Still, this quiet conversation gives us another phenomenal moment where both Winter and O'Neil prove that they know their characters so well that they can ensure brief scenes like this hold a ton of value.
Season 5, Episode 10 - First Date
In "The List," Tim and Lucy finally go on a first date, and she makes an adorable point about how they need a better story for their grandkids. It's a quiet dinner—two if we're really counting—and in the end, we get their first real kiss as a couple, which allows us to get proof of the fact that the undercover practice one also meant something, even though this is huge.
It's a culmination of sweet and tender moments that effectively show us that the couple is on the right path toward their forever, and the chemistry that has sparked between them throughout all their interactions is fully on fire here. Tim's attention being completely on her is also downright adorable throughout.
Season 6, Episode 2 - Chenford's First Love Declarations
While they're on a case and there's a lie detector present, all feelings come to the surface, and we get their first love declarations in a way that's so uniquely them that it makes the scene extra special. Yet, more than that, it's because everything leading up to this moment has come with a lot of changes for the couple, so hearing that Tim loves her is a necessary reassurance while we also get her declaration as they slow dance at Bailey and Nolan's wedding.
Lucy going undercover is undoubtedly a sore spot for Tim because he's prone to worrying way more than he should, given everything we know about his ex-wife. However, it's this episode that reassures Chenford fans that what's between them is love, making the next few seasons easier to bear.
Season 6, Episode 6 - Chenford Break Up
"Secrets and Lies" breaks up Tim and Lucy when someone from his past comes knocking, and he keeps her in the dark about it. But interestingly, how this brings so much vulnerability to the surface is exactly what makes it meaningful. On a procedural like The Rookie, a breakup is also a significant shift right before bigger things happen for the couple, so as sad as it is, it's expected.
Tim needed to learn how to communicate better, but more importantly, he needed to understand that he and Lucy are a team and their relationship isn't like any of the ones he's had in the past. Keeping her in the dark does the polar opposite of protecting her, so how the episode frames their argument also leaves plenty of room for incredible performances.
Season 7, Episode 8 - Valentine's Day Hookup
Valentine's Day is always a great time for The Rookie, and while their first one is great, there's something about their post-breakup one-night stand in "The Gala" that's hotter and perhaps even more meaningful. It's in this episode that we can see that not only do they still care about each other, but they miss each other, and the spark between them hasn't dimmed.
The episode makes it clear that once Tim heals from his demons and fully lets go, he can be the type of partner Lucy needs. At the same time, this beat of the two of them momentarily letting go and choosing each other serves as a reminder that there couldn't be anyone else in the picture because they were still waiting for each other.
Season 7, Episode 18 - Tim Proposes Getting Back Together
While The Rookie doesn't actively show us Tim going to therapy as much as it should, we learn that he is, and he's consciously working on his trauma to be a better partner to Lucy. At the end of the episode, he cooks her a meal and opens up, telling her that he's changed and thinks that they should try again, but she falls asleep on him instead.
It's a brief episode, but it's instrumental in reminding us just how much Tim cares because he's the one who needed to go the extra mile to remind her that there's nothing he wouldn't do for her. He's the one who needed to acknowledge that he's putting in the effort to be a partner to her, and this domestic move is subtly all that's needed to reveal that.
Season 8, Episode 1 - Tim Promises To Communicate Better
In the Season 8 premiere, "Czech Mate," Lucy and Tim finally get back together, and it's hard to believe that they'll ever be apart after this moment. There have been minor conflicts in the season thus far, and some big moments, too, like Lucy's first kill traumatizing her beyond words, but since Tim voiced that he was going to be a better communicator, he has been.
Their conversation out in the field wasn't just a few words strung together to make her believe him, but it was the truth straight from his heart. He's been honest with her at every turn, even while it's been hard, which does an effective job of delivering great character development. It's a simple moment, but so much of Tim's words in this episode have anchored the season beautifully, especially now that they've moved in together, taking the next step to strengthen their relationship.
