#Chenford Breakup

[bb-olicity]

On An Island Alone

It’s been 3 weeks since Chenford’s breakup and I feel like I’m on an island… alone.  The day after 6x06 aired, I made the decision to walk away from The Rookie. Well, at least until after the finale. I’ll decide if I'm walking away permanently once I check online and see how the season ended.  And before I go any further, to anyone who wants to say I'm not a true Rookie and (most importantly) Chenford fan: I have just as much right to stop watching the show as you do to keep watching it.

So why am I choosing to no longer watch the show?

The main reason I started watching the show in the first place is/was Chenford and I can’t sit there and watch them redo Seasons 4 and 5A and I won’t. Especially considering the fact we already know from Eric’s comments to TVLine they’re not getting back together by the end of the season finale.  I do not see them getting back together until at least the midseason finale next season.  Actually, if I’m being completely honest, I’m not sure they will get back together or if they even should.  I know me saying that will make a lot of people mad, but after reading Melissa and Eric’s post-episode interviews, I got a sense of finality when they were talking about Tim and Lucy’s relationship as a couple and the breakup.  Plus, I honestly don’t see how they can come back from what they did, which leads into the other reason why I’m not watching anymore.

Tim’s whole storyline rubs me the wrong way in so many ways.  They could’ve brought in his military past in so many other ways and still had him struggle without destroying his character in the process.  As it is, the storyline feels extremely forced just to cause drama for the sake of drama and, for me, irredeemably destroyed Tim’s character.  They completely erased 5 ½ seasons of character growth in the matter of only 1 ½ episodes.  And I'll never be able to see Tim the same way again, even if he goes to therapy.  I personally would never be able to trust him again and I honestly don’t see how Lucy could either.  That’s also why part of me feels like they should not get back together. Yes, I know it’s a short season and everything is condensed, but Alexi and the writers should not have done the storyline this late in the season, knowing they would not be able to do it justice with only 4 episodes left and not knowing the show’s fate by the time they finished filming the finale.  Since they were planning to break them up, I feel like they should’ve done it at the end of the premiere or by 6x03. That way there would’ve been time for Tim and Lucy to work through their struggles individually then work them as a couple by the end of the season.

Why do I feel like I’m on an island alone?

After the episode aired, a lot of the fandom was angry and a good number said they were done to show.  However, over the last few weeks, I’ve noticed that number dwindling and a lot fans are now justifying the breakup who weren’t before and they have absolutely every right to.  I can see where they’re coming from, to a certain extent.  Tim and Lucy both were hiding things from each other since they started dating and would just gloss over things that needed deep and meaningful conversations to work them out.  That said, I personally will never agree with the breakup or the whole (Tim’s) storyline and will always maintain the breakup was completely unnecessary and they could’ve (and should’ve) stayed together and worked through their struggles as a couple.  So yeah, I’m on an island alone… and that’s okay.

[gayofthefae]

The amount of respect and selflessness to his love there. No expectations, no pressure to get back together, not even an "if you'll let me" that would sound more like a request. Just a promise. "Keep me at whatever distance you want because I'm the one who fucked it up, but whatever distance that is, I will be loving you from."

The way he is making do with the idea that their breakup is permanent not because he wants to but because he knows it isn't his decision. It is entirely up to her when and whether to forgive him. This moment was him letting her know that he knows that but also making it clear to her in a way that puts no pressure on that if she chooses to let him back in, he'll come back in a heartbeat. He will be there at whatever distance she wants. He'll respect it if it's far. He'll come running if it's close. She doesn't have to worry about that.

[chenford-fan]

My two-cents on the breakup

I've finally pushed myself to rewatch 6X06 again. I often rewatch a rookie episode multiple times a week, especially on weekends (yes, I know, no life). But this rewatch was really, really hard. I know Chenford are endgame, and this breakup is just a bump in the road, but it still hurts.

However, my issue with the breakup is why did the writers spend over five years building this beautiful love story just to tear them apart? Haven't Tim and Lucy been through enough already? Did they really need more pain? Drama is one thing, but is a breakup the only way to create it?

Lucy and Tim have been shown as two people who healed each other in more ways than one, thus it becomes more difficult to see how Tim walked away from Lucy giving her a new trauma for life. This trauma is definitely leaving a scar on her for life as she is someone who often struggles with self-doubt, spiraling thoughts, and a lack of validation from her parents. Thus, losing Tim, the one person who made her feel good about herself, will wreck her in devastating ways. How will she ever cope? How will she trust anyone ever again? How will she survive losing the man she considered home?

Hence, I think bringing them back together this time will be tough for the writers. They've complicated the whole journey back to each other quite difficult if not impossible.

[yourtwistedtherookiefan]

I think there is a lot to talk about, and a lot to blame. But I think in the end we have to accept and agree that both Tim and Lucy have a lot of issues they need to deal with and that is okay, Tim more than Lucy but still it’s from both sides. And yes the way that the break up happened was rough and I also don’t agree 100% with how and why but I don’t attack actors, writers or characters for it and no one should. I have seen a lot of people do that and that’s not okay. But I think that everyone who doesn’t understand it and maybe even attacked anyone for it needs to listen to the song used in the break up scene. It explains Tim’s perspective perfectly and beautifully:

“I’m in to deep, over my head.”

“And I think it’s time to put it to rest.”

“I’m not giving up, I’m not giving in”

“I finally found the strength from within.”

“And if I’m afraid, and if I can’t see.”

“I’ll get it done and I’ll do what I need.”

“So I can breathe freely, so I can breathe freely.”

Basically: he is in to deep, he has done stuff he really isn’t proud of to say the least, so he puts the relationship to rest. He is not giving up on Lucy completely, he just needs time and to get done what he needs to do so he can breathe again. He chose himself and now i hope he also goes the right path (aka therapy)

[karihighman]

I didn’t really know if I articulated my thoughts properly or not on the podcast regarding Chenford’s argument/fight scene vs. the breakup scene, so here it goes (abbreviated version on twitter already):

Chenford’s argument scene hit different in my opinion because of how Eric and Melissa’s acting skills made it come across so real and relatable, just like an actual intense convo would go between a couple who were emotionally charged.

There would be voices breaking, hands gesturing, and they would talk over each other at times, which is exactly what happened in their argument scene.

I wish I could find a gif that had the specific moment within the scene that really encapsulates this well, but I can’t. It’s the one part where they’re both talking at the same time almost about Angela vs. Lucy and what they have to lose (if that makes sense!) and it just really elevated the impact of the scene for me.

Not to say that their breakup scene was emotionally powerful too because it totally was! I was teary eyed during my second watch of it. Their breakup scene had me more emotional, but the argument scene was more impactful (if I had to pick a word), in my opinion, that is.

While my Chenford heart hurt watching both of those scenes, The Rookie fan is me was very proud of how well Eric and Melissa acted together and how it truly was on another level of talent for them!! I can totally see why Melissa referred to the argument scene when talking of Lucy going through something different/more vulnerable.

Also, while I did say this clearly on the podcast, I will reiterate here that while I can understand Tim’s reasons for breaking up with Lucy from a psychological standpoint, it doesn’t make it any less frustrating — poor Lucy! It truly did seem to be out of the blue to her & she’s already been through a lot this season professionally, it’s just like, BAM! Here’s a personal issue now. Although now she and Tim will be dealing with personal and professional issues this season! So that’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out.

I have total faith Tim and Lucy will get back together and be stronger than ever. It’ll just take time to get through this & I’m looking forward to seeing how they navigate things as individuals again instead of solely as a couple.

[hay-389]

“Alright,” Angela started, stopping herself from saying anything when her friend ordered another round. To even be having this conversation after the day they’ve gone through, Lopez feels like she could down four herself.

“What the hell did he do now?”

Angela lifted the glass of water back to her lips and practically choked on the liquid when Lucy finally decided to share with the class what had her so down.

“He broke up with me, Angela.”

Out of the stupid stuff she compiled in her head that Tim had done, breaking up with Lucy hadn’t even been a thought, let alone made the top ten list.

Shit.

[magyfragy]

Chenford breakup

[no-quit-lucy]

I might write this as a fic but I want to share some thoughts here first. (oops it already is turning into a fic. Here’s the start, as a treat)

After the IA investigation, Tim knew his odds for salvaging his career weren't looking good. He would be in maintenance mode until enough fresh blood came through the station that he would be wiped from his sins and the bloodstains only remained faintly visable on his uniform.

The decision came down and it came down hard. Not only would he receive a formal reprimand in his file for harassment of a civilian, abuse of police resources for personal gain, and other serious violations of conduct, but Tim would also be reassigned from his position in metro and bumped back to Patrol Sergeant following two weeks of unpaid leave and recertification of all field fitness and skill requirements. His Watch Commander would need to then complete weekly evaluations of his conduct while on duty until IA deemed him reliable and trustworthy to remain in his role and thus removing a temporary probationary hold over his job. He’d be in career limbo for weeks, possibly months.

Overwhelmed by the decision, being brought back to his intense experience with Isabel’s IA investigations, his actions and decisions made when in the army, doubting himself and his internal moral standing, Tim truly believed he was doing Lucy a favor by breaking up with her. His intent was never to shatter her heart, but unfortunately, he was feeling so weak and small, that all his strength was relegated to keeping himself upright long enough to make it home and destroy a bottle of whiskey until his two weeks were up and he'd have to face seeing her on patrol every day, once again in her chain of command.

Instead of finding comfort in the woman he loved, and the woman who loved him, he was so numb to everything, he couldn't bare the thought of seeking solace in her touch, her supportive words, her sickening optimism allowing him to hide from himself and hide from his inevitable truth. He wasn't worth the risk anymore.

Two days before he was set to return to work, he received an email instructing him to report to his new Watch Commander, Sergeant Stella Porter at Hollywood division. Not only was getting reassigned stations a further consequence for his actions, but it was a stark revelation that his personal connection to mid-Wilshire was officially severed.

It was the neighborhood he lived in when he came back from Iraq and started at the academy, where he adjusted back to the quasi-safety of civilian life, the house where he and Isabel planned their future, the precinct where he had trained as a rookie, where he found his footing as an officer and took the plunge to seek out the TO role, where he met his friends Angela and Talia, where he trained countless of his own rookies, where he met Lucy, where she helped him become a sergeant and took her on as his aide, it was where he fell in love with Lucy, where he lost Lucy countless times in countless ways. It was his home, his safe place, his sanctuary, and now, he was cast away from the place like an insidious evil set out to poison the nucleus of all that was good.

And to boot, his new watch commander, his new subordinates, his new captain, all strangers in his life, only knowing him of his reputation, his now stained, tarnished, damaged reputation. He was the cop with an ex-addict for an ex-wife, the cop who was investigated by IA about her addiction and failed to save her job, the cop who had rookies drop like flies because of his harsh and old-school cop ways, the cop who dated his last rookie, the cop who once again found himself tangled up in a mess of lies and accusations, reprimanded to nearly the highest degree. He was a cop no one wanted to trust, a cop who wasn't safe on the streets.

On some level, Tim knew the kind of reaction he would receive at his new home base. Whispers growing quiet the second he stepped in the room, stuck with shit details doing the grunt work no one wanted to do, receiving a cold shoulder from the officers around him, namely the cops who didn't look like him, the ones who were younger, more morally aligned than he was at the moment.

What he didn't expect was the fierce loyalty to anyone but him and namely a certain dark-haired, hot-shot, reliable, kind, and all together stand-up cop from his old station. It seemed he had started a war, and most people chose to stand on Lucy Chen’s side, backing the green officer who got taken advantage of by her senior officer. He couldn't say he didn't deserve it, but he could say Lucy deserved to be chosen not for the position he put her in, but instead because in the face of all that he had done to her, despite all the rumors and speculations floating in the air, she remained steadfast in her confidence on the streets and her ability to kick ass at her job. Without him there to loom a dark shadow over her future, she shone bright like the star she was and continued to build for herself a bulletproof reputation far superior to materials he had used in his own.

He was reaping the seeds of what he sowed, painstakingly harvesting the dilapidated crops in order to till the land and allow it time to heal before resowing fresh seeds and cultivating a healthier, more sustainable future yield. It could take years before the land produced a harvest fit to consume, but with dedicated maintenance and care, Tim held hope that his field would once again welcome both rain and sunshine to reflect the prosperity of a life worth thriving.

[chenfordloverx]

rewatching season 6, okay. And can’t just be me who is literally thinking “WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT” to Tim’s grey jacket that he wore during the IA/commander west meeting thing about ray in 6x6. LIKE COME ON I THINK THAT EVERY-TIME I WATCH IT.

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

#He Couldn't Have Been More Wrong

[bb-olicity]

Goodbye To The Rookie

I’ve been putting this off, but it is what it is and it’s not going to change.  My “break” from The Rookie is permanent.  I will not be coming back to the show even if/when Lucy and Tim get back together.  After hearing and seeing stuff about the finale and seeing snippets from the post-finale interviews, I have no desire to watch the show again. Nothing about the teases they gave sound exciting and interesting to me.  If anything, those interviews made it easier for me to give the show altogether.  Especially knowing that in one of the interviews, Alexi basically said he broke Tim and Lucy up purely for drama sake and because “the fans” wanted them to go back to the “will they/won’t they” stage.  I don’t know who those “fans” are, but I’m definitely not one of them and did not ask for that.  And honestly, I hate when shows pull the “create drama for the sake of drama” card.  It cheapens the characters for me and turns me off the shows completely faster than anything else.

That said, I do know there are fans who did not want the breakup, but are excited for another slow burn build up (now that Tim and Lucy are back at square one) because they really enjoyed it the first time around.  I’m not one of them. I did not find it that exciting and enjoyable.  I’m glad I didn’t find the show until Season 3, but I hated what they did in Season 4.  So knowing that, there’s no way I’m going to sit there and watch them, in Lucy’s words: Rinse.  Wash.  Repeat.  I also feel like Alexi and the writers are playing Russian Roulette by doing what they did, given the show is not only going into Season 7, but also not back until January.  It will be interesting to see how many fans do come back after 8 months and stay after the premiere.

Lastly, I realized a few hours ago (on my birthday of all days), I don’t feel anything for Chenford anymore.  A reaction video to the Valentine’s episode from last season popped up on my TikTok FYP and I didn’t feel giddy, happy, mad, or sad. Knowing this doesn’t change my decision to stop watching because I still hate what they did to Tim’s character and I would just be angry seeing him and watching the show.  Not to mention, I feel everything in Season 5 was for nothing and that makes me even angrier.  As I said a few days ago on Twitter, I wish the universe would do what the writers did with Tim’s character and completely erase Season 6 so it never existed.

To the Chenford and Rookie fandom, thank you for welcoming me and interacting with me over the last year and a half.  It’s been a joy and so much fun!  I hope we can still be friends. 🙂

[gayofthefae]

I thought I was gonna be mad at the breakup when it first happened because I was scared they were doing that thing where they don't know where to go after a slowburn so they just make them on again off again or just start the slowburn over in a way that could be solved with simple communication of "I want you back" but they're actually doing it really well. The breakup serves a narrative purpose of getting Tim into therapy for his pre-existing self esteem issues that naturally progressed into punishing himself by breaking up with Lucy, something that would be a realistic symptom of that existing source, they acknowledged that it wasn't his place to make that decision for Lucy, and now they're moving forward at a very nice pace.

Overall, I really like how they're executing this. It makes sense and strengthens their relationship in a way that was needed, drawing from the characters, as opposed to inventing problems as plot conflict is needed.

This episode especially, the elevator scene is what really made me notice, the situation is drama but all their behavior is so consistent and in character that I have no problem with it. Situations are what writers are supposed to write, then their characters react to them almost as consistently as in a simulation. If problems haven't been solved, that simulation exposes them and then they can be solved. That's what's happening.

I'm so grateful for good writers who know how to do a slowburn breakup. I understand and trust where they're going with it and what's MORE, I enjoy the episodes in between.

[stylerm2world]

One more thing/rant…

I missed Jackson so much this season, mainly because I feel like Lucy has no support. I feel like she has had so many hits this season, one after another, but we barely know how she is dealing with any of that. (Lazy/poor writing-we don’t have time for that because we have to follow Monica around for 2 fucking episodes and a crazy slew of non relevant bad guys, instead 🙄). I feel like she has been so isolated and feel like none of the other characters seem to give a shit about the hits she took (Looking at Nolan, Angela and Nyla). Each story and hit was just dropped and never acknowledged again (again poor writing). She got teased by the entire station, 17th in detective’s exam (probably due to being blocked by Primm), she shot someone (that dude alive or dead, anyone know?-it’s like it never happened), Tim dumps her (anyone ask how she is, no, we rally around Tim instead).

Instead Melissa has to defend in an interview that she other friends outside of work.

I am glad we got to see badass Lucy Chen again though.

[mamadoc]

I love this article and the writer’s perspective!

You don’t have to leave a relationship to improve and ‘fix’ yourself. A breakup isn’t necessary to be able to heal yourself as an individual.

“But isn't proper communication and learning to navigate how to work through things adequately as a couple essential to being a healthy couple?

Why would and should Tim have to step outside of what he's building with Lucy to figure things out, get his head straight, and work through his demons before he can be at his best within their relationship?”

And this

“Personal growth should be able to coexist with healthy love. If anything, the latter guarantees the former.

Through love, a person can flourish and have the backing and support they need to do so. Hell, it can even aid the process.

Instead, we're sold this concept that a great love story and the most romantic ones require all of this angst -- sacrificing love in the name of it.”

[karihighman]

you're so sad

there's no communication

but baby you put us in this situation

you're running so fast

from the hearts that you're breaking

[kim-ruzek]

ohmyfuckinggod tim sending kojo to give lucy a birthday card was so fucking cute and perfect and oh it hurts my heart