Entertainment NOW

2 • September 25 - October 1, 2022 Entertainment Now By Sarah Passingham TV Media T he LAPD is back on the case when Nathan Fillion ("Castle") returns as Offi- cer John Nolan in the Sea- son 5 premiere of "The Rookie," airing Sunday, Sept. 25, on ABC. While Officer Nolan has moved up the ranks in the LAPD after his start as the department's oldest- ever rookie in Season 1, the past season of the procedural drama introduced a new rookie charac- ter who is at the center of a brand- new spinoff series. FBI Special Agent Simone Clark, portrayed by "Claws" star Niecy Nash-Betts, quickly bonded with Nolan over having both been the oldest rook- ies to join their departments. She now leads her own series, "The Rookie: Feds," premiering Tues- day, Sept. 27, on ABC. Nolan and Clark spent two episodes last season on "The Rookie" working together on a joint LAPD/FBI case, where they tried to catch a bomber with ties to the military and who had been a student of Clark's when she was a school counsellor (before her burgeoning FBI career). The pair track down the suspect, who had set bombs all over the Los Angeles freeways, while connecting over their shared experiences of join- ing law enforcement much later in life than most other new officers. Viewers last saw Nolan sur- viving a dangerous shootout between officers and members of a gang in a California border town while there on a training exercise. And while Nolan was in Frontera, two officers in his department cut the will-they-won't-they tension with a long-awaited kiss. After four seasons, officers Lucy Chen (Melissa O'Neil "Dark Matter") and Tim Bradford (Eric Winter "Rosewood") deepened their professional relationship by mak- ing it a bit more personal. So where do they go from there? "The Rookie" series cre- ator Alexi Hawley gave fans a bit to go on when speaking at a San Diego Comic-Con panel this sum- mer, saying, "There will definitely be repercussions and some fallout from that [kiss], but I do think it's fair to make you wait to see exactly where that goes." With Bradford having trained Chen when she was a rookie on the force, "repercussions" and "fallout" are more than expected, and Hawley's cagey answer to questions about the fan-favorite maybe-couple are only adding to the excitement of what view- ers can expect to see in the new season. Speaking of exciting develop- ments, Nash-Betts revealed some more about her "The Rookie: Feds" character, Clark, telling the audience at Comic-Con that "we haven't seen this woman before." She pulled out some stats, noting "less than 1% of Black women make up the FBI," before describ- ing Clark as "serious, funny, sexy, sexually fluid, older and comfort- able in her skin." Nash-Betts went on to describe Clark warmly, saying, "We all know someone like Simone. I grabbed a little bit from different women in my life. She is a friend in your head or your favorite auntie. I was like, 'I know this woman. She is a culmi- nation of so many women.'" This character rundown comes as no surprise if you've seen Nash-Betts in any of her past roles. You could even say that she is known for portraying unserious law enforcement. Hav- ing brought Deputy Raineesha Williams to life over the nearly two-decade off-and-on run of "Reno 911!," Nash-Betts will certainly bring some levity to Clark and "The Rookie: Feds." She also gave an unforgettable performance in the short-lived, wacky horror comedy "Scream Queens" as security guard Denise Hemphill before turning the tables for her lead role in "Claws" as nail salon owner Desna Simms, who does some other (far less law-abiding) busi- ness on the side. Cover Story Melissa O'Neil and Nathan Fillion in "The Rookie" Training wheels: ABC series 'The Rookie' returns, introduces new spinoff Ready Rental 3 x 4 Hayley Siefert 3 x 2 Letters & Numbers Sudoku Fill in the grid so that every row,every column, and every 4x4 box contains the digits 1 through 9 AND the letters A-F. Solution on page 12. Advertise Your Business In Call Advertising at 217-477-5105

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