We are back once again! The Rookie 5×14 “Death Sentence” shows us domestic Chenford, important doubts for Tamara, and mixed results in some storylines. Ready?
Here we go!
Family is Forever in The Rookie 5×14 “Death Sentence”

In The Rookie 5×14 “Death Sentence,” Tamara begins to feel that she is left over in the Chenford universe. She is somewhat used to this. Tamara has always gone from one place to another, people hardly cared about her and when they did, it didn’t last long, eventually, they left. So she’s used to that feeling that she doesn’t fit in anymore and she has to go.
Tamara is happy for Lucy but she’s starting to feel like she’s in the way of this serious new relationship Lucy is starting…and she doesn’t want to get in the way of Chenford making their life. Of course, Tamara isn’t doing it and Lucy doesn’t feel like Tamara is expendable in her life, but Tamara’s past is rearing its ugly head here as bitter feelings come back to her.
So we like that Lucy doesn’t take long to make it clear to Tamara that the friendship, the sisterhood they formed is forever. Tamara will always have a home with her. And yes, eventually she will become independent but it will not be in The Rookie 5×14 “Death Sentence” and, when it does, she will still have Lucy. They are family and family is not going anywhere, ever. I love them!
Toxic People and the Right to Not Forgive

The death of Nolan’s mother in The Rookie 5×14 “Death Sentence” seems dramatic and unnecessary to us. The show uses her death as a way to make Nolan feel guilty for putting some much-needed limits on the relationship with his mother and not wanting to talk to her.
All the characters judged Nolan by the emotional distance he was putting from his mother and it’s not fair. We think that we have to normalize not having to forgive our parents for the damage they do to us just for being our parents.
Each experience — and trauma — is unique and it’s tremendously difficult to walk away from a person who hurts you and is toxic. But it’s even more difficult when that person is someone as close as a father or a mother.
And the worst part is that, as in The Rookie 5×14 “Death Sentence,” society always judges you for walking away and everyone thinks that you must forgive and go back to where they hurt you because hey, they’re your parents! No, just NO.
No one has the right to hurt you, not even your parents. And you have the right to walk away and never look back, just as you have the right to forgive and forget. Only you know what you suffer, only you know what you feel, and only you can decide.
Nolan makes a decision based on his experiences and no one has the right to judge that. It’s a fact. And for the show to end this plot with the death of Nolan’s mother doesn’t deliver the right message that they think it delivers or impacts the way they think it does. That’s all.
Storylines That Make No Sense

We are not going to comment on Elijah in The Rookie 5×14 “Death Sentence.” It’s not just a repetitive storyline, it doesn’t make any sense. To begin with, Wes is acting as a prosecutor in the case when he should have been sidelined from the start.
Wes has a conflict of interest and clear bias here and it’s crystal clear that he’s hurting the case more than it’s helping it, so why the hell is he still practicing as the prosecutor on the case? He shouldn’t be doing it, just like Angela isn’t looking into Elijah’s case.
So, if the most basic in this storyline doesn’t make sense, imagine everything else. Anyway, we just hope that The Rookie 5×14 “Death Sentence” is the beginning of the end of this plot and that it ends soon, so we don’t have to suffer anymore with this. We said what we said.
Other Stuff in The Rookie 5×14 “Death Sentence”

- Movie night Chenford is all that’s right in this world.
- Seriously, they look like a married couple.
- I noticed that when Tamara talked about Chenford babies, Lucy loved the idea.
- Tim has a key. TIM HAS A KEY!
- I love the way that the animosity between Tim and Lucy is still intact, it’s part of the Chenford spark.
- Lucy is very proud of her man.
- And Tim is head over heels in love with her.
The Rookie Season 5 airs Tuesdays at 8/7 on ABC.