Pilot

I watched hoping I would at least like the pilot episode and thankfully I did. I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't comparing John Nolan with Richard Castle. I will keep watching.

I was not impressed with this first episode. The bad writing sunk it. It's clear which characters we're supposed to like and which ones we're not -- because they are written as villains. Sadly, I didn't care about any of the characters as they were all stereotypes. The behavior of most of these officers would get them fired for countless violations of employment law.

I will keep it short since I am at work, and have to rewrite this.

We are introduced to John Nolan. And at first it starts off like any other show... We meet the main character.

Later we get another pilot, we are in L.A. and we are introduced to the Police Officers who will be the main characters of this series, including the Rookies and their Training Officers.

We get to see the differences in each Rookie, as well as the differences in their TOs and how they train their Rookie Police Officers.

The first thing that might be hard for some is, these are Police Officers, not Cadets in the academy (yes, I to like Police Academy, but that's a different story... Focus Rookie).

We get to see and learn from the Rookies first day, get an insight into what it might be like being a real(ish) Rookie Police Officer as the Training Officers throw their Rookies into the wild to see how they handle themselves. Again, each Rookie and Training officer have their own unique style, sometimes it works well together, sometimes it's a disaster.

I was expecting another Hawaii Five-O (Zero?), NCIS, or CSI like show... This is soo unique feeling to me. Instantly addicted to the show. 1 hour is not enough for me... This almost felt like a mini movie. Not too long, not too short, perfectly nestled with a 1 hour (shorter minus commercials).

I will be binging this in the future. The closest police series, I would have to say would be Flashpoint. Another show I could not get enough of. TUESDAY nights at 10 EST - ABC's new hit show!

This one had been loitering on my watchlist for years, but seeing Nathan Fillion swagger in the latest Superman finally gave me the nudge. Having adored him in Castle, I was curious how he'd fare swapping quips for Kevlar. And honestly? He's still got it.

The Rookie kicks off with a slick, if slightly formulaic, pilot... part police procedural, part personal reinvention tale. Fillion plays John Nolan, a freshly minted LAPD rookie pushing 40, navigating police academy flashbacks and real-time first-day chaos. The premise sounds like it could tilt into cliché, but Fillion sells it with that trademark mix of sincerity and wry charm. He's not just playing older... he feels weathered, without being weighed down.

The ensemble cast shows promise too, even if some characters are still in blueprint phase. Eric Winter as the hotshot training officer has presence, and the show's tone strikes a confident balance between stakes and levity. Direction and pacing are tight, with just enough action to keep it engaging without drowning in dramatics.

Verdict: A solid, polished start - and Fillion makes it worth the belated watch.

Rating: 7.5/10 - and yes, I'm finally in.

This is what you get when you mix End of Watch with Nate Fillion: an entertaining look at the workplace of an LA cop with depth, reality, action and some winking. Plus with Melissa O'Neil we have two ex-spaceship captains we don't want to miss out on! I'm thrilled!