A Beloved Character Makes a Long-Awaited Return to “The Rookie”

The eighth episode of “The Rookie” Season 6, titled “Punch Card,” featured one of the show’s most exciting returns in recent memory: Kojo the dog. After disappearing for over two years, with his last appearance being in the Season 4 episode “Heart Beat,” Kojo is finally back!

However, it’s curious that it took this long for the series to reintroduce him, considering his absence throughout Season 5 and the beginning of Season 6 when Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) and Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) were dating. “The Rookie” has been inconsistent with Kojo’s presence, and it’s time for that to change.

Kojo made his debut in the Season 2 episode, “Casualties,” when Lucy decided to foster a dog to help her recover from the trauma of her kidnapping by Caleb Wright (Michael Cassidy), a protégé of the serial killer Rosalind Dyer (the late, great Annie Wersching). At the time, Lucy was living with fellow officer Jackson West (Titus Makin Jr.). Although Lucy wanted to keep Kojo, she realized it wasn’t fair to Jackson and found a new home for Kojo with Tim, who adopted him and has been his devoted dog parent ever since.

Kojo’s last appearance before Season 6 was in the Season 4 episode “Heart Beat,” when Tim was dating lifeguard Ashley McGrady (Helena Mattson). Ashley’s fear of dogs created tension, but Tim’s guidance helped her overcome it. After this episode, Kojo disappeared from the show. When Tim and Ashley broke up in Season 5, paving the way for Tim and Lucy to start dating, Kojo was still noticeably absent.

Kojo’s absence throughout Tim and Lucy’s relationship was puzzling. Not only is Kojo Tim’s dog, but he originally belonged to Lucy. It was frustrating that Kojo was effectively written out of the show, with no interactions between Kojo, Tim, and Lucy before their breakup.

It’s possible that Kojo didn’t appear because Tim and Lucy often spent time at Lucy’s apartment. However, since their relationship wasn’t a secret and Tim owns a house where he lives with Kojo, it’s odd that the show didn’t feature more scenes at Tim’s home.

Despite this, it’s great to see Kojo again. The reunion between Kojo and Lucy in Season 6 is heartwarming. While Lucy might have been seeing Kojo off-screen, the on-screen moment was poignant for viewers. When Tim asks Kojo to deliver a birthday card to Lucy, the scene is emotional, showing that Tim still cares for Lucy despite their breakup. Lucy’s expression of how much she misses Kojo provides one of the best moments of the season, which the show needed after the Chenford breakup.

The return of Kojo brings a sense of continuity and warmth to “The Rookie,” reminding fans of the bonds that have developed over the series. Here’s hoping that Kojo continues to be a more consistent presence in the episodes to come.//source: collider.com