Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for The Rookie Season 8, Episode 7.Season 8 of The Rookie kicked off with a major shakeup for the Mid-Wilshire division when it was announced that Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) would be taking over Lt. Grey’s (Richard T. Jones) old position as watch commander, ringing in a new era for Bradford’s career. However, with a new position comes growing pains, and it hasn’t been the smoothest ride for Bradford leading the precinct and handling the new responsibilities. On top of that, he’s finally gotten together with Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil), his long-time on-and-off love interest whose romance has been at the top of fans’ minds since the show started. Since moving in together, the Chenford ship has mostly been sailing smoothly, with the pair celebrating Valentine’s Day together last week, though knowing The Rookie writers, there’s always a possibility of conflict on the horizon.

The latest episode of The Rookie sees Lucy and Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox) take on a long undercover mission, living in a van down in Baja, Mexico, and investigating the brutal murder of two women. The mission separates both Lucy and Nyla from their loved ones and even sees Tim donning a costume for a hot minute to check in on the two officers. We spoke with Eric Winter about potentially seeing Tim go undercover again and also discussed his character’s new struggles as a watch commander this season. Winter talked extensively about how these new changes have affected his character’s growth and his layers and went into why he liked being kept on his toes as far as Tim’s romantic life was concerned. With more action-packed episodes to come, Winter teases that someone from Tim’s past will come to cause some trouble for him in the back half of Season 8.

Eric Winter Talks Tim’s Latest Stress Now That He’s Watch Commander

“…that’s been a lot of his stress and struggle in the role.”

Image via ABC

COLLIDER: There’s been a lot of action-packed scenes this season. There’s been a lot of chases, shootouts, and exciting cases. Was it disappointing not to see Tim out there now that he’s the watch commander?

ERIC WINTER: Yeah, not gonna lie, it was a little tough for me to not see Tim in the action as much as he had been throughout all the years. I remember having a conversation even with Alexi [Hawley] and the writers just saying, “I want to understand a little bit about Tim’s new path. Am I going to be somebody that’s like Grey and I’m just behind the desk, assuming this managerial type of role more, and I’m not in it?” They came up with a nice solution and a way for Tim to get more involved in the streets later in the season, which I thought was good. But I definitely, as an actor, and I think even as a character, struggled a little bit with trying to figure that out and navigate it, because it was just so opposite for the character.

It’s interesting to see him in more of a desk role and see him take on more of the managerial side of things. And Lucy, at one point, says that he’s been super stressed and he hasn’t been sleeping very well. How do you think he’s adjusting?

WINTER: Yeah, I mean, he’s figuring it out, because he was in charge of a person, when he was a T.O. it was one person, and everything he said, that’s just how it went. He ran the ship. But now he’s in charge of a whole department, and he has to deal with so much, like office politics and the higher-ups and paperwork and things that I don’t think are natural to Tim. As much as a leader as he can be, I think this is a different way of leading, and he has to lead in a broader sense and, I think, have a bit more compassion for people in scenarios, while also trying to still be firm and get things done his way. Then he has to deal with all the nonsense of phone calls and paperwork that he doesn’t want to deal with. So, that’s been a lot of his stress and struggle in the role.

Winter Teases an Old Ghost From Tim’s Past Coming Back To Haunt Him

“He clearly loves his family, but he’s uncomfortable with things that they might share about him…”

Image via ABC

I love it whenever family gets involved in this show. I think it’s one of the highlights when we see any of these characters and their families coming in. What was it like reuniting with Peyton [List] for the last episode and getting to see her? And would you like to explore more of Tim’s past?

WINTER: Totally. Everything you said, for sure, I love working with Peyton when she comes in anytime. It brings Tim’s family into the fold, and I think we’re winning because we learned so much about him. He clearly loves his family, but he’s uncomfortable with things that they might share about him or he experiences with them, and you see a softer side, a more vulnerable side, for sure. I think, in general, Tim’s past is so unique and so fascinating that I love every time we explore something that either has gotten him into trouble, or he’s navigating through still or baggage that he carries. To me, that’s the best part: he’s so imperfect, and that’s what makes him great to play and watch.

There’s already been a lot of big stuff happening, but is there something specific for Tim that you’re excited for people to see in the back half?

WINTER: I’m super excited for people to see Tim get back out in the field a lot more that’s going to happen later in the season definitely at a bigger extent. And also a good old thing again from Tim’s past might come to cause some problems, so that’ll be fun to see.

Winter Talks Exploring New Sides to Tim in ‘The Rookie’ Season 8

“I feel like Tim, every single season, there’s just layer after layer that we’re peeling back.”

In this week’s episode, we see Lucy go undercover in Mexico, and she’s there with Nyla. I’m really curious, I know there have been moments where Tim goes undercover, but how do you think he would fare in long-term undercover work? And is that ever something you want to explore?

WINTER: I’d love it. I think Tim would do great. I think he was fantastic when he was playing Dim and he was undercover as Jake, I think that was a fun opportunity, and I welcome it for sure. So I do think it’s something he would be fantastic at. I think he’s doing better with Lucy doing it this time around than the last couple times, and accepting of it. He has to try to figure it out as the head of the department, but it’s still never easy, obviously, seeing your partner getting into situations like she gets into.

I loved in last week’s episode we got that cute moment between Tim and Lucy with the Valentine’s Day gifts and got to see a lighter side of him. Even when he’s undercover as a drive-thru worker this week, it’s a nice comedic moment. How is it getting to explore these more light-hearted sides of Tim this season, after we’ve seen him be so gruff in all the previous seasons?

WINTER: Yeah, I love it, because it’s another layer. I feel like Tim, every single season, there’s just layer after layer that we’re peeling back. He’s such a complex character, so I like that we get to see those levels, because then they often shift for the smallest reasons, and you see him get back to this tough, firm, sometimes a bit of a jerk to others. And I like dancing that back and forth, especially as an actor, playing both.

Eric Winter Highlights What Makes Tim Bradford Such a Dynamic Character on ‘The Rookie’

“It’s not that easy to do; it makes it challenging and fun.”

Image via ABC

Tim’s journey has been extensive throughout the last eight seasons. What has been the most rewarding part playing this character and seeing his evolution? What is it when you think back on this show that you’re going to say, “This is what I’m most proud of from this job”?

WINTER: I would honestly say the balancing of his growth and heart as a character while maintaining his mission to make people better in the department, even in his own rigid, firm style, like he stays true to himself. I think for me to look back as an actor, and getting so many fans on board with Tim’s journey from being completely unlikable, but then realizing why he’s that way, and it’s actually for the best intended reasons, to the point that people love him and care so much about him and feel for him. I think those are probably my biggest takeaways as an actor, knowing that I was able to navigate that journey and turn him into somebody that people just empathize with and resonate with. They can relate to him in such a big way in life and profession.

I think something that’s really attractive about his character is that there is a gruffness, but underneath it, there’s always good intention, which is often not the case with people like that. And I think it’s nice to see that come through.

WINTER: You can turn [his] flaws into one of his superpowers, in a way. Like his flaws as a character, making that what people love so much about him is a treat. It’s not that easy to do; it makes it challenging and fun.

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Eric Winter Reveals His Feelings About Chenford Now That They’re Finally Together

“I’m not saying it has to be complex to the place of falling completely apart again…”

Image via ABC

What do you think Tim’s more stressed about: being watch commander or not screwing things up with Lucy?

WINTER: Oh, wow. I think the combination is just making his life stressful, for sure. I think he’s stressed when he goes to work, and he’s stressed when… I think it’s a release when he comes home, and he’s doing his best to enjoy it all the time, in a sense. So, I think it’s a good escape from the stress at work. However, yeah, he doesn’t want to screw up again. So there’s a little bit of that with his growth as a person.

After all of these seasons of Chenford’s will-they-won’t-they, they’re finally together. What is it like for you and Melissa when you’re reading the scripts and you’re like, “Oh my God, they’re finally at peace,” and they’re now navigating this new section of their relationship? Is it a relief not to have to answer to people like me and be like, “Oh, well, we don’t know how it’ll play out”? Is it nice to not have to worry about that part anymore?

WINTER: I mean, look, I always think it’s fun worrying about what’s actually going to happen. I always feel they have ups and downs in the relationship, and everybody’s up with kids or married and seems happy, and they’re dealing with family life situations. Obviously, the younger cast on the show, the newer cast, is not necessarily in relationships, but I think with [Lucy and Tim], they’ve been a couple that people can relate to in everyday life, that are navigating complex relationships.

And I think it was fun as an actor to always wonder what is going to happen to them. Now it feels a little more safe and solid for sure, so it takes away from some of the questions. But I always still kind of feel, hey, is the rug gonna get pulled out? What is in store? And I still like keeping that open as a guess in my mind, versus feeling safe. It makes it interesting, it really keeps the relationship complex. And I’m not saying it has to be complex to the place of falling completely apart again, but trying to explore other problems or potential dynamics that we aren’t already showing on the show of people in relationships.

New episodes of The Rookie air every Monday 10/9c on ABC in the U.S.

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Release Date

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October 16, 2018

Showrunner

Alexi Hawley

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Directors

Tori Garrett, Chi-Yoon Chung, Michael Goi, Sylvain White, Lisa Demaine, Lanre Olabisi, Bill Johnson, David McWhirter, Liz Friedlander, Daniel Willis, Toa Fraser, Anne Renton, Jon Huertas, Cherie Nowlan, TK Shom, Rob Seidenglanz, Valerie Weiss, Barbara Brown, Charissa Sanjarernsuithikul, SJ Main Muñoz, Nelson McCormick, Marcus Stokes, Adam Davidson, Anna Mastro

Writers

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Corey Miller, Bill Rinier, Zoe Cheng, Mary Trahan, Ally Seibert, Liz Alper, Nick Hurwitz, Racheal Seymour, Madeleine Coghlan, David Radcliff

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