The Rookie season 3 is just less than a month away from premiering on ABC. The series has been on hiatus since earlier this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Now that the police procedural is returning, fans will meet a new character whose presence could impact some people at the department.
Deadline reported that Legends of Tomorrow alum Brandon Routh is set to have a recurring role in the upcoming The Rookie season 3. He will be playing the role of Doug Stanton, an 11-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department.
Doug is said to have views that proved to be "polarizing at the Mid-Wilshire station." The character will be appearing for four episodes, with episode 2 serving as his introduction. It remains to be seen whether or not he'll appear beyond that, though it could be extended depending on the story.
It is also unknown if Brandon is a villain and a new torn to the department. CarterMatt noted that Routh played darker characters despite his clean-cut appearance. He could have a vital role in further driving the story, as well as most of the characters.
Brandon's arc could be tied to some of what's currently happening in the real world, as well. Considering that this is a police procedural drama, The Rookie season 3 will take on some of the events that happened over the past few months -- including police reform and social justice.
The upcoming installment will focus on the topical issues, and series creator Alexi Hawley hinted at what's coming next in the story. During the panel with ABC7's Mark Brown, he revealed that the show would tackle the on-going conversation regarding police brutality.
Hawley said that the current social climate has hugely impacted the plotlines of The Rookie season 3. The series creator explained it's a great opportunity for them to explore several topics, particularly when it comes to different aspects of policing.
In the third installment, John Nollan (plays by Nathan Fillion), Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox), Jackson West (Titus Makin Jr.), and Wade Grey (Richard T. Jones) deal with issues that are "from make-believe." The series enlisted Arisha Hatch of Color of Change to make the story informative yet entertaining.
Color of Change is a team of activists advocating justice for Black people. Reportedly, the goal is to bring authentic experience happened in Los Angeles in 2020-2021, where police officers don't always get things right, and some were being unfairly targeted.
The Rookie season 3 premieres on Sunday, January 3, 2021, on ABC.
