The Rookie season 3 is officially premiering this weekend on ABC. A lot of intense stories are coming here and viewers will also meet a new character once the procedural drama returns. Legends of Tomorrow alum Brandon Routh, in particular, is going to portray the role of Officer Doug Stanton.
It was confirmed that Routh will have a recurring role in The Rookie season 3. His character is an 11-year veteran of the LAPD, and his views are "polarizing" at the Mid-Wilshire station. Doug Stanton appears for four episodes, with episode 2 serving his introduction.
He will be the new training officer of Jackson West (Titus Makin Jr.). The biggest problem with Doug, however, is that he does policing the wrong way. This is something that could cause huge troubles for the entire department later on.
In a recent interview with TVLine, executive producer Alexi Hawley discussed how Routh's character will shake up the story in The Rookie season 3. He explained that Doug often crosses the line, and it makes Jackson uncomfortable. The major question here would be: How do you remedy that?
Hawley explained that it's difficult to discipline cops or get rid of them, especially when there are strong unions and rules to protect them. Since Jackson is still a rookie, Doug's action can put his career in jeopardy. The former can be fired from anything due to his position.
Despite that, Jackson needs to adjust to the arrival of this new training officer, who "doesn't respect." It would be interesting to see how Doug will interact with other people in the department. Most of them will likely feel uncomfortable, and tensions might arise at some point.
Meanwhile, The Rookie season 3 kicks off with the events that transpired in the season 2 finale. John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) is in a tight spot after being famed by Nick Armstrong (Harold Perrineau). He was accused of being a dirty cop, and he must find a way to prove his innocence.
Nolan trusted Armstrong, who was eventually revealed to be working for the Armenian mob. The early run of the latest installment will focus on this storyline. The good thing is that Nolan's fellow cops are convinced that he cannot do something that could ruin his name.
Most people at the department will help him get out of his situation, especially Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox). There will be many challenges here, and this particular incident could have a huge impact on Nolan's life later on. While he could prove his innocence, others may question him.
The Rookie season 3 starts dropping its new episodes starting on Sunday, January 3, 2021, on ABC.
