One of the main characters from The Rookie’s freshman installment will not be returning for Season 2. That is the sad and surprising news destined to hit fans of the series hard, as it leaves a significant vacancy on the show. Who is not coming back?
In a shake-up of considerable proportions, Afton Williamson, who played Officer Talia Bishop in Season 1, is not returning for The Rookie’s second season, per a TVLine exclusive. Williamson and the ABC drama reportedly parted ways amicably. It is unclear what led to the decision.
How will The Rookie address the exit of Ashton Williamson’s character Talia Bishop? Fans will have to tune in when the drama returns this fall. Her departure means the loss of a major character and the creation of a massive void on the series. Talia Bishop was the fan-favorite training officer of Nathan Fillion’s John Nolan.
Given that he is “the rookie,” one would think he still needs a training officer. How Talia Bishop’s on-screen absence gets explained is a plot that fans of The Rookie will have to watch carefully to get the answer to. There are a lot of possibilities.
One scenario The Rookie will hopefully avoid is explaining Talia Bishop’s departure with a one-off line that casually discloses her exit. That would be disastrous. Either way, her absence will have to get addressed quickly in Season 2. Bishop was Nolan’s training officer throughout Season 1. Presuming he will still need one in Season 2, that leads to a question.
Who will take over that role? It is unclear. Lost’s Harold Perrineau is set to do an arc as a detective who takes Nathan Fillion’s Nolan “under his wing,” per TVLine. Also joining the show in Season 2 will be Heroes’ Ali Larter as an ER doctor with a connection to Nolan’s past life.
Hopefully, Talia Bishop’s exit is not given a dire explanation. The Rookie has not been shy about utilizing heartbreaking twists in the past. One that ultimately led to what Afton Williamson described as an eerie filming experience in Season 1.
Considering how much of a fan-favorite Afton Williamson and Talia Bishop were in Season 1, you would think The Rookie would want to leave the door open for her to return. One thing is for certain. The wait for The Rookie’s return just got a lot more agonizing.
Thankfully for fans, it is coming back, after questions surrounded whether it would. While the show does not feature Nathan Fillion’s Castle-style humor, it has found a devoted fanbase. Find out how Afton Williamson’s exit is addressed when Season 2 returns.
The Rookie Season 2 premieres Sunday, September 29 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC. In case you missed it, that means the police drama has moved from Tuesday to Sunday nights at 10 p.m. ET. While you wait for The Rookie’s return, check out this summer’s premieres.
