‘The Rookie’ Fans Argue Over 1 Character in Season 5 — ‘I Can’t Stand Her’
It’s a rarity when fans of a television show can come to the same consensus about a new character. And sadly, that is not the case for one police officer in The Rookie Season 5. She was introduced in episode 3 and has been widely debated among the fandom ever since. Some claim she’s a breath of fresh air, while others want her gone from the ABC series.
Celina Juarez is John Nolan’s first rookie in ‘The Rookie’ Season 5
John Nolan became a training officer in The Rookie Season 5, and his first rookie was Celina Juarez. At first, she seemed relatively normal, but that quickly changed when she pulled someone over for seemingly no reason. However, the car ended up connected to a missing woman case, and Celina later explained that she sensed a dark aura.
Unfortunately, because it was an illegal stop, the LAPD couldn’t use the blood found in the trunk in the case. And Nolan later chastised Celina for it, but not before Sergeant Grey condemned him for his chaotic first day as a training officer.
At the end of her first episode, Celina opened up to Nolan about her belief in auras, superstitions, and dreams. Someone abducted her sister when Celina was nine years old, and a psychic later found her. So Celina uses her intuition in her job, which has caused some contention among The Rookie Season 5 fans.
Fans share why they hate Celina
The Rookie Season 5 fans took to Reddit to discuss Celina and whether or not she’s a right fit for the show. And some aren’t happy with her character.
“I can’t stand her, and maybe it’s because I used to be a TO,” a Reddit user explained. “Based on everything I’ve seen from her, I would have recommended her for termination multiple times already. I understand this is TV, but the majority of the stuff she has done would get people fired and indicted in real life, as it should if they’re committing illegal stops and searches.”
They added, “Regardless of if it results in a good outcome … doesn’t justify the means at all. She just [irks] me to no end.”
One fan wrote, “For me, the problem is the formula — along with the fact that she has NOT EARNED ANYTHING … For Celina, she ignores rules, lives by ‘vibe checks’ which of course solves the case (with more rules ignored and avoidable danger initiated along the way) and then gets some end of episode rationalization and zero consequences.”
“After the new episode, I am more and more disliking her,” someone else said. “Dozing off on a scene…? Sleeping at your TOs house … twice? I really don’t know how much more I can look over with her.”
Many fans also argued that there’s a stark contrast between how Nolan, Lucy, and Jackson were treated in The Rookie Season 1 and how Celina is in season 5. And we have to agree with them on that.
Others are enjoying Celina in ‘The Rookie’ Season 5
Whereas some want Nolan to get a new rookie in The Rookie Season 5, others are happy with Celina.
One Reddit user commented, “Am I the only one [who is] loving her character? Sure it’s a little cartoonish and campy. But this show is a dramedy, and that’s the sort of tone I love from this show, the split between campy fun and dark and serious.”
“I like her, but I agree that some aspects of her character seem wildly out of place for a police officer and a rookie at that,” someone pointed out. “I wish they had written her with slightly more mainstream philosophies, something less likely to prompt Redditors to reply that ‘astrology is b.s.'”
Another fan shared, “I don’t mind her. She’s not realistic in any way, but I appreciate that they add quirky characters rather than just bada** super-cops. This show is better when they lean more into the humor side of things [in my opinion].”
What do you think about Celina? Should she continue being Nolan’s rookie, or should he receive a new trainee soon?
The Rookie Season 5 airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.
