Grade the first episode of The Rookie: Feds

This Tuesday night on ABC, The Rookie: Feds officially reported for duty—or whatever it is FBI agents do. Will you continue to watch The Rookie’s spinoff?

 

The wonderfully (?) obstinate Simone Clark, who was introduced in a springtime two-parter of The Rookie, is played by Niecy Nash-Betts of Claws in The Rookie: Feds. The L.A. branch of the FBI and Officer John Nolan (played by Nathan Fillion) solicited the assistance of the guidance counselor-turned-oldest-ever FBI trainee in the backdoor pilot when one of her former students was suspected of carrying out a terrorist act.

 

In the first episode of The Rookie: Feds, Simone and Brendon Acres (Rebel’s Kevin Zegers), a fellow Quantico grad and former Vampire Cop actor, arrive in Los Angeles from the academy. Simone, who cashed in some of his chips following the day-saving events of the planted pilot, has her sights set on joining the newly established “quick response” squad that Matthew Garza (Felix Solis) is directing. She is instead taken directly to the background checks department, which is a pretty dull desk job. (Steven Culp, you have a thankless role!)

 

Because Simone being Simone, she interrupts a high-level briefing to encourage Garza to make amends for this perceived error. Although Clark’s assistance in thwarting the terror attempt was deeply appreciated, he notes that she is “a torpedo seeking for a target” and he can’t take the chance of it being his brand-new, tightly watched team.

 

Guess what, though? After once more employing her extraordinary guidance counsellor abilities (and even spotting a POI in the background while FaceTiming Brendon! ), Simone aids Garza’s team in solving a significant case and is subsequently accepted onto their squad.

 

Carter Hope, a promotion-hungry traditionalist played by James Lesure of Las Vegas, Laura Stenson by Britt Robertson of Life UneXpected, Michelle Nuez of Ruthless’ Elena Flores, and Courtney Ford of Legends of Tomorrow’s Tracy round out Garza’s team. Tracy, who is sceptical of Garza, is played by Courtney Ford of Legends of Tomorrow.

 

Meanwhile, Simone will live at home with her father, Christopher “Cutty” Clark, who is played by Banshee’s Frankie R. Faison (at least in the interim).

Kat Foster, who played Agent Fox in the backdoor pilot, will not be appearing.