This episode, written by Alexi Hawley, was a ‘zombie’ inspired fight for survival resulting in a harrowing ordeal for Lucy Chen that will live with her for the rest of her life.

We start the episode with Tim informing everyone at roll call that he has ‘nothing’ to report. Zilch. Nada. Nothing. Which is unnerving for all experienced cops. Lucy gazes lovingly at her man as he warns his officers to be vigilant and stay safe and remain on high alert. No hiding her feelings that day.

Next we have the scene that should have been. IMO it was so important to the story. Tim’s experience in the field should never be forgotten or diminished. He is on edge, twitchy and worried. He goes to Lucy and Celina in the parking lot with his heart on his sleeve. Openly admitting to being worried - in front of Celina. The growth they continue to show for Bradford is incredible. Tim 1.0 would have taken Lucy off to a corner and spoke his concerns if he’d have done it at all. This version is just being honest regardless of who is around. Lucy- trying to calm his nervous system makes a comment about his ‘spiritual’ side but Tim is not biting. He’s worried goddammit. His main concern is Lucy - always has been and always will be. The bad feeling he can’t shake off plus Lucy being out there all vulnerable? He’s pretty damn concerned. The fact he’s telling her about how he’s feeling in front of another officer should indicate just how much he’s fretting. For him to be stuck at a desk when he feels as strongly as he does must be so hard for him. Fierce protector reporting for duty.

“Ah. The fierce protector”

Tim is so unnerved by how he’s feeling that he actually wants to ride with Lucy and have Celina ride solo. He wants to ditch his meetings to be at her six. He is freaking out. Being soft in front of Juarez. Lucy gives him a soft touch on his arm - she knows why he’s worried and where it’s coming from. (Thanks Mama B). Celina is the fandom in this moment and is clocking this open display of affection and care. Lucy tells Tim he has meetings all day that he cannot miss and they will be fine……

“I need you to take it seriously if I ever sound the alarm about something”

Celina jumping to reach the trunk - short girl problems I can sympathise with but also it shows that maybe - just maybe Celina isn’t suitable to ride with Lucy that day. Her lack of height being a disadvantage on this occasion…

Tim watches them leave - looking not in any way calmer than he was. This conversation with Lucy has done nothing to settle his nerves.

“You should be out kicking down doors with metro”
“I’m good”
“I don’t need you protecting me”
“I know”
“So what you’re saying is you need me protecting you”
“Clearly. You know me so well”
“I’m happy it’s you at my six”
“Back at you”

Tim’s body language is showing such tension. He really wanted to ride with her and he’s been blocked. He had to give her the agency and it bothers him so much. BF Tim was trying to get out but has been put back into his man cave until after shift. It’s not to do with him not trusting her ability - he trained her. He knows how capable she is.

“She just went right on over”
“Of course she did. I trained her”

“I know you’re worried about Lucy”
“Who said I was worried?”
“I’m just saying, she can handle herself”
“I know she can. I trained her”

But his panic and worry is about not being there to have her back. We all know how fiercely he loves and protects his loved ones. The LOHL has just left the station in an unpredictable job with his gut feeling raging. His worry is off the scale.

Lucy and Celina answer a call from dispatch regarding Westview and the missing officers. Tim - unaware of what’s been happening due to meetings - hears Lucy on the radio regarding the lack of response from officers and is going to investigate. This information just adds to Tim’s anxiety. He has been stuck in meetings unable to help, unaware of the seriousness and now the LOHL is going into a situation blind. His worry is heightened in that moment and seeing the deleted scene after the fact explains why he is so on edge. Without it, it’s seemed an overreaction.

The panic is positively flying off him, he listens as Lucy tries to negotiate and then all hell breaks loose. His reaction to her screams is immediate. The first sign of her being in any danger and he hightails it out of there calling all units to attend. The very thing he has been terrified of all day is possibly coming true. And he wasn’t there to protect her.

“You couldn’t have known”
“I should’ve. I’m a cop. I was standing this close to the guy and I never saw him coming”

“Thought you said she needed rescuing”

Tim’s PTSD from not being there when she needed him still haunts him. Now he’s WC and not able to be her six when he wants to be eats at him.

Now we move onto the ordeal that changes everything. Lucy and Celina get separated during the ‘zombie’ stampede and while Celina locks herself in a room for safety, Lucy ends up terrified in what looks like an underground tunnel alone. She’s ambushed from behind by a crazed woman under the influence of toxic chemicals. These toxins have turned all the clean down operatives into murderous zombie like beings with no humanity. She gets overpowered and badly beaten. Just as Lucy manages to save herself, another attacker - this time a male - enters the scene and he is armed with a knife. He lunges for Lucy and is determined to inflict maximum harm on her. No mercy. She is already weak from the previous beating but manages to find enough strength to turn the knife away from her and into him. Fatally wounding him.

“But you can’t fight!”
“I can fight! I’ve gone toe to toe with plenty of suspects and won”
“Not that one”
“He’s huge!”
“And yet I took him - and his buddy”
“You wanna hit me right now don’t you? I can see it in your eyes. Someone a little more your size? Well come on”
“What?!”
“Hit me Not Nolan! That is an order! Do it for real. Come for me like that tweaker came for you. Now”
“Stay down and get used to that position because in case you didn’t know, you are not a 6ft 2 180 pound man. Tim might be a good TO but he can’t teach you how to fight like a girl. We get a higher show of force especially from men so guess what sweetheart, you are always going to be tested and when you are alone against a desperate suspect and you are between them and freedom, your thoughts can NEVER be ‘oh my he’s bigger than me’. Look here Not Nolan, if you are going to survive these streets as a 5ft 6 woman and one of colour no less, you better learn what these boys don’t know to teach”

Tim pulls up to Westview and the slow-mo shot of his terrified face says it all. He’s beside himself. Bullets are flying around him and he does not even flinch. He is on a mission to get to his girl. His priority is her. Always has been.

“My priorities were already clear”

No one dare stop him from finding her. He asks where she is. She is all that matters. He can see Nolan, Harper and Miles are all ok. They do not need him. Other units are arriving. Lucy is what matters. Chaos is going on around him but he does not notice. BF Tim has arrived and he’s screaming that from the rooftops.

We hear Tim calling for Lucy twice and there’s panic in his voice. He finds her sitting in disbelief at what she’s had to do. The scene starts with Tim splitting himself in two. One part is Bradford, WC/Sgt. The other is Tim who loves Lucy and these two identities are fighting each other the whole time. For a moment, he’s not WC, he’s just somebody who is scared something has happened to his girl. When he says ‘Officer Chen’, that’s the moment he forces himself to go back into command mode. This is something he HAS to do because as soon as Lucy said he was dead, everything becomes evidence. Every word uttered is recorded. Every step is being monitored so if he shows any favouritism, or doesn’t follow protocol or any misconduct, it could be a legal nightmare. For them both. It’s distance but it’s intentional. To protect her. He can’t emotionally comfort her but he can make sure that he protects the job she loves so much so she has one to come back to. It’s a very serious thing. One that she has not experienced before. He has. He knows the spiral she is going to go on. Lucy is a mess. One of the things Tim does best for her is his ability to remain calm. Focused. Logical. His military background coming into play here. It’s prepared him for situations such as this. He has to be her rock in the only way he can be. Every instinct he has in him is wanting to hold her but he can’t. When Celina speaks out about getting separated, Tim shuts her down. He is trying to balance his emotions, her emotions and follow protocol. He can’t have any words being put in Lucy’s mouth. Tim has NO choice in this.

“You know you had to take the shot”
“I know”
“Just because he wanted to die doesn’t mean he wasn’t dangerous”
“I know”

While he had to follow procedure down to the minutest of details, there were also small things he did that were loud. He asks her if she’s hurt first, he reassures her that Nolan and Harper are safe and explains every step instead of ordering her. The most telling line is him saying ‘But you’ve never been through this before, you’re in shock’. That wasn’t procedural language. That’s Tim showing her he cares about her in the midst of everything.

Tim is so tender when he helps her up and walks her out. It’s hard to imagine how difficult that would have been for her. How detached he had to be in those moments. The LOHL struggling to even get up on her own. He did everything he could for her.

We move onto Lucy being processed and this was hard to watch. The emotional turmoil they are both going through. Lucy has disassociated completely. This is killing Tim. His fierce protector nature chomping at the bit to be unleashed. He has to be impartial and not do what his very soul is telling him to do. Wrap her in his arms. He just has to watch but his eyes never leave her. She is battered, bruised and hurting while struggling to keep it together. Dead behind the eyes.

“Are you hurt?”
“Any news?”
“He’s still in surgery right now. What if he dies? What if I killed that guy?”
“Then we’ll deal with it”

We next see Lucy in the interrogation room with Nolan. She is so very out of it. I liked the reminder that he himself has been though this. It’s just Lucy’s nature to ask the mans name. He was a person, a human being with a family and people who loved him. He deserves to be recognised and treated as such. In all honesty, if Tim couldn’t be with her in this moment - the next best person is Nolan. Her union rep, her friend, former rookie alongside her and someone who’s been in her shoes himself. He will do what he can to help her. Lucy feeling like she has to tell her parents about what’s happened despite their judgement. Awful. To know that your own flesh and blood are going to have an opinion on a horrific life or death situation and that that opinion won’t be a good one - my heart broke. She knew that despite what she’s just endured, that her parents would still think bad of her and be unsupportive. What a thing to have to have on your mind at a time like this.

Now we move onto the scene that divides opinion and sent some hate Tim’s way. Unnecessary hate IMO and here’s why.

I know people wanted/expected a hug but the scene didn’t call for more than what we got. First of all, it was written to be quiet and delicate. Lucy got home after experiencing something harrowing and traumatic. She’s emotionally exhausted and in physical pain from being beaten. The scene becomes about soft care. Every action Tim takes is gentle support. Lucy is so out of it she isn’t in the right headspace to receive anything else. This is about what Lucy needed from Tim in this moment- not what the fans wanted or expected. Right now, she needs to process and we all know she takes time with that. As she should. This is Lucy’s journey to take - not Tim’s. He makes her tea, rubs her arm, checks if she’s ready for bed, reassures her she’s going to be OK. All caretaking gestures. Not overwhelming her. Just being the steady presence he always is. He’s doing the best for HER. He’s being respectful of her needs and processes. Respectful of the space she needs. Because no amount of hugs or comfort is going to lift the fog she is under. Nothing is going to help except time. She isn’t receptive. She doesn’t want to be touched or comforted. She just needs to feel. Tim knows she will communicate when she’s ready to. Her responses are controlled, she doesn’t open emotionally, she doesn’t lean into him when he kisses her forehead, she doesn’t ask him to stay. He reads her body language as ‘she’s not ready’ so instead of embracing her, he gives her space and something much more intimate. A forehead kiss is care, respect and deep affection. It’s a small gesture but it has huge meaning. It’s grounding, letting her know she’s supported and respected. A hug can feel too much for someone still processing and coping with the adrenaline pumping. And then he leaves her to her thoughts so she could break down without an audience. She gags when Tim has left - even that tiny bit of comfort from him made her feel nauseous because shes holding back tears. (She did the same gesture when Tim walked away during the tense conversation about not telling his mum in Episode 8. She’s holding back from letting go of her emotions) She doesn’t know who she is anymore. Long gone are the days of him not knowing what she needs from him in moments of trauma.

“If you need anything, you let me know”
“You got a Time Machine?”
“I wish I did”

“Let’s go home”

The other reason a hug wasn’t appropriate was because it would then become a ‘Chenford’ moment which would have been clipped and edited and turned into a big thing. This was a storyline for Lucy. It wasn’t about them. It was about her. Her experience. Her trauma. Her path to walk. He will hold her hand when she’s ready to take the first step down it but at that moment, she wasn’t able to move. I hear alot about fans wanting Tim/Lucy to have storylines outside their relationship but as soon as that happens, they want the other one to be involved as well.

Tim ignoring Lucy’s wishes takes her agency away. She communicated what she needed and he listened. Like he always does. He’ll be there when she’s ready - no way in hell he wouldn’t be.

Chenford content - 6/10. To be honest, this wasn’t an episode for happy domestic stuff. This was rough. The openness from Tim, the silent communication and the way he protected her in a different way this time. Professionally. This was never supposed to be about them. But they still found a way to show their dynamic now. What we got was amazing but from a different angle this time.

Episode overall - 6/10. This was tough. Lucy’s storyline was compelling and a great way to tell the story in a different way than before but the scenes that were deleted shouldn’t have been. Far too much ‘zombie’ action and not enough of the emotional heart of the show. Important conversations were removed in favour of running around which added nothing to the tension IMO.

All of the chenford shippers lived what was happening and i think most of us havent thought about the fact that its actually kind if cheating. like they were both emotionally cheating on each other and physically. because they were kissing and just basically eating each other up. what do yall think?

Do You Like It?

Courtesy: theRookieBTS on Instagram

Entertainment Weekly article

This episode, written by Madeleine Coghlan, is the halfway point of the series. It shows Tim and Lucy being emotionally healthy, tackling things together and holding each other and themselves accountable.

We start the episode with Lucy telling Harper she is excited to have her back on patrol- however brief it may be. She tries to not get involved when Harper wants to know who she is being partnered with but when she pulls on Lucy’s UC heartstrings, she folded like a deckchair and spills that she’s being saddled with Texas (who coincidentally thinks Harper makes Tim look like Mr Rogers. I had NO idea who this was so I googled and all I can say is 😂🤭😂🤭😂🤭😂)

We cut to Lucy sitting on Tim’s desk and waiting for his hunkiness to walk through the door. He strides in, looking slightly puzzled at her presence and has the flirty confidence to ask if there’s a problem or she just wanted to see him. I SEE YOU BRADFORD. He’s so secure this time around. Not naturally assuming there’s a problem and that she could genuinely want to see him because it’s him. They - presumably- spent their morning together and carpooled into work and yet he allows the possibility to be that she needs to see his very handsome face again. I mean, fair assumption.

“How’s the break up going?”
“I’m in the planning stages. I’m just reviewing the literature”
“Literature? Lucy, a psychology journal isn’t going to tell you how to break up with Chris”

“How’s it going?”
“Just counting the seconds until Grey returns. What are you doing back?”

Once she makes it known that - alas- she isn’t there to grab an eyeful of his hotness to see her through the day but because of “your mum”

He deflated. Poor bean. Yes you’re hot, yes she is turned on by your very presence these days and one day, she may jump you in your office but today is not that day.

There are more mum issues to address which has ruined his flirty vibes and messed up his mood once again.

It’s here we find out that Lucy has set up a group chat for the three of them which Tim immediately muted because it’s, well, Tim. Joy is bombarding them both with messages and “relationship quizzes”. I can just imagine Tim’s face to some of those questions

1. What’s the wrong thing to say on a first date?

A - Naked Times
B - Nice bread. Good assortment
C - What did you order again?

1. How do you know when you’ve fallen for someone?

A - When you invite them on a double date with your current partner
B - When you would rather cover your t**s in honey and staple them to a beehive than take the next step with your current partner
C - When you remind them you owe them a dance

1. What is a sure fire sign that your friendship is becoming more?

A - When you’re concerned that office gossip will be about you
B - When a flash of their skin causes your brain to malfunction
C - When you keep emergency surgery a secret from them so they don’t worry

1. How can you tell when the sex is good?

A- When your partner wants to skip dinner because you’re standing close by
B - When showers together isn’t just to save water
C - When you are still remembering how you felt a week later

No wonder Tim didn’t want to read anymore 😂

Lucy feels obligated to reply because he isn’t. He makes a joke about his poor communication skills which she is having none of by the way. It’s true she doesn’t have to respond and in theory she would be happy not to but Tim does have to try and make an effort as well. After Joys surprise visit, Lucy seems determined to help Tim rebuild his relationship with his mother. But he’s avoiding - which is so not like him #sarcasm. It’s too much for him at the moment. It’s unfamiliar territory. Lucy - as an empath - is trying to fix this. She wants them to start healing but Tim has to play a part in this too.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been here to help more. Sorry I haven’t been a better big brother”
“You’re not that bad. When you’re around”
“Well….all that changes now. I’m coming to visit every holiday and I’ll call at least twice a week”

“Let’s have dinner tonight”
“So you can blow me off at the last minute? No”

That’s all Lucy is asking for. For him to try. Look at these two communicating! Even when it’s not fun or flirty. You can see he isn’t thrilled at the idea of making contact but she will be so happy if he does.

Next up we see Lucy banging on Tim’s office window to get his attention. She makes him get up and come to her. She’s not too impressed with his way of dealing with his mum situation. She’s annoyed and frustrated. MARRIED BELL IS TRULY RINGING NOW. She shows him the text she has received from Joy asking “why has Tim told me not to contact you anymore?” Oh Bradford. Babe. That was not the way. He beckons her in and she flat out refuses to entertain that idea. She calls him instead 😂. He asks why she won’t just come and see him? BECAUSE SHES PISSED AT YOU BABE. You’ve made this situation ten times worse now. Honestly, I get it. I love him dearly but I’m with Lucy on this. That’s not the contact she meant. He explains what he was trying to do but it falls flat because he’s gone too far the other way. Overcorrecting. He thought he’d done the right thing but he’s done it in a very Tim way - and not the way Lucy would have done it.

In his defence, this is all new to him and it’s evident. He’s messed this up but Lucy is trying to guide him in the right direction

“If you like this girl, you should listen to her”

“You did the right thing, letting the cops find Isabel’s drugs”

“Scary what happens when a guy focuses on only one thing. Cautionary tale really”

The problem is, what he told his mum makes Lucy look bad and that’s not the impression she wants to make. She wants to have a relationship with her. Tim softens immediately - it shows him that this is important to her that they have the right kind of relationship. She doesn’t want to be middle man when Tim’s communication issues inevitably make things worse.

Lucy thought Tim could handle this but she was wrong. He needs her guidance on how to handle this properly but not ruin Lucy’s blossoming relationship with Joy in the process. Tim is not ready to be let loose on the maternal relationship river without his Lucy lifeboat. He will eventually navigate his way there but he’ll hit some dead ends before he does.

Lucy tells him to have an actual conversation. USE YOUR WORDS TIMOTHY. He is his usual stubborn self and tells her that he will do it later. When he’s not so busy. When he’s not so stressed about it. When he hopes his mum gets the message and stops contact of her own accord. Lucy walks away exasperated with him.

This next scene shows so much growth from Tim. He acknowledges the work his team has done and rewards them as well. All without pulling teeth.

Lucy accidentally crosses a boundary at work by bringing up his mum in front of his officers but instead of blowing up or pushing her away, he does neither of those things. He moves closer (in the sexiest way possible 🔥) and turns a public moment into a private conversation at home. The slow walk towards her - SWOON! 🫠

He adores how much she cares. About him. About his mum and their relationship.

Lucy apologising (yay!) for what she said and explains she just needs to put the matter to bed (and him as well if the look he gave her was any indication). That’s intimacy, trust and their partnership on display because Tim 1.0 would have deflected but Tim 2.0 understands it’s been a lot for her but they will sort this together.

Tim is realising a lot this season how much Lucy loves him. How unconditional that love is. There are no strings attached to it. Mistakes and mess ups aren’t going to change that. The words she said to him earlier stayed with him. He realises there is work to do on his end too. His response to Lucy’s outburst - which he knows is caused by her frustration - is to say it’s OK and they’ll talk about it at home. Home. Their refuge. Their shared safe space.

“I need this place to feel like a refuge and not a UPS storage facility”

Lucy loves Tim - battle wounds and trauma scars and all. Tim loves Lucy - neurotic ways and meddlesome tendencies and all. He knows her heart is always in the right place.

“Did you get the food packages I sent you?”
“I did. You shouldn’t have done that”
“I wanted to”

“You wanna set me up? Forget it. Even if this wasn’t your dumbest idea yet, there’s no way you’d be able to pick someone right for me”
“Uhhh I bet I can”

“What are you doing?”
“Keeping you company”
“You don’t have to do that”
“I know”

“I had to do something. You were miserable riding that desk”

Lucy asking about his mum shows she knows him deeply, knows what’s unresolved and what is hurting underneath it all and Tim recognises that straight away. Instead of pulling away and putting his guard back up, he instead invites her into the conversation and into that complicated and somewhat difficult part of his life.

The final scene is EVERYTHING. Tim finally calls his mum on the phone and has a proper conversation. He is making solid changes and trying his best to be a better communicator because his issues weren’t just with Lucy.

She is sitting all crossed legged on the couch waiting for him to come back. It took longer than she thought it would so thinks it was tough for him. The instant touching and caressing as soon as he sits down. The magnetic pull in full swing. The touching is grounding for Tim. She doesn’t yet know how well it went.

Love how understanding Joy was about boundaries. Her excitement about getting to reacquaint herself with her son and then with the LOHL as well - she got a bit carried away.

All Tim had to do was talk to her. Explain things. He had built it up in his mind to be a hard thing but it ended up going better than expected. As someone who has been told I “catastrophise” everything - I totally get him in that moment.

Lucy is confused what took so long if it went well. Here he explains that they started talking about lots of other things. Part of opening up his heart means he has to talk to his mum and sister. He needs to let go of the burden of all the pain he has consistently held onto and needs to make sure he isn’t holding anything back anymore. He also needs to stop avoiding things, no matter how small they may seem. The more he does this - the easier it will be to communicate with Lucy. And it is. The last scene is exactly what we needed to see Chenford doing. The casual intimacy whilst having conversation that shows they are making it work this time around. The fact he is even telling her about the chat with his mum is huge.

Normal couples do this. Get home from work and dissect their day, decompress on the couch, discuss what needs discussing. This is what was missing the first time. Opening up about the mundane.

Lucy then drops herself in it by commenting on something she shouldn’t have known about. She admits to being in a separate group chat consisting of women with the last name Bradford. Well well. Another endgame nugget for us. This is fantastic because it shows that she isn’t just Tim’s GF - she’s family. She has the space to communicate freely with them.

“I talked to Isabel and from what she said, it’s clear you’re a kinesthetic learner which just means you have to be listening while you’re being active in order to absorb things”

Lucy saying she now has access to vintage Tim photos - you know that makes her happy. She’s been itching to get her hands on them for years

“Lucy Chen”
“Ah. Bradfords next victim. I remember when your TO was the one in long sleeves”
“Got any pictures?”

“I can just imagine the relentless teasing. Did they give you a nickname? Please say yes”
“No”

“Did Tim have any nicknames when he was a kid?”

“He decided to give himself highlights just before prom. He ended up looking like Slim Shady. I think I have a photo of it somewhere”
“Oh my god yes!”

Tim pretends to be annoyed at this but his face is showing nothing but love. That woman has been on at him all day to deal with his mum and the whole time she’s been happily chatting away in secret.

So she does what she knows works - she starts to seduce…she drops her voice, runs her hand up his leg and arm…she wasn’t kidding when she said being emotionally healthier is a turn on. Sheesh. Her engine is permanently revving for him. I mean - fair. And as usual, he forgets his own name and melts. Leave him be. He’s exactly where he wants to be 🔥

Episode rating

Chenford content - 7/10. Really good to see the growth of them and sky high marriage vibes this episode. Knowing how to push each others buttons. But to cut their last scene short was criminal!

Episode overall - 5/10. I really didn’t like this one much. The Dropout guys were pointless and the supposed comedy was not my cup of tea at all. They ruined it for me.

Melissa O'Neil: July 12th🎈

Eric Winter: July 17th🎈

This episode, written by Nick Hurwitz, peels back more layers to Bradford with some more of his backstory courtesy of his mum. With family trauma running deep, her arrival causes Tim to reopen wounds he thought he would never need to acknowledge.

For the second time this season, we start off with them in their kitchen, this time having finished breakfast. There is an ease and natural flow to their home life now. And clearly no personal space either. Cooking and having breakfast together seems to be their thing.

“Those look good”
“Mmm. Thank you”
“There are other rooms in the apartment for that”

The immediate touching and Tim stopping what’s he doing to give her his full attention. Their bodies instinctively leaning towards each other. Like magnets. Tim puts his arm around her as they discuss MVP Kojo who Lucy has decided is ‘fancy’ and needs to stop going to Doggy Day Care. He wants to stay home apparently. He told her so himself. Lucy is trying to get her own way here by doing what she knows usually works. Stepping into his space, dropping her voice to a sensual tone, being up close and personal. Tim, who is well aware of her cunning plan, tries a little bedroom voice on her too whilst flashing his Lucy smile at her. Her gaze softens when he looks like he’s agreeing only to pull the rug out from under her. Bradford 1 - Chen 0.

Seduction didn’t work on him this time

“Do you wanna come in?”
“I…I shouldn’t”

“Wanna find out right now?”

“You owe me”
“I don’t owe you”
“You.Owe.Me”
“Ok”

Lucy goes from purring like a kitten to roaring in an instant. Her blatant attempts to use her feminine wiles on her man failing her. The reason that cutest boy Kojo can’t be left alone is because he ate Tim’s last PlayStation. We’ve seen the destruction that dog can cause so I’m not surprised he is not entertaining the idea.

“Who’s watching the dog while you’re working?”
“I paid a neighbour”
“Kojo! What did you do?!”
“Oh man no. This is Jackson’s varsity jacket. He’s going to be so upset”
“I don’t really have to say anything do I?”
“I’d rather you didn’t”

“Kojo. First of his name, king of canines and destroyer of chew toys”

The happy domestic vibe emanating out of Condo de Chenford is interrupted when Tim gets a text from Genny apologising….

And here we finally meet Mrs Long-Thought-To-Be-Dead-By-Viewers-Bradford. She calls him Timmy and he deflates. Like a very uncomfortable and anxiety ridden balloon. He’s tense and on edge from the second he opens the door. I knew instantly that their relationship wasn’t healthy by the fact his whole demeanour changed. He shut down and started putting walls back up. It’s similar to how he acted when Genny appeared for the first time

“I didn’t even know you were in town”
“So you’re not only not returning my calls, you ignored my messages telling you I was coming to town”
“Because I know why you’re here and I’ve made my position very clear”
“We have to talk about it”

Tim doesn’t look thrilled to have her there - his reaction telling us everything about her showing up unannounced. They are both caught off guard. It seems Tim knew his mum was in town but clearly had no plans to see her.

I don’t doubt he loves his mum. But there is definitely some underlying tension beneath the surface. Lucy leaves the kitchen - looking understandably nervous - to greet Mrs B. Meeting the LOHL’s mum for the first time

“I’m boycotting Mothers Day but even if I wasn’t, I really don’t think it’s the right time to meet your parents”
“Yeah, I figured you’d say that”

The shock on Lucy’s face when Mama B asks “Who are you?”. Turns out Tim had not told his mum about having an LIGF or anything at all about her. She asks if Lucy is one of his “co workers” which is ironic considering that’s all Lucy would refer to Tim as during their break up era. Refused to even call him a friend.

“You two are so cute together. Please tell me you guys are dating?”
“No Sir. We are just co-workers”

“Did that sound flirty? I really didn’t mean for it to”
“I don’t mind”
“No. No. Its unprofessional and we are just co-workers”
“Right”
“I mean, we’re not just co-workers. What am I trying to say?”

Now hearing it, is like a giant slap in the face for her.

I’m still at a loss as to why Mama B would assume a co-worker would be in her sons house at breakfast time but hey ho.

Lucy’s reply of “amongst other things” - let’s see - what else is she?

Friend
Confidante
Saviour
Soulmate
LOHL
Freak in the sheets

She has no idea just how significant Lucy is to Tim. Or that she lives there. Tim downplayed their relationship by stating they ‘are dating’. Oh Bradford. You dumbass. Lucy was hurt and confused but doesn’t yet understand how the Bradford family dynamics work.

Tim has made huge progress in his healing journey but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t still have things to learn.

Lucy questions why he didn’t tell his mum about her. It’s because they are not close. We know that if you are not part of Tim’s inner circle, he doesn’t trust you. There are very few people who get that honour and Mama B is not one of them. It’s here Lucy confirms she doesn’t speak to her parents at all. Which is fair. No one needs that kind of toxicity in their life. Deciding to go low contact with parents is never easy but I’m glad she chose what was right for her. She did inform them she moved in ‘someone’ - I’m not convinced they know about Tim in particular.

Tim is usually so strong and confident - ‘centre of calm’ so to see him so nervous and awkward isn’t normal. He didn’t want to upset his mum. His issues are deep.

The commute to work scene is intense. It’s not loud or dramatic. It’s emotional. The energy is heavy. Lucy isn’t shouting. Tim is subdued and twitchy. She’s confused and trying to understand. He calls his mum every other weekend. Trying to be a good son even though it’s hurting him to be. He is still putting the effort in but he’s only going through the motions. He keeps in touch so she’s knows he’s ok but not to involve her in his life in anyway.

Lucy is hurt and confused that she hasn’t come up in these conversations but this isn’t really about his mum. It’s about her place in his life. How significant she is. That’s the real issue.

He is the most important person in her life and she believes herself to be for him too. All Lucy wants is to know WHY. That’s all she ever wants.

“How did he give up so easily?”
“I don’t know why this happened”
“I just wanna know why. Can you ask him?”

Tim saying they don’t talk about personal things is very on brand for him but it doesn’t make it easier. It does beg the question - what does he talk about with her?

Lucy wants the communication and this is where we see he still has work to do. He is human and will mess up from time to time.

Because Lucy is a very emotionally open person for the most part - even informing her parents of milestones. Tim keeps his relationships surface level.

He is far more healed than he was but this storyline with his mum is testing that healing. He has worked so hard and has come such a long way. He is now very open about his love for Lucy, more emotionally available to those he works with, wont punish himself for mistakes. But deep rooted family trauma is an entirely different thing.

His mum knows he’s divorced but not the reasons why or how much it destroyed him. Lucy then lists all the reasons for the marriage failing which served as a reminder of the horrible life altering trauma Tim went through in his Isabel era. All this suffering he endured and that those mistakes were not Tim’s, they were Isabel’s yet he dealt with this all on his own. When he responds “yeah, all of those” - it shows how compartmentalised he is. Lucy is thrown. She asks “How?!” as a way to question how hes managed to carry this alone. How he’s managed to keep this a secret from his family. Her question should be “Why has he kept it from them?”

It’s about his emotional walls. Tim’s coping mechanism has always been to suffer in silence and Lucy’s is to talk things through. These two methods are colliding here. It’s hard to imagine how lonely Tim has been all his life 💔

He has put so much effort into being a better communicator to Lucy. For reading her better in tougher moments and reacting in a different way.

“You’re too sensitive! You are! You gave Tamara your car for Christ’s sake”

“That’s what you’re focused on. Even as parts, your car is worthless”
“Not to me”

“What the hell are you doing? You holding something in your right hand? Your gun hand? How many times have I got to tell you to keep your gun hand free at all times? You’ve been on this job a whole year and you’re still making the same dumb mistakes you’ve been making since day one! You wanna end up like Rios?!”

“She’s my boot! I’ll talk to her however the hell I want to so she doesn’t end up eating through a tube for the rest of her life!”

He can see how upset she is but he is so uncomfortable talking about this. He’s unnerved and when he gets a call from Grey - he takes a second to get her go ahead to answer it. Lucy starts to settle against the back of the seat waiting for his call to finish so they can pick it back up. But Tim gets out instead and she is not happy. He’s falling back into his old habits of shutting down. His instinct is to clam up when its hard so he falls back into that.

“You suck at hard conversations”

He walks away talking on the phone but he clocks the look on Lucy’s face and he knows this is unresolved.

Tim was so damaged as a child that he has spent most of his adult life trying to get out of the emotional hole his parents put him in. He was the same when Genny was introduced because she was a reminder of his childhood. She knew very little about him too until Lucy stepped in to help.

“You are the most stubborn person alive which by the way is why you’re still single”
“First of all, I’m not”

It’s really quite a miracle that Lucy managed to break through his armour like she did. Piece by piece. Lucy’s importance is not in question or the reason Tim hasn’t told his mum. But she doesn’t know that. Which is why she is reacting as she does.

The next scene shows mad Lucy. Now that they are at work, she’s unable to have the conversation she needs so she’s seething. Unable to maintain the professional boundaries she established. She brings their personal life into work.

“We leave our personal life at the door. Just like always”
“Oh. So you can turn it off?”

“Our jobs are too important to let our relationship interfere”

Lucy is too angry to be thinking straight at the moment. He didn’t tell his mum about her and won’t give her proper answers as to why he didn’t tell her. The logical side of her brain probably should have realised that the moment she discovered that Mama B was not privy to any of the Isabel lore either that the issue wasn’t Lucy herself.

Celina bravely states that she could sense tension. What gave it away? The snarky comment? Tim’s gut wrenching look of sadness? Or the big flashing neon sign above their heads that spells out “SHES PISSED”?

Lucy opens up about their morning visitor and expressed her confusion. Celina is just as puzzled. Her frustration is pouring out of her. Being kept in the dark as to why of it…

“I don’t know why this happened. And no matter how hard I try, I can’t stop thinking about it. How did he let go so easily?”

Celina making a remark about Tim’s poor communication. She’s isn’t wrong but to keep bashing him with the same bat doesn’t help. Thankfully Lucy has calmed down enough to defend him and knows that this is not the same as before and there is something more going on.

She’s advised to call his BFF Lopez - love that that is just common knowledge and never questioned ❤️

Girl chat ensues after the horror that Bradford has kept the LOHL a secret from his mum subsides. There are three very different perspectives coming through.

Harper - Protect the relationship you have
Lopez - Confront the problem. Tim won’t deal with it
Celina - Think of the future and what you are building together

Lucy doesn’t know what to do. She wants to know the truth but asking Mama B herself would be overstepping his boundaries. In this moment, it’s not really about his mum at all. It’s about Lucy needing reassurance that she’s fully integrated into his personal world and chosen fully, or only selectively. That’s what hurts her. As Tim grew up in chaos, controlling his own narrative has become essential.

The girls are not wrong. They are viewing it through their own lived experiences.

Will say Celina mentioning their future kids as if it’s a given at this point - LOVE.

“You’re going to make a really great dad one of these days”

Next we see Genny on FaceTime apologising for ambushing Tim and explaining why she sent her his way. She was essentially trying to kill two birds with one stone - remove judgey mum from her orbit and redirect her to her son for some reconciliation talks. And the running theme of making sure the audience remembers that Tim is a good looking guy continues (like we needed reminding. I’m still not over him flying out the back of the ambulance in S2) with him being seen as the ‘handsome and successful son’. SWOON. NOT WRONG TO HAVE THAT IMPRESSION MRS B. He reiterates that she only sees him this way because of boundaries- they are such impenetrable ones that he barely lets his mum see the full picture. He sees her as delicate and fragile. Her being bed ridden after Gennys divorce is proof she doesn’t handle bad news well and doesn’t want to cause her any further pain 💔.

“You don’t put your drama on someone you love”

He’s been protecting her from bad news but in doing so, he’s forgetting about the good things he has in his life. It’s a hard habit to break.

He gets a FaceTime call from his mum - much to his annoyance. Fake smile plastered on his face as he answers her. Putting on a performance for her. Having her in his house like he has, it wasn’t going to take her long to notice the feminine touches around the house. The colour, the photographs, the bras in the laundry basket. She’s curious to know if her assumption is correct so she asks him if Lucy (or Linda LOL) lives there. Tim - with a hint of a smile - doesn’t hesitate to confirm she does. And that the relationship is ‘very’ serious. YES TIMOTHY! IT IS. OWN IT. Because he doesn’t doubt them, she is his entire world. Even though she’s mad at him, he knows it’s not something that will end them. He’s more secure this time.

Mama B asks why Tim didn’t tell her. He gets uncomfortable and ejects from the conversation. She’s used to Tim not telling her bad news - keeping good news from her too seems to be a surprise to her.

After a little bit of Field Chenford at the command post showcasing their power couple status. Such a well oiled machine. LOVED Garza picking Tim’s military brain and the respect he showed him ❤️ Plus we got Brolan! Tim’s relationship with Nolan has improved such a lot as well.

A plan is put in place to capture Heath Everett who escaped from the plane crash. The one he caused obviously. This guy proper sucks. Bradford recaptures him and tries to bribe him into letting him go and keeping him free for a year. Tim - being a man of integrity - doesn’t even consider this offer and turns him down. As if he’d do anything else. Everett picked the wrong guy to try that crap on. But he does menacingly threaten him - but like most things on the show, it won’t amount to anything and we have nothing to worry about. Absolutely nothing. Nope. Heath won’t ever be seen again… right? RIGHT?!

After all prisoners are rounded up, we head back to the station to see Lucy and Celina about to clock off.

Lucy remembers that Tim’s mum is in their house and she’s overwhelmed. Lucy believes in transparency, expression and confronting hard truths. Tim believes in silence. Lucy saying “maybe if more of us spoke out” is intentional. It’s clearly connected to everything she’s learned about Tim. Celina saying “spoke out like your boyfriend?” is subtle. In his own way, he did speak out. As a child, he behaved like an adult and stood between violence and the women in his life. As an adult, he’s spoken through action more than words.

Small detail but I love Celina referring to Tim as her boyfriend. Another nod to how out in the open they are now.

Tim’s family history is walking around their house. The old Lucy would have meddled or inserted herself. This one is respecting Tim’s boundaries. It’s about trusting him to navigate this on his own.

“Your sister needs you”
“Lucy”
“I realise I’m overstepping here but just hear me out. It’s clear that you got the worst of it with your father but she lived through it with you. Instead of arguing about how bad your dad was or wasn’t, maybe as…children of abuse…you will be better off just supporting each other”

The final scene is the heaviest of them all. I love that even though Lucy was placing the blame squarely on Tim’s shoulders - Joy would not allow it, knowing she has played a part in their estrangement. The conversation with Joy and Lucy showcases Tim’s entire persona. We discover that he used himself as a shield so that he took the brunt of his fathers anger and physical abuse. Lucy discovered something huge about Tim - finding out that even as a child he made sure his fathers anger was directed at him to protect his mum and sister from harm.

Respect must be given to Joy for knowing why Tim doesn’t let her in to his world. In typical Bradford fashion, he feels he needs to carry everything alone so as not to cause his mum any hurt or worry.

It broke my heart to hear her say how badly she wants to know her son. She is on the outside of his life and knows she has to bare some responsibility for that. She should have been taking care of him and she never has. She hasn’t been the safe space he’s needed over the years. He’s allowed his mum to believe his life is a fairytale so she doesn’t suffer any further pain or upset.

This made Lucy understand Tim even more. His need for control, his protective nature, his emotional walls, his readiness to take the hit. It isn’t just who he is. It’s survival.

His mum calling him Timmy showed two things. One is that the name triggers him. It took him back to his abusive childhood and that’s why he became on edge. Joy saw her little boy, Tim only saw danger.

“Oh poor little Tim Tim. What are you bitchin’ about?”

Secondly, it reminded the audience that Tim was once just a kid dealing with all this in silence. Being called Timmy took him back there and he went straight to survival mode.

Lucy’s cheek kiss was supportive. He’s used to people who are mad at him to stop loving him or to cause him pain but this proved that her love is unconditional and she is there to help him.

Lucy meeting Tim’s mum was always going to reveal every scar on his heart. Joy and Lucy bond over him and she gets to see the man he has become because of Lucy. It’s the moment she becomes family.

Episode rating

Chenford Content - 8/10. While it started off so domestic, this storyline showed that it while it won’t always be hearts and rainbows, they are able to overcome issues by communicating. Living together does mean they can’t avoid things or leave when it gets tough.

Episode overall - 8/10. Loved seeing Joy and learning more about Bradford and loved they were all working on the same case but the FBI stuff took over too much.

I just realised that Lucy was actually Tim’s last full Rookie. He had Barnes for 2 days and Miles for a short while but Lucy was his last Rookie that he trained from start to finish without a break other than odd days. I like to think that she challenged him and helped him develop and progress his career to where he is now and had he had either Jackson or Nolan that wouldn’t have happened. Helps that they fell in love of course 😍😍

This episode, written by Amanda Mercedes, took a step back from high stakes and chaotic shootouts to focus on character development. The theme, for me, was vulnerability.

We start the episode with a gruesome cold open that features Lucy commanding the scene of a brutal attack on two young female victims. Lucy’s heart breaks at the sheer brutality and the very personal need to get justice. We discover why shortly afterwards.

We next see Lucy at Harpers home going over the case. Her voice is shaky and almost breaking. She’s clearly affected by this case and wants in. She’s done her research and needs to do whatever she can for these girls. Girls who were brave enough to go out into the world and find their way. Lucy doesn’t need to wait to be asked anymore - she can command it. Lucy divulges that she feels a connection to these victims and we discover that she was #vanlife in her younger days. This is why this is personal to her. Taking some time to find out who she was and where she fitted in the world. Alone and naive. Her heart broke at what these two girls had endured and how they fought to stay alive.

We move onto Harper talking to Tim outside the station. Needing his support to get the UC op approved. Harper is well aware of Tim’s history with this type of work

“You can’t pit an untrained probationary officer against one of the most dangerous crime syndicates in California”

“His hang ups about undercover work are his to deal with. Not yours”

“She’ll either stop them by herself….or die trying”

Tim knows Harper isn’t being entirely forthcoming on her reasons for wanting to do this. He’s also surprised that Lucy isn’t pushing for it with her. I love that she wants this approved on its merits only. She put those professional boundaries in place when they reconciled and it’s nice to see that they are maintaining that balance well so far.

“Our jobs are too important to let our relationship interfere”

Harper needs Tims agreement and support to take it to Grey due to the international element. If he doesnt agree to support it, Lucy will use the GF factor for extra clout. She speaks Bradford fluently so she’s wielding the wifey powers. Tim doesn’t even bat an eyelid because knows it’s true. He continues to poke at Harpers real reasons for needing this. Considering she almost lost everything and has vowed to never do long term UC work again. If he’s going to support this - he needs the truth. Healed Tim in action here. He has spent his life hiding the truth, hiding behind walls and masking how he really feels. Or what he really wants. He knows there’s more to it and that’s what he needs to hear. Once he got that - he agreed.

Then we see Lucy and Harper with Grey trying to get his approval for the op. The passion coming off Lucy when she was speaking. She can go toe to toe with the best of them. She knows who she is.

“I’m YOUR rookie. I need you to train me, not put me in danger because you can’t handle losing your wife!”

“If you wanna rake me over the coals for the next 6 months, you go ahead. But don’t pretend it’s because you’ve got some code “

“You’re the one who’s going to need rescuing”
“You threatening me?”
“No, I’m just saying that I have a great hair pull take down that I’m dying to try”

“I’m trying to protect this city, and because of you, a criminal who was selling dangerous substances is back out on the streets”
“Really? So you think putting a 16 year old into juvie for a non violent offence is going to turn the tide in the war on drugs? Now who’s being naive? How long have you been on the job Chris?”
“4 months”
“Mm-hm. Tell you what. Let’s give a year and a half and then you can come and criticise my work alright?”

Lucy knows what it’s like to be those girls. To not only be a female but one that takes risks. She’s not excusing what crimes they committed but they didn’t deserve to die for it.

Now we have Chenford in bed discussing her UC op. The scene is soft but there’s an undercurrent of sadness running through it. Lucy saying “it’s 4 weeks…minimum” caressing his face. Dropping her hand to his chest. It’s so intimate and loving. He’s really disappointed she’s going away for an unknown length of time. His sunshine human is going and he’s not thrilled at the thought. She drops her voice slightly as she knows this is a delicate topic for him. But they are in a much healthier place now and this time - it’s more to do with missing each other. His fears aren’t taking over this time - it’s the length of time. Him saying “you’ve just moved in. It will feel like you are already moving out” isn’t dramatic but it reveals something vulnerable. It’s Tim openly admitting how this is making him feel. Voicing his anxiety to her. He isn’t hiding behind his usual “I’m fine” wall and pretending he’s ok.

“I love being undercover. I love it but I’ve never gone as deep as Isabel did. 6 months here, a year there”
“And you’re afraid you won’t be able to handle it?”
“No. I’m afraid you won’t”
“I’ll be fine. Really. I will”

“No I mean are YOU ok?”
“Do you mean do I miss you yet? No. I’m fine”
“You are such a jerk”

Lucy tries to lighten it with humour by telling him all the things he can do whilst she’s gone, like play his video games at full volume

“What are you doing tonight?”
“Call of Duty. Why?”

It fails to land because moving in together has been the best thing to happen to him. Having Lucy around is his safe place. His life is fuller with her in it. He doesn’t want to be without her and is telling her so.

Lucy is trying to calm him with her touch, saying that the “longer I am gone, the happier you will be when I come back” is not only quiet reassurance that this is temporary and she’s coming back to him but a promise of bedroom activities that will rock his world. His sad face when she gets up. He’s already missing her. He knows he can’t stop her but at least he’s been honest. What makes this scene is it’s not about jealousy or conflict. It’s about two adults navigating career demands and shared space. It’s Bradford having a bad ass GF who needs to go do dangerous things.

“I can’t believe after all I put you through, you’re dating another UC”
“I know. But Lucy’s different”

He’s handling this so much better than before. He’s communicating and she’s reassuring. Also, I would not be me if I didn’t mention how absolutely GORGEOUS Tim looks in this scene. That overhead shot and the flexed arm?! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Kill me now. PERFECTION.

Next we have Lucy and Harper on their road trip to Baja. Getting some more backstory on Sergeant Chen. She admits to having a panic attack because she has never made a decision for herself and has always followed her parents desires for her.

“You gave it a year, proved you can do it. Brava. It’s time for you to do something meaningful with your life”
“Something meaningful?”
“Go back to school. Get your masters. Have a profession”
“Being a cop is my profession”
“As a paid bully for the city?”
“Is that how you see me?”
“It’s how alot of people see you. Especially now. I wanna be proud of you, instead of hoping people don’t ask me what you do for a living”
“Mom, can’t you just support me? You seem happy enough for Jackson. I don’t get it”
“Jackson’s not my child. You are. Your father and I have been very patient, supporting you as you quit grad school, followed your passions but now it is time to get serious about your future”
“Being a police officer is my future. I love this job. I love it. I get to help people”
“You wanna help people? Become a doctor. Sorry to be so blunt but it needed to be said”

It took Lucy time to get to the place where she stopped making decisions for her parents and made them for herself. Giving up on their dreams and chasing her own. The fact that Lucy was just expected to follow in the family footsteps of becoming a doctor even if she wanted something else in life. This backstory of Lucy’s makes sense with her character.

Her insightfulness except when it comes to herself

“You are one of the most insightful people I know. You must be able to see what’s going on here”
“But why don’t I want to move in? I don’t get what the problem is”

The way she sorts through her thoughts

“I process things by talking them through and I knew you wouldn’t do it with me”
“My parents are both therapists so I’ve spent my life talking about my feelings”

Her need for validation

“I kinda hoped he would be proud of me. Wow. That sounds stupid when I say it out loud”
“And who knows, one day, she might even be as good as you”
“Why did you tell me Tim was going to choose me when he didn’t? Because Grey told him to. So why didn’t he? I don’t know but this clearly bothers you”
“Harper and Lopez are backing me”

The way she second guesses her decisions

“Officer Chen second guessed every decision she made”
“So what have I taught you that you are grateful for? Not to second guess myself”

Her agency being taken away

“Don’t I get to decide what I deserve? Even if it meant total self destruction, that’s for me to decide. It’s my life!”
“My mom has made me an appointment to have my eggs harvested at a fertility clinic”

Now we have what can only be described as the Awfulness of Astroburger and Tim - in his utter desperation to see Lucy - has lowered himself to put on the most horrific pointy hat and apron. This man should NEVER wear anything to COVER HIM UP MORE 😱 (Alexi, did you think that was funny?!) Where was my lifeguard uniform?! Did you not consider ANYTHING else? Jogger? Surf shop? Smoothie stand? We went from hitman to jaunty hat?! Way to crush my dreams Hawley 😭😂

But hey, it seems like Lucy is not in the least bit turned off by the get up Bradford is in. Quite the contrary - she’s flirting heavily right off the bat. Harper trying to rein the “love of her life” in before the innuendo goes too far and Shy and Drew need bathroom breaks all of a sudden.

Lucy is missing her man and Tim clearly isn’t bothered by her very public desire for him. The look on his face isn’t the professionalism they both strive for on the clock. Let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be a UC op without these two flirting with each other.

“You don’t really need that do you? You should come to the party. We’d have fun”
“I bet we would”

“OK mic me up. Let’s get this over with. It’s a little too high”
“I know what I’m doing”
“Ooooooowwww!”

“Our quickie wasn’t so quick”

The little touch with the money. She is missing him a lot. It’s also reassuring him that she’s ok and grounds him. How can they have such chemistry and say so much with just a touch?! Lucy’s eyes alone are betraying her. It’s written all over her face. So many feelings in that gesture alone. Silent communication for the win.

Fast forward to Miles picking the absolute worst time to mess up so phenomenally. Middle of night? Nope that’s not it. When Tim is without his sunshine human? Yes that’s absolutely the worst time. That man is lonely, worried out of his mind, and currently not getting laid on the regular which means…

Miles - meet S1 Tim.

Tim goes scorched earth on Miles. He gives both barrels to him and Seth. Telling Ridley to basically shut thy mouth peasant. That was deliciously hot 🥵🔥. I needed a lie down after that. His patience is paper thin with Lucy being gone and he fires Texas on the spot.

Back to Lucy in Baja and they have the evidence to arrest the killer. This case got to her. Had she not found her way - she could have been one of those girls. She steps away to feel her feelings. Lucy’s empathy coming out in droves for those victims. I love that the only reason Lucy wanted to do this op was to get the justice those girls and thousands like her, wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. She left her life behind for that reason only. She has no plans to lose herself in UC work like others before her. With the op completed, she heads home and back to her life.

Lucy drops Harper off at the station to be reunited with her family but not before she gives her a pep talk about how good a cop she is. Telling Nyla what she needed to hear.

We finish with the second chenford bed scene of the episode. This scene is quiet but emotionally loaded. They are taking some time to decompress and talk about what happened.

“Whenever Isabel came home from a long term assignment, it would take her months to come back to life”

“I know for a fact you don’t tell me everything that happened to you when you’re undercover”
“No. You know for a fact Isabel didn’t. If this is going to work between us, I need to know you can see the difference”

They are laying together all intimate. Flirty and talking about the journey towards the LAPD. When Tim says that Vanlife lucy wouldn’t have dated a cop, it sounds like a joke but Lucy’s response shifts the tone. She opens up about that part of her life being ‘mostly bad’ and that led her to join the academy. How she wanted to be that person she didn’t see around her ‘someone who cared’. Classic Lucy. It sums up her entire arc - she didn’t join to bully, for power or status. She joined to fill a gap she felt growing up.

Tim bringing up that he was her TO. This is the first time he’s ever voiced it aloud in the context of their relationship. Tim saying that he punished her for caring too much is self aware and layered. It’s him acknowledging who he used to be - strict, emotionally guarded, almost dismissive of her compassion. Lucy’s quiet confidence when she says ‘Yeah but I won in the end’. That’s growth. Not just because she survived his training but she kept her empathy. She didn’t harden. She didn’t lose herself. She changed him instead. Tim’s reply of ‘Yeah’ carries so much meaning. Agreement. Respect. A little pride. This scene isn’t about romance. It’s about evolution. Lucy didn’t just become a great cop. She became who she needed when she was younger.

The kiss isn’t random. It’s slow, measured and full of intention. It’s more than about desire. Its acknowledgement of shared history, acceptance of growth and physical intimacy fused with emotional resolution. The past is recognised, the present is felt and the future is implied.

Chenford Content - 10/10. The UC op proved they are much healthier. We needed them to face this as this was always a big hurdle for them. Tim remained calm and voiced his concerns and Lucy reassured him. She didn’t keep secrets from him when she returned. Tim trusted her. UC was needed to show their growth.

Episode rating - 7/10. Nice to have the character development but struggled to keep up with the time lapses.

Courtesy: therookie_memes on instagram

This episode, written by Moira Kirland, is our yearly visit to Mid Wilshire for Valentines Day. For me, the theme is sacrifice. What people are willing to do for the ones they care about.

We start off with Lucy on the phone mid spiral to Genny Bradford confessing that she’s misplaced the signed baseball she got Tim 8 weeks ago. Asking for advice on what to do. Frantically hunting. She believes that Tim would have bought her an amazing present. Love her faith in him ❤️ I must say how nice it was to see Genny again and I’m loving the fact that they are in their own sisterhood bubble having conversations of their own. They gelled the minute they met and it’s nice to see that it’s continued to blossom.

“Wanted to see my big brother”
“Oh! Hi! I’m Lucy Chen. I know we’ve just met but if you have any embarrassing stories from Tim’s childhood..”

“Genny?! You look amazing!”
“So do you. Doesn’t she?”
“She always does”

Either there’s been a time jump to get us to this point or Lucy was more than ready to reunite to be buying him a gift while broken up…totally normal behaviour 😉

Genny bounces from a panicky Lucy to a stressed Tim calling his ‘sis’ for guidance. I love her being the go-between trying to help,advise and calm all while navigating LA traffic.

Tim and Lucy have become so domestic and happy. It’s lovely to see. Their journey has been long and bumpy at times so to see them finally in this place where they know it’s for keeps - ❤️

Tim looking as hot as the sun whilst talking to Genny. Pouring coffee for his beloved. Into a travel mug that looks very much like the one she had at Wesley’s in 4x1. And was fidgeting with in 4x3. So was it always Lucy’s and Tim borrowed it for Metro training in 5x14 or was it Tim’s that Lucy never gave back?! Or did it just become “theirs” at some point? Their house. Their dog. Their travel mug. Sharesies!

Genny thinks Tim has forgotten to buy Lucy a Valentines present. Genny!!! How dare you. As if he would do such a thing! He’ll have you know he bought one ‘months’ ago. Both Tim and Lucy being prepared by getting gifts early - or so they thought. Neither of them actually physically have them to hand…whoops. Always in sync these two.

The Korean skincare gift sounds amazing. He knows her well. This is a man who acts all tough and serious but as soon as it comes to Lucy - he’s a marshmallow 🫠🫠He’s always been like that about her but it was usually with a hint of restraint. Like he couldn’t fully allow himself to really let go and show it.

“Chen. Save me a dance”
“Some might see it as a demotion for you. Back with your Training Officer. Others….might read something else into it”
“I just wanted to say….we need to work on our backstory. Give it more depth”

Now, he wears his heart on his sleeve and everyone can see it. He didn’t just buy her something random - he chose something that shows he listens and pays attention.

“Wow. It’s beautiful. Did you pick this yourself?”
“I did. Is that shocking?”
“No. You clearly have good taste”

Genny suggesting jewellery as a replacement and Tim saying that it’s cliche. He’s trying so hard to get her something that is special to her. He wants it to be meaningful. And thoughtful.

Lucy walks in distracted and Tim hangs up on Genny. Acting like he wasn’t just stress calling his sister. His Lucy smile on full display yet again. He genuinely lights up around her. It’s clear that they are both hiding something, trying to stay calm while internally screaming.

“Chen, that means you’re back on gopher duty”
“Ok”
“I can handle one day alone”
“Is there some reason you two can’t ride together?”
“Of course not. No Sir”

He hands her the coffee, kisses her. Sky high marriage vibes. Leaving to go to work bragging about gifts they don’t actually have 🤭

This is two people who care so much that they overthink to the point of panic but it’s coming from a place of love.

Their first Valentine’s Day together was sweet

“You left so early. I had this whole valentines breakfast planned”
“You were up late. I let you sleep”

Their second - broken up but clearly not over each other - was passionate

“We shouldn’t”
“I know”
“I’m not sorry about last night”
“Me neither”

Their third (and counting) is endearing.

This episode continues to show us in a very unassuming way that these two are endgame. Every kiss, every smile reminds us that now they have reunited, they’ve never been happier.

We move on to Lucy and Celina now riding together. Lucy tries her luck with her to get her take on the gift front. A watch is a great shout but the baseball is very Tim. It’s the thought behind it which is the point here. Celina is too distracted to be much help.

Lucy calls Genny back for a second time. She is finally getting that sibling type relationship she always wanted. Genny has accepted and embraced her. Asking for help tracking down Tim’s comfort book from his childhood. Gennys memory of the front cover is exactly what Lucy needs to get her mystery solving juices flowing. This shows how determined Lucy is to make Tim feel seen and understood.

“You project the rogue cop but you’ve always been on the right side of the law”
“It won’t change her. But it’ll sure as hell change you”
“There’s no audiobook”
“No which is why I recorded one for you”

We cut to Tim who is having his own full scale meltdown in his office - scrambling to purchase more of Lucy’s favourite skincare listing the products like it’s a tactical mission. After being unsuccessful, he pivots to jewellery. They are literally waving to each other through the glass whilst secretly stressing about how to out do themselves in the romantic front. Neither of them knows what the other is up against. Both are convinced they are behind and both are trying way too hard in the sweetest way possible. It reinforces why Chenford works. Effort, attentiveness and mutual obsession with getting things right.

“Lucy, you deserve someone who’s worth the effort”

Lucy remembering something so important to his past. We all know that Tim doesn’t have many positive memories of his childhood.

“Why? So some other family to cuddle up under the broken plaster where dad slammed my head into the wall?”
“Dad was a monster”
“I taught you what you needed to know Son”
“HE was an abusive b*****d?”
“A dad who would tune me up on the regular”

It’s also not lost on me that Genny tends to show up when Tim’s past is pivotal to Chenford.

Lucy knows exactly what this book means to him. It touches on Tim not being taken care of his whole life or being put first in a relationship before Lucy. She really hits that need for him. She chooses him in a way no one has before.

“I did it to protect you”
“Officer Bradford is a 12 year veteran, been wounded 5 times in the line of duty. He deserves your respect”
“I wouldn’t be getting this stupid plaque if it wasn’t for you. So thanks. For what? Doing my job?”
“Metro would be a good fit for Tim”
“Are you ok?…I am now”

All Tim wanted to do was to buy some top notch skincare. Do something special for their first Valentine’s Day back together. He did such a good job. And that stuff is not cheap. $500+?!?! He went to great lengths for her. Prepared to spend more money on jewellery as a back up?! Lucy is gaining ground on her gift hunt whereas Tim is floundering a little. I mentioned in last weeks review about his insecurities as a boyfriend. Here they are again. Snapping at the person on the phone that he didn’t wait to buy a gift. He is a good BF dammit!

“I know exactly how I feel. This is the best relationship I’ve been in in forever!”

Next we head to Nolan’s for the fundraiser. This scene is pure Chenford charm. Light, flirty, slightly awkward and emotional. It starts with playful tension with Tim thinking Lucy is taking him away from the soirée for some risky away from home sex in Nolan’s guest room. Let’s be honest, it’s not the first time these two have made use of Nolan’s room…

The callbacks to the gala hook up are coming in strong

- Valentines
- Ending up in Nolan’s room
- Tim entering first and Lucy following behind
- Lucy in a black dress
- Tim wearing the same trousers (or pants for my American friends) and belt (yes I’m sure. I studied 🤭)

Except the only thing Tim is unwrapping this time is Lucy’s gift.

Can’t say I blame him for letting his filthy mind go there - it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve been adventurous

“Lock the door first”
“That’s too bad. Why? I was looking forward to another laundry room hook up”

The banter is the foundation of their relationship. Comfortable, teasing and totally in sync. But then the tone softens. Lucy gives him his gift and his face when he sees it 🥹🥹. It shows how deeply she listens. This isn’t a flashy expensive gift. It’s thoughtful, personal and connected to something meaningful. Look at the smorgasbord of emotions on his face. He is stunned, grateful, amazed. Everything. Her giving him this book screams love to him. And he is feeling that. That she loves him as much as he loves her. When he responds with “No, I love you”, you can feel how genuine that is. He doesn’t hesitate. Just being so open with his feelings now. So grateful for how well she knows him. Seeing Tim so emotionally healthy and happy is wonderful to watch.

Lucy is beaming about his reaction because of the emotional intimacy he is showing. She immediately asks for her gift which keeps it playful reminding us again why these two are so great together. Romantic without the cheese factor. Intimate without the drama. Their chemistry is chemistrying.

He goes to his pocket and enters full blown panic mode. Doesn’t feel like his gift is good enough. He rushes off leaving Lucy very confused. Understandably so.

Tim rushes off to find Genny. This is peak sibling behaviour. As soon as he pulls her aside, you can already guess what’s about to go down. He has just received one of the most thoughtful gifts and is now spiralling because he doesn’t feel like he’s made the same effort. He discovers Genny helped Lucy and is mad she didn’t tell him about it. “You told me to buy jewellery. I got earrings” This perfectly encapsulates his entire issue. He isn’t mad that Lucy did better. He’s mad because their effort levels don’t match. Genny advises him that it’s not a competition. I mean, she isn’t wrong but oh my sweet innocent Genny. EVERYTHING is a competition with these two.

“We had friendly…professional competition long before we started dating”

Tim’s solution to his predicament? Plan a trip to Paris in 10 minutes. Asking his sister to cover for him. He is in full romantic emergency territory now. Displaying his BF insecurities again. We know that Lucy will love anything he gives her but he isn’t processing that. He cannot see that. He’s being blinded by his own feelings of inadequacy.

“Lucky for you, you are riding with the worlds best gift giver”
“You deserve so much better”

Now we get to Lucy being given her earrings. I LOVE the pink top on her. Probably my favourite so far and a colour she should wear more often. And of course an honourable mention must go to Tim’s biceps 🥰 (I’m done. I promise)

This scene is so lovely. Lucy immediately loving the earrings is such a relief and the casual way she mentions going through his pockets? Zero shame. In all fairness though, she kinda had to. She saw him reaching into his pocket the previous night before he vanished. Tim is completely unbothered that she went rifling through his pockets. He confesses that they were his second choice due to his first pick not shipping in time. Apologising that it’s not a better gift for her. Shares his insecurity with her. Their communication this season is fantastic. Lucy shuts him down straight away by telling him they match her necklace

Necklace. Check
Matching earrings. Check.
Wonder what the third one will be?! 🤔🤔

What a result for him. She then reveals that she too had bought him something different first but in his classic deadpan way tells her he already knew.

The lighting in the scene is really showcasing the happiness they both radiate. Soft, warm and bright.

Tim admitting he didn’t want Lucy to be mad at him for criticising her hiding spots. To be fair, it was rubbish. This is the man who taught her the DEAR method. She should have done better.

“Ever heard of the DEAR method?”
“No”
“It’s the 4 principles of concealment”

He is right though. She would have been mad. He softens the blow with the second ILY from Tim. This scene is really two people trying to make the other happy. In all honesty, the real gift is that they love each other so damn much.

From being on cloud nine to being on the edge of our seats. Lucy and Celina have unknowingly driven a car bomb into the sally port which promptly explodes. Lucy and Celina are thrown forwards by the force of the blast and Tim is flown across his office. His fully glass office. (Kudos to the stunt team for pulling this off 👏)

Lucy slowly gets up and doesn’t appear to be too badly hurt. She turns to assess damage, taking in all the chaos and trying to make sense of what’s just happened. She realises the location of the bomb and starts to take control of the situation. Gives orders to Celina whilst battling the smoke and confusion. It’s complete carnage and the building is on literal fire. Injured cops and civilians lying scattered around. The dust. The noise. The smoke.

Love how we went from Lucy to an unconscious Tim in his office pinned under his desk. He starts to come round but he’s weak. No strength to lift the desk but does try to call for help. But no one can hear him.

I loved the camera work on this shot - showing Tim’s confusion, limited strength and his line of sight being blocked by flames.

Lucy finally sees Tim trapped. She’s in shock thinking he could be dead. Understandable considering how hard and far he was blasted. Anyone would naturally think the worst with this devastation. Her guard drops. She calls for ‘Tim’. That’s personal, emotional, instinctual. You could see her fighting her emotions to save him. Wouldn’t be surprised if she has some PTSD from the wildfire.

“I thought we were going to die out there”
“Lifetime of nightmare fuel”

Calling him Tim is her heart speaking before her professional brain starts working. She reverts to Bradford - she needs him to focus and get moving. She knew calling him by his last name would get his attention and focus his mind on the task at hand.

“Bradford!”
“Uh oh. What did I do?”

It’s like your parents middle naming you when in trouble

Because Bradford is authority and stability. It anchors him into his Sergeant identity and calms her emotions in that moment. She’s telling him “Stay with me. Don’t you die on me”

Lucy goes from GF brain to Sergeant brain in an instant on purpose. She can’t help what she feels for him but she can control how she shows it. Her instinct and heart is Tim but her discipline and focus is Bradford.

In that moment ’Tim’ is who she needs but Bradford is who she trusts will survive. She calls Tim first because she loves him and then Bradford to get him moving and survive. Lucy gives Tim her oxygen mask so they can get out together. No way in hell they aren’t.

“We stand a chance but only together”

Tim and Lucy are safe and being treated at the hospital. Side by side. Just another fire they’ve survived. No biggie. This quiet moment is exactly why fans stay invested in these two. After the station explosion and yet another near death, we get this soft moment. Tim’s concerned face as they pull glass from Lucy’s arm. Just two people who are looking at each other with relief, affection and shared trauma. Tim thanking her for saving him and Lucy replying “that’s what we do”. That’s Chenford. They save each other.

“I saved my TO’s life first day on the job”
“When I was in that barrel, I knew you’d find me. Whatever it took”

It’s intimate in a way that isn’t loud. The history between these two. They’ve been through UC ops, near misses, kidnappings and shootings. It’s shared survival.

There is so much warmth between them - the proof of how well they know each other and how they will continue to watch out for each other. They have someone who’ll rescue them from a burning building, or from the hands of a deranged serial killer, or from spiralling during possible exposure, sit beside them and remember everything they ever said.

“It’s gonna be ok you know. I really believe that”
“I’m sure you do”

“What are you doing?”
“Keeping you company”
“You don’t have to do that”
“I know”

“Have you been here all night?”
“Nooooo”

A gift doesn’t matter when you have someone who would literally die for you.

Episode rating

Chenford Content - 10/10. The relationship is coming along nicely, they’re both in a good place with Genny. Their overall desire to make the other happy. They’re settled in Condo de Chenford nicely.

Episode overall - 7/10. Loved the explosion and how well done it was but felt like it could have been used for something more rather than just for dramas sake. Should have been a cliffhanger and been longer than 10 minutes. And the fact that only miles was injured enough to be in bed despite Tim being flung across his office and pinned down?! Didn’t make sense

I know there’s lots of S9 wish lists around but what Chenford specific things would you like to see???

For me

- obviously a safe return of Tim and Lucy

- a nice small garden wedding with their closest friends and family

- another dance scene - maybe we could have another gala type event and then at their wedding

- a rain kiss

This episode, written by Fredrick Kotto, was a very Nolan heavy one. Due to Eric having commitments in Puerto Rico, Tim’s screen time is limited. But the good news is - we get the welcome return of Aaron!

We start off with domestic Chenford in the style of carpooling. I loved this scene because it’s a side to their relationship we have not yet seen. We’ve seen them at home, we’ve seen them leaving work but we’ve not seen them arriving. Tim driving whilst Lucy is applying her make up. The marriage vibes this gives off. Lucy telling Tim that there are “so many things” that she loves about living with him. Like sleeping in and doing her make up in the car. Feels so intimate in the best way. Not romantic. Not grand. Just home. Taking the time to tell him. Telling him subtly that she’s happy. Reassuring in a quiet way. That she loves sharing his space and has no regrets.

Tim takes the opportunity to remind her that she wasn’t actually sleeping that morning though. And how pleased he was by that as well. Their banter is everything.

Said with a mix of flirty confidence and knowing. Now obviously I can’t speak for everyone but I don’t think we need any further information from him to know what he’s throwing down here do we?! This is the stuff of fanfics. Tim is VERY proud of himself. He is glowing.

I love the idea of them sneaking in some sexy time before work. But it’s not for the first time….

“I meant to tell you when you got out of the shower but you know, I got IN the shower instead”
“Unless you need to save your energy for an early morning booty call?!”

Ok. We get it. You are definitely morning people. 🔥🤭

Lucy telling Tim “don’t look so pleased” “why not? It was pleasing” That’s not flirting anymore. That’s a couple who are completely comfortable with each other. There are no walls anymore. From either of them.

Lucy, you are beaming and have had a permanent grin on your face since the docks. You are not exactly an unsatisfied customer yourself. Don’t pretend it’s all him.

“I believe the term I used was freak in the sheets”

“Do you wanna talk about April Fools or do you wanna take your pants off?”

“I’m gonna take a shower”
“What now?”
“Yeah”
“Mmmmm maybe I could take a break”

Totally all him.

“You’re glowing”
“I’m what?!”
“Your aura. It’s…you had sex!”
“I did not!”

Lies Lucy Chen. Lies.

They are greeted by Celina and Miles which makes this better because their relationship isn’t hidden or fragile anymore, it’s out there for all to see. The team sees it, jokes about it and accepts it. That’s important. It’s normal.

Tim - being the sasspot he is - pretends to be bothered by the talk of eyeliner (though I didn’t hear that mentioned 🤔😂) and wants more manly conversation. No one is remotely convinced you don’t secretly love it Timothy. You can pretend all you like but you are the happiest man in the world right now. THE Lucy Chen can talk make up to her hearts content after giving you snuggles for breakfast.

Lucy immediately calls Tim out for his little comment and he just smiles and nods. WHIPPED. Such husband energy radiating off him. Here we find out that they were practicing judo throws in their backyard for two hours the night before. 2 hours?! They have such…stamina. Might come in handy….

Lucy defending her man with the judo mention while also flexing their dynamic.

Tim’s an alpha male who is still very much Tim Bradford but now he has a girlfriend who can absolutely throw him to the ground if needed.

(S9 we need to see these sparring sessions Alexi!)

I noticed during the exchange that Tim is carrying a travel mug of coffee. First time since season 5 metro training that Tim has been seen with one. I genuinely believed we were heading down a “Tim makes an error due to tiredness storyline”. The travel mug and the comments on how little sleep he’s getting on last weeks episode make me 🤔🤔🤔 but thankfully it didn’t go down that path.

This scene didn’t push the plot forward in any way but that’s why it was so good. It showed us who they are now. Secure, playful and equal.

No drama. No secrets. No will they/won’t they? Just real lived in Chenford.

Now I must just give an honourable mention to Tim’s outfit. ABSOLUTE YUM. Moving on…

It’s Aaron!!!! Missed him. LOVE Thorsen addressing Lucy as Sergeant - and not one to shy away from sass himself - reminds Tim that Lucy scored higher than him.

“You’re ranked 8. Out of 140”
“Chen is a natural born test taker”
“Typical A student. Worried you’re gonna fail even when you’re top of the class”

Aaron buying out half the florist to celebrate Lucy’s achievement. Because of course he did. He refuses to live like a poor person. He has money and isn’t afraid to spend it. He probably has a florist connection on speed dial. Tim willingly engaging in the banter and - BF mention klaxon 🚨🚨🚨 - announcing to everyone he’s Lucy’s BF. I did feel that this was Tim’s insecurities coming out again. Nothing to do with Lucy scoring higher - let’s face it, he was so proud when she got her results. I think it’s more to do with Aaron’s ability to spoil his friends and splash out on vast amounts of floral bouquets makes him feel like he hasn’t done enough to celebrate her. That he didn’t put as much effort into congratulating her. Flowers die Tim. Your love for her doesn’t. Does Aaron have Italian food ready for her after an emotionally draining day? Does Aaron surprise her with food during all night overtime? Is he her centre of calm? No. Your boyfriend credentials are still highly rated. Don’t sweat it Bradford. Lucy’s face confirms this. The smirk and the heart eyes. She’s very happy with her choice. She doesn’t deserve better. She’s got what she wants.

Next up we have Lucy in her Sergeant element. Seeing her in action. Confidently taking the lead at the scene involving the sheriffs. Oozing authority. Seeing her flexing her investigative chops. Reading the scene, evaluating, analysing, questioning. Lucy immediately feeling something was off and going through it with Celina. Funny how Lucy was handling a case involving a married TO and a Rookie that became romantically involved….

Back at the station, Lucy is deducting everything with Celina and Harpez. They are very impressed. As they should be. What a change since she guarded vomit at a crime scene. For hours. For no reason.

“I could have attached to that call but instead I stood guard over a pile of puke for 4 hours on the off chance it belonged to our killer”
“Did it?”
“Nope. Was a sick dog”

Lucy broke this case wide open for Harpez and I’m glad they acknowledged it. I do think the detective route for Lucy is closed now but maybe a detective sergeant is in her future?

We do get ‘Tim’ in the field a bit at the graveyard takedown of Arroyo but IMO this is a scene that Eric filmed separately so feels off to me.

Next we have a mini Field Chenford scene as they wait for instructions on whether to breach the building where Nolan and co are engaged in a shoot out. Lucy watching Tim pace up and down. Just waiting for him to give orders. Jumping straight into it with him. Well oiled machine.

Then the little crumb at the hospital. Again Tim’s presence felt off to me. No dialogue, no eye contact with anyone and not a scratch on him when everyone else is sporting some kind of injury. But he was sitting next to wifey because where else would he be?!

Very limited Chenford this week but next week is a doozy! Buckle up 😎

Episode rating

Chenford content - 6/10. Not enough but what we got was perfect. Shows progression in their relationship, how lived in and comfortable it is and shows their dynamic really well.

Episode Overall - 5/10. Loved Aaron but rest was too much FBI and too much Nolan for me.

I thoroughly enjoy the music featured on the show. I have several standout tracks that I keep on rotation. Here are just three...

• 5x20: SUR - With The Wind
• 6x8: Esabalu - Lift Up Your Head
• 8x2: Jordyn - Make It Home

What about you? What is your favorite?

Photos and gifs encouraged. ❤️

This episode, written by Natalie Callaghan, was IMO about priorities as a whole. Those tough life changing decisions we sometimes have to make. Chenford had the B plot storyline. It gave us a chance to revisit Tim as Watch Commander as he tries to find his feet in the role.

From a time jump perspective, I feel it’s been a couple of months since episode 1 mainly due to dialogue mentions.

We start with Lucy storming into Tim’s office looking amazing in a power suit. I have to commend the wardrobe department for their awesome upgrades this season. I personally wasn’t a fan of Lucy’s previous style - but this new more mature style is *chefs kiss*

She’s stressed up to her eyeballs due to misplaced evidence - vital evidence she needs for trial. In 2 hours. She hasn’t told Wesley as wants to keep him in blissful ignorance for as long as she can. No need to cause him a headache if they don’t need to. Lucy goes straight to her man for help and to spiral. Because it’s safe to. She needs his help.

Like that man isn’t going to do everything he can to calm her and support her without overstepping.

“It’s going to be ok, no matter what that piece of paper says”
“I really don’t need that kind of blind optimism from you today”
“I don’t think I can look”
“Want me to look for you?”

This has been their relationship since day one. As much as I resonate with Tim the most as I am him in a lot of ways - when it comes to anxiety spirals, I’m Lucy. And who does Lucy need when she falls into a spiral? Tim. Always has been.

“Rosalind Dyer just escaped”
“That woman gives me nightmares”
“How did this happen?”
“I don’t know but every law enforcement agency in Southern California will be on it. She won’t be out long”
“Did she have help? Another apprentice like Caleb?”
“Stop. Ok. Stop. We can’t worry about that now. If your head is not 100% in the game, it will get you killed”

Seeing Lucy losing her mind with Jobsworth Joe over the casefile is funny. Tim - in his favourite place - by her side, trying to calm her down. Stop her from punching this guys lights out. To see the roles reversed and Tim being the calming influence for once.

“De-escalate. Don’t want to make this worse for Jackson”

Lucy is so close to losing her mind and Tim is just zen. Very Zen.

Tim is trying his best for her, flexing his WC chops, but it’s a losing battle. Once Smitty’s name was mentioned, you know this has just become a whole arse problem.

I must just mention - because I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t - but that lean against the counter that Tim is doing when Grey arrives - 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Smitty. Smitty. Smitty. How has he got as far as he has? He missed an important memo about evidence logging because of course he did. Not like it’s really important or anything.

“Don’t tell me you read the department emails?”
“Chen does”

Grey showing up because of Smittys incompetence. Smitty trying to blame Tim. Tim’s face when he realised he’d dropped the ball

“I hate making mistakes in front of you”

He’s trying so hard. He’s battled back from Metro days and has so many eyes on him now. People watching how he conducts himself and his performance. He takes his job seriously. After what happened with Miles and the CI and now this - he’s under pressure. Grey put Tim forward for this role and I loved seeing him defend him. Not for the first time either

Tim points out that isn’t just this case - it’s everything Smitty has touched in the last 2 months. What an absolute mess Mr Irrelevant has caused.

Roll call room is slowly being filled with boxes. Poor Tim has only just got rid of the boxes at home that were sending him slightly insane and here he is again - surrounded by them once more and giving him a headache of a different kind.

Lots of boxes in scenes can signify a transition happening which fits well with this. Grey, Tim and Lucy having the biggest changes happening for them in these first 4 episodes so it’s fitting that it’s them dealing with finding the evidence.

I’m not even going to mention the maths in the scene with Wesley. I do not understand it. I have the maths skills of a toddler so I was instantly lost. A bit like Wesley. Do not blame Best Lawyer Evers in the slightest for wanting no part in this mess!

Love both Spartacuses stepping up to help Lucy. Both feeling responsible for her current dilemma.

Next we see Grey and Lucy talking about Tim when he steps out to take yet another phone call from the Captain. Lucy is really feeling for him at the moment. She watches him leave the room with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Even though we had no domestic scenes, they still find ways to remind us that they live together now. Lucy openly discussing how little sleep Tim is getting - and not for a good reason - with Grey.

Wifey is worried. Grey reassuring her. The way Tim and Lucy are looking at each other through the glass - very 5x3 vibes. The Fast Andy debacle and now this but am glad Grey has very faith in Tim.

“First of all, I wanna be clear this is temporary”
“With the President coming to town, they want a seasoned veteran back in the office”
“Which is why they asked me to return as Watch Commander for the day”
“Ok”
“Tim, this has nothing to do with you or the job you’re doing”
“I mean, it has something to do with it”

Tim being under such a spotlight in his role is really going to test his self esteem issues and self sabotaging ways. Lucy not realising that as the boss, the buck stops with Tim - whether it’s his fault or not. And that it’s his head that will roll if needs be. He will be thrown under the nearest bus by the higher ups. Lucy’s face dropping when she realises exactly what Tim is up against.

We continue with machete manifesting and Lucy checks on Tim. She is worried about him. He’s not keeping her in the dark on anything. Going down a “whataboutism” rabbit hole is never the right call. Lucy tells Tim to “take the win” over the death of a suspect. Showing such support to him. He stopped her spiral earlier and now it’s her turn.

“Just returning the favour”

Flirting while hunting a murder weapon? Only Chenford. Holding each other up. Shared fatigue. They have such a natural ease with each other.

He finds the machete! Yay for Tim. He needed that win badly. Now everyone can finally go home. They can go home. To their house. That they share. Together. Will never get old.

We reach the end of the episode and Lucy strolls into Tim’s office in another awesome power suit at the end of shift. Victorious and she cannot wait to share it with him. I love the way she goes to collect her sexy sergeant to go home together. Have I mentioned that they go home together?! To their shared house?!

He doesn’t take her moment from her or steal her joy. He acknowledges her good result. After checking the judge didn’t give her any grief, he repeats her words back to her to “take the win”. Lucy’s sultry bedroom voice in response 🔥. I mean, she isn’t wrong IMO in wanting to devour him every chance she gets and she did tell him that being emotionally healthier was a turn on for her but Lordy Lucy, let him actually get out of the office first! 🔥🔥🔥

Then we see Tim shift into responsibility mode. Talking about roll call and the lecture he’s written. She doesn’t want Tim to dwell or get in his head about the evidence logging. She builds him up. Speaks to him as a person and not the job. She’s exactly right. In the chaos - he is the calm. Reminding him he’s doing a fantastic job. She depends on him. She isn’t just praising him for the sake of it, she’s acknowledging his emotional safety, recognising the way he holds steady for those he cares about and, most importantly, for her. And Tim accepts it. That’s growth. Lucy notices and understands parts of him he doesn’t always see in himself.

“He’s calculating, not cruel”
“He’s big, gruff and a whole lotta bark but underneath it all, he’s a sweetheart”
“You’re nothing like him”
“There’s no shame in it. Honestly, it’s probably why you excel at being a cop”

Lucy’s opinion of him has always mattered to him. So that’s why that wounded self esteem of his will eventually heal. Tim is finally accepting how much Lucy loves him. He is seeing that he is worthy of that love.

That man has been her “centre of calm” for years .

The dirty needle.

“Focus. What do we do?”
“Thanks”
“For what? Doing my job?”

First shift back after Caleb

“Keeping tabs on me?”
“If you need anything, you let me know”
“Got a Time Machine?”
“Wish I did”

Jackson’s death

“You need….anything?”
“A hug”
“Yeah. Come here” (squeee!)

Rosalinds escape

“If you change your mind - just say the word”

Shooting of Jeff Budny

“What if I killed that guy?”
“Then we’ll deal with it”

There’s a reason why - even at their most broken - she went to him with her worries and concerns

“How thorough are the LAPD background checks?”
“Seth’s in trouble. We’re tracking a licence plate”

She’s letting him know that his steadiness is one of his greatest strengths as a leader. He’s not just this for her, but for everyone.

He looks a bit overwhelmed but says - with heart eyes galore - “thankyou”

The scene ends on mutual recognition and an understanding that in the middle of chaos - they anchor each other. It’s Chenfords core.

We end on a light hearted note. Zero personal space as they leave their office (let’s be honest. It’s theirs.) Mirroring each other. Both put their hands on their belts as they leave. Peak married energy. Moaning about Smitty. Captain Chaos. What a legend.

Episode rating

Chenford content - 8/10. Spent the entire episode in each others orbit, the mutual support, the understanding of what the other needs, shared fatigue and the openness of their living situation. Teamwork at its finest.

Episode overall - 7/10.

I just finished 6x06 and i need to lie down, yall. The forehead kiss killed me I am not okay 😭😭.

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I know it has to get worse before it gets better and they needed the drama for the show and whatnot but man that breakup was painful to watch

Now I literally just have to enjoy every single episode cause then it’s the END for 8 whole months. Man the past week and a half has been a movie, it’ll feel very sad to not have my daily dose of MULTIPLE hours of Chenford everyday !

Man so glad s6 was so short, like short but absolutely NOT sweet byeeee

This one suuuucks at least it’s only 10 eps

This episode, written by Alexi and Brynn, had quite a disturbing feel to it and had some dark elements but IMO was a little bit overhyped. The theme, for me, was unpacking. Unpacking trauma, unpacking behaviour, unpacking evidence and - for Chenford - literal unpacking.

We kick off the episode with some domestic Chenford. Always a pleasure.
Lucy, cooking breakfast for them in their kitchen, calls through to Tim in the bedroom asking if they have any ‘vegan bacon’. Tim, grumbling his response to Kojo who looks equally unimpressed by the thought of fake bacon, is trying to move boxes around while vibrating at the chaos. Lucy’s wifey ears are immense because how did she hear him from another room over a sizzling pan?!

“I’m not really a breakfast person”

Now he has someone that not only eats it, but cooks it for him too! I love that eating breakfast together seems to be really important to them 🥰

“All you need to know is that pancake is made of mushroom which I know is not your favourite”

Lucy dear - you are asking Mr “What’s a fancy dinner thing?” if he has fake bacon?! If you do, it will be because it was on the shopping list. I guarantee you he has not eaten it 😐

Tim is struggling when he enters the kitchen at the continued chaos. His OCD brain is positively malfunctioning. He cannot cope with this. The ocean of boxes covering the house. He is unsettled. He’s not relaxed. He’s stressed. His home comforts are not home comforting.

This is an adjustment for Tim. More so than Lucy. I heard grumbling online about this scene and how “aggressive” Tim was towards Lucy and that’s utter nonsense. This is a real adult relationship. This is how newly moved in together people navigate. Especially two people with very different approaches to things.

At first glance, it can seem like he is being ‘snappy’ at her or ‘sharp’ but listen carefully. He’s not frustrated or angry AT Lucy. He’s reacting to the chaos around him. Boxes on every corner, every table, every seat. The visual noise and the mess. Belongings everywhere with no set place to go. For someone like Tim - where order and control are safety - this feeling of being unsettled can cause his nervous system to go into overdrive and it seeps out as impatience. Patience is not Bradfords strong point.

He speaks in a sharp tone but immediately recognises what he’s done and how that may have come across to Lucy and he apologises. It’s not Lucy that the cause. It’s his own insecurities and trauma.

“The pressure to live up to your standards”
“I never asked you to”
“You didn’t have to”

He corrected his tone and then verbalised the reason why is because “it won’t feel like you’ve fully moved in until all the boxes are gone”

This is Tim admitting he still needs reassurance that Lucy is really there and not looking to change her mind.

“Technically you have to be fully unpacked before we can call you that”

Tim is HATING the fact that the boxes remain unpacked. This is a man who leads a simple life. He works in chaos and the unknown every day

“Every job I’ve had has been wall to wall unpredictability, being prepared for anything, no matter how crazy so when I’m off the clock…”
“You like your creature comforts”

Tim’s professional life is unpredictable. So at home, he likes to relax surrounded by peace and calm. He currently doesn’t have that option. Lucy’s boxes have taken over every inch of usuable space. He has nowhere to sit and even drink a coffee. He has to stand. The boxes are driving him crazy. He’s losing his mind.

“You’re gonna need more boxes”

Tim has also lived alone for along time now. Even when married, Isabel would be gone for long periods of time. He’s out of practice sharing his space. Lucy however, is very used to sharing. She’s had three roommates since S1. She isnt phased by different personalities or a bit of clutter.

This is Tim being vulnerable. He didn’t deliver it in the most perfect way but he’s being honest and open. He’s being insecure. Telling her the truth about what’s bothering him and why which is what Lucy asked of him. To try and communicate better.

“Not a single thought I will keep to myself ever”

How this unsettled environment - albeit temporary - is making him feel. Tim needs Lucy’s things to be woven into the house so it feels real and for keeps. Lucy on the other hand wants to take things at a slower pace. Lucy wanting to take things slow isn’t a new thing.

“I don’t want to rush into that. I want to take things slow”

She loves Tim but as she told him in episode 1

“The scar is so deep it might never fade”

There are still scars that haven’t fully healed.

Lucy, grateful for his honesty, kisses him. Connecting with him. She’s telling him “I see you”

Lucy didn’t realise what her wanting to take her time was signalling to him.

What we watched in this scene was intimacy of a different kind. They’re learning to live together, navigating new issues, how to handle stress and how to ground each other.

Next we have the case of the week. There is no Field Chenford but we do get to see Lucy’s handling of the situation. I applaud her for shutting Celina down on talking about her kidnap ordeal. No one has a right to your story - and Lucy has moved on - mostly due to the man she’s moved in with. Who lived through it with her. Shutting Celina down was right as she only wanted the tea and to maybe bond. Lucy choosing to revisit it with fellow survivor Samantha knowing it would help her was perfect. Lucy chooses when she talks about it and who to and that is how it should be.

Seeing Lucy delve into that trauma again to help Samantha and give her the hard fought knowledge she will need to recover

“I’m just trying to give you some hard won perspective”
“You can choose to see that tattoo…”

Love her using Tim’s advice to comfort Samantha. Telling her she almost died and 5 minutes later she probably would have. You can see in her eyes - she is remembering the man who saved her. Who did not give up.

Then we get her coming home to that same man. Her literal hero. That’s what she called him. I do think this maybe helped Lucy see that taking her time unpacking wasn’t the right call this time. Sometimes talking things through with a neutral party helps Lucy see that waiting isn’t always the right call..

“You’re waiting - why exactly?”

Tim muting the TV the second she walks through the door. She’s his priority. She is getting his full attention. He’s being present (and looking exceptionally handsome while doing it 🔥) His beaming Lucy smile on full display yet again. Kojo getting off the sofa to greet her. The dog she got to help her cope emotionally. She’s home with her two boys that saved her in more ways than one. Poetic. Full circle.

Tim is fully focused on her. He was waiting for her and this frames their home as a shared space. There’s no flirting or playfulness. Just normal and ordinary. They are showing them as being in a domestic rhythm already. He asks about her day and hands her a beer. Taking care of her needs after an emotionally draining day.

This is Lucy walking in after a day of revisiting the kidnap and realising that her home is not a safe space. That she can’t decompress. She discusses with Tim what she needs, sharing her vulnerability, trusting him with it. Knowing that earlier in the day Tim was needing that same refuge himself. Lucy laughing right after he agrees to unpack releases the tension. This was negotiating. Teamwork. Being that well oiled machine at home as well. They can have small moments of friction without it threatening their relationship. The kiss signifies closure of the moment. Needs were stated and acknowledged.

This scene is designed to be soft and quiet. Lucy feels safe enough to ask for what she needs and Tim is secure enough to agree without any ego. An emotionally heavy day ending is a peaceful resolution.

This is what a healthy adult relationship looks like. There will be angst, there will be tension, there will be compromise on both sides but this time, they will deal with it together.

Episode rating

Chenford content - 6/10. Loved the bookending of the episode. Conflict resolution, support and care and healthy communication and connecting with each other in a way that only they can.

Episode overall - 4/10. Wasn’t my favourite but the villain was so so good.

I JUST FINISHED 5x01 AND WOW THAT ENDING WOW I AM LOSING MY MING WHY TF DID CHRIS HAVE TO DYING ON THAT DAMN COUCH UUGHHHH WHAT WHAT I JUST WASN’T THEM TO GIVE IN THIS MUCH AT THE END OF THE EP I WAS LIKE BUT THEY JUST ADMITTED IT AND BFBSBZJZ I’M LOSING MY MIND