What’s next after Rookie Blue finale bombs?
There was more than enough beat-boxing to go around on Wednesday night’s Rookie Blue finale, but we’re feeling a little bit like it was our hearts that were in a brawl after those cliffhanger endings. Holly’s taking a job in San Francisco? Dov can’t forgive Chloe? Marlo is pregnant?! It was so much to handle that we knew we had to turn to Rookie Blue showrunner Tassie Cameron for answers. Here she explains ultrasounds, the lack of Golly time in Season 5, Nick’s new romance and more. Bombs away!
The TV Junkies: We need to start with the biggest bomb of all–Marlo’s ultrasound picture. Are we to assume that is Sam’s baby, and what kind of timeline are we looking at here? It seemed a little sudden.
Tassie Cameron: Yes (you are). We tracked it all out and I think it works, I hope it works. The idea is that Marlo is about four months pregnant. Because we did a direct pickup in Season 5 from the events of Season 4, we came in with Sam in the hospital, it was the next day. We didn’t skip ahead any months. So we the events leading up to Episode 11 span about three or four months.
TTJ: Does that mean Marlo is back full-time in what we’re now calling Season 6?
TC: She is in and out of Season 6. She’s not in every episode, but she’s definitely in the first episode back and and I’m writing an episode with her in it right now. So she’s in and out.
TTJ: After Dov’s spiel about honesty to Chloe, is he going to have a hard time keeping that secret?
TC: Yeah, that was part of the reason we put them together, but it also seemed it seemed like Dov would be a natural person to be working in intelligence with Marlo. I mean he’s an intelligent guy and we’ve always sort of thought that Dov might start to lean towards that kind of work. So it was a nice way to have a professional partnership with somebody in that kind of police work and that carries into Season 6 as well. But it was also nice to see somebody who’s all about honesty right now with this secret.
TTJ: Should we be reading anything into the fact that it was Marlo who suggested Andy go into the room with the computer bomb?
TC: I think people will always read stuff into everything Marlo does, that poor woman. This computer and the evidence room bombing, as well as the death of Ted McDonald are kind of the arcs of Season 6. The mystery of what happened there that day will carry forward in Season 6. So we’ve laid some clues into this episode that will play out I hope in a surprising and entertaining way in Season 6.
TTJ: Does that mean maybe there’s hope for Dov and Chloe after all?
TC: That’s one you’re going to have to wait and see. That’s too … it’s too tricky to try and explain without giving it all away.
TTJ: Chloe and Nick definitely grew closer this season, and the actors certainly had chemistry. But was that meant to be more of a brother-sister relationship?
TC: Yes, it was supposed to be more of a brother, sister type thing. She’s such a fun character to write for that everything that comes out of her mouth sounds flirtatious. We liked the chemistry of Chloe and Nick as two cool, single people who get along as great friends, but not necessarily exploring that in a more romantic way.
TTJ: Is it safe to assume we’ll see more of Nick’s new love interest in Season 6 then?
TC: Erin Karpluk is back in Season 6, yes. She’ll return in what I hope is kind of a cool way. There’s just such a refreshing breath of fresh air about Juliette that is so straightforward to Nick. After all the drama of Andy and Gail I think he’s drawn to her. Of course whether she is straightforward remains to be seen.
TTJ: Is the door closed on Nick and Andy at this point?
TC: Yes … I mean, the door is never closed with these characters. If the show went on longer, it’s difficult for me to say. You’ve got these characters and the dynamics that have been built up over seasons and could they be friends. They could develop a different kind of relationship, or even one that resembles what they were like at first, sure.
TC: Yes. We imagine that Chris went to a kind of 21 day facility. So he was out of the show for I think an episode, but I think we timed it out that he was gone for 21 days and that made sense in terms of the timeline of the season.
TC: [Laughs] Travis knows we adore him and we don’t want to get rid of him. I think in some ways when actors get an episode off they’re quite relieved. It’s such a long season and you know poor Missy (Peregrym). I think she would probably have killed for an episode off. It’s a lot of characters to juggle and sometimes it is a relief to kind of take a character out of an episode or to kind of only have them in a scene or two because we really are juggling so many people.
TC: It’s a good question. I mean, he has a kind of very interesting new love interest in Season 6. Um … but I wouldn’t say he chose well. I think we’ve always imagined with him as one of those guys that … if you were to see him as a training officer in five or six years he would be the Sam Swarek of 15 Division and he’d be starting out with some fresh-faced young rookie saying, ‘You’re not my type.’ I think it’s there’s lots of people who are going to have happy endings in their loves stories I think and I have high hopes for Chris Diaz but we kind of went in a slightly more dangerous direction for Season 6.
TC: I think we’re still interested in exploring the personality of an addict, but in terms of the actual drug use itself, that is played out. We did it and we did it quite intensely. In Season 3 I think it was, in a very minor storyline Chris admitted to using cocaine in high school and having a problem with it. So we’ve kind of had this in mind for him for a long time. But I feel like we did it and we devoted two or three a stories to it this season. I’m kind of feel excited that he got through it and that now we’re exploring different aspects of his personality as a kind of addictive personality. But it won’t be with the drugs.
TC: I’ve been just blown away by it actually. I mean, we love Holly and we love Holly and Gail and I think we’re all very proud of that relationship. We did it, we wanted to do it carefully and well and I think we managed to show two people falling in love with each other without making it all about the politics of it. And we also decided that when Gail made this change in her life that she wasn’t going back from it. But yeah, I’ve been really surprised by the outpouring of affection and outrage and devotion to the Golly storyline, you know?
TC: Aliyah (O’Brien), who plays Holly, doesn’t live in Toronto (Ed note: she lives in L.A. and Vancouver). It’s been very difficult to get her back and forth. Some of our decisions are purely logistical to be honest and so it hasn’t been that we’ve been trying to deny people their time with Gail and Holly, part of it has been the logistics of the casting. We’re juggling four trillion cast members, regular cast members already … so part of it has been driven by that. So we’re still trying to figure out how to manage that as we wind up Season 6.
TC: You have not seen the last of Steve Peck. He’s a very persistent fellow and he and Traci have been taking it slow and they have their problems in Season 5 for sure but you haven’t seen then last of him. And no, you weren’t reading too much into that. We were trying to show that there are lots of options for Traci, you know, should she decide that Steve Peck’s too much trouble.
TC: Yup. He has kind of been in and out of our show since he difused the bomb that Andy was holding in her hand I think at the end of Season 3. He’s a great guy, a great character, and recurs professionally in most of our seasons now.
TC: We’re talking about doing a court scene for one of these next episodes, but not in terms of a custody battle. I think we’ve kind of wrapped that up, I feel like Traci has enough on her ex now to not have to fight him on that custody thing. So whether we agree with Steve’s methods, they were pretty effective to get the ex to back off.
TC: I can’t help but like the guy, even after everything that happened. We’re working on storylines right now where I think you will find him … he is who he is, we’re not changing who he is, and you may find that irritating, you may find it annoying, you may find it entertaining or hilarious or who knows what you find it, but he doesn’t change. But I think this is a very, very green kid who starts to fall under the spell of what being a good cop looks like and what being a kind of strong peer to these character would look like, and why that would be worthwhile, so …
TC: Noelle returns in Season 6 for a few episodes with an interesting little arc. Frank … I’m not sure if we’re going to see him in our finale or not yet, but Lyriq Bent been very busy (filming CBC’s Book of Negroes). I’d love to see him back but I don’t know whether he’ll have time for us. As for Eric Johnson … poor guy got one of the starring roles in Steven Soderbergh’s new series (The Knick).
TC: [Laughs] Yes. Yep … It really goes to shit for poor old Oliver. So we’re working on that stuff right now. I think that character romanticizes being on the streets and it’s been interesting watching him adjust. Both the character and the actor (Matt Gordon) are adjusting to the new role. But as our rookies grow and take on new responsibilities and become training officers and detectives, it’s important that their mentors kind of grow too. If he’s just their equal, I think we did a whole season of that, of them riding around with him. This is a new dynamic, having him be in charge of them again and kind of struggling with what that means. I’ve really enjoyed writing that stuff for him.
TC: That was the brilliance of the writer, Sherry White, who is just one of the most surprising and entertaining, charming writers I’ve ever worked with. Her son, who’s also in the finale–he’s the councilman’s son with the knapsack and the bomb in the pool–anyway, that’s Sherry’s son and he’s an amazing beat boxer. So I think it was just on her mind because her son does it. I think that often the parents in the writing room take stuff that they’re … it’s just inevitable, you take stuff that’s on your mind from your own kids and bring it into the storylines to make the storylines about parents feel authentic.
TTJ: One last ask before we let you go: Tease Season 6 for us?
TC: These are the questions that always get me into trouble! I think people are going to see some of the things … they’ve wanted to see since they’ve first seen Sam and Andy together.
Rookie Blue returns in 2015. Thoughts? Reactions? Comments? The floor is yours, below.
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About The Author
Amber Dowling
Amber Dowling is a bonafide TV Junkie, critic and freelance writer who watches countless shows and lives for dramatic (fictional!) twists. She currently serves as the vice-president of the Television Critics Association and has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows across North America. An advocate for Canadian Television and a lover of the medium in general, Amber founded TheTVJunkies.com as a spot for fellow enthusiasts to connect and collaborate. She previously spent almost eight years as the EIC for TV Guide Canada.
That kind of seals it, can’t believe they would do that, I don’t care how much drams they want, just too far, with Sam and Andy.
Goodbye show. You finally went too far. I’m done now. I will not watch a show where Sam has a baby with that woman. You destroyed everything good about it. Done.
I’ve watched since the very first episode and I’m done. If I wanted to watch a soap opera I would. It already strained credulity to have Marlo back with no consequences for her actions that led to death and serious injury, but to distort timelines and realities even more to come up with a plot than seems like it should be in the telenovelas. No thanks.
Oh would you three shut up and enjoy where the show will go. Nothing is ever as it seems with Rookie Blue! Real fans would know that!
I’m with you! Every season certain fans try the I’M DONE and they always come back. I love this show bring on season 6! I bet it’s not even Marlos sonogram, Tassie didn’t confirm it was just that they’d like us to believe that.
I just can’t believe that the sonogram is Marlo’s. I just watched S5E11-Everlasting and pushed the pause button when Dov was looking at the sonogram from the desk Marlo was working from. What I saw was, no name of the patient BUT the date was 15-10-2002.
Timeline has always been OFF in my view so maybe the “D” ‘s desk may be Tracey’s and it’s hers that she saved from Leo. Not sure how old he’s supposed to be in 2014.
Bring on the next season! can’t wait!
Like the first three posters, I’m not interested in seeing where the show goes at this point. I feel like Tassie has just given a giant middle finger to fans that have loyally supported the show. Even if it doesn’t play out as Marlo being pregnant with Sam’s love child, this is just too much like a daytime soap opera. If I was interested in that I would have been watching Days of Our Lives for the last 5 years rather than Rookie Blue. Like many others, I’m done with it now.
You’ve officially lost me Rookie a Blue. And I hope you lose a lot more. You don’t deserve to be on the air. Marlo is by far the worst thing to happen to this show. And now pulling this? This is not how you treat fans. Absolutely horrible. How do these writers still have jobs? All creativity is lost. They turned into a soap opera. And not a well written one.
Great questions! Thanks for the interview. I wasn’t crazy about this season, nor was I crazy about what they did with Traci, Dov, Nick or Gail, but I hope that next half will change things around a bit. However, I liked the introduction of Duncan and I hope that if they keep him around, that he shows some character development.
I might be in the minority at this site, but I really enjoyed the Andy/Nick together. They just seemed so well-suited foreach other, and I liked the way Nick treated Andy. However, while I was definitely bummed that it ended, I certainly didn’t threaten to stop watching the show because of it. There are so many other characters with so many different stories, that one good or bad relationship shouldn’t make or break the show. I think it’s ridiculous to be so invested in a couple to the extent that it becomes the only reason to watch a show, And I wish the fans would stop throwing a tantrum every time there’s an episode that hints at turbulence in the Sam and Andy relationship. The show isn’t just about Andy’s love life.
Maybe we wouldn’t be as upset if the show stopped doing forced and unrealistic drama. Does Tassie even realize her timeline doesn’t fit. There are so many continuity errors it’s not even funny. The originality is all gone. I’m all for Sam and Andy drama. I want it. But when it’s forced and a bunch if BS, I draw the line. And that’s exactly what this is. Give me a plausible story. Don’t force feed me something that’s completely void of reality. Let’s not even start on how the heck Marlo is back to work. That’s the biggest blunder of them all.
I agree with you Fran. Here in Brazil I’m also minority loved Nick and Andy together. At the end of the season that song he died crying for pity, but also did not fail to follow the season.
I hope the Ultrasound is Chloe not Marlos
I agree the fact Marlo is back is not realistic at all.
How Ted got that razor will be very interesting it looks like the commissioner is dirty
I love the show, and yes the Marlo thing was a big shocker, but who knows where this will go. The only thing that super sucks it that there is only 11 episodes.
What about Marlo’s baby and Andy and Sam I think they should her married
I am thinking Duncan was abused as a kid by his stepfather.
i´m in shock, as McSwarek fan can´t believe the situation. After 5 seasons I´m done !!
I agree with you. It’s not all about Andy,there are so many other characters in the show and they have interesting stories. I cannot stop watching the show because of Marlo or any other character but I have to admit I love Sam and Andy and I didn’t like her with Nick. Love the show
I agree with you. Marlo must be the most disliked character of the show. I can’t believe she still has a job and she must know that Sam’s heart is with McNally. Never her!
I’m so shocked by the last scene between dov & Marlo and disappointed with the writers who chose to leave the viewers with such a cliffhanger which RB endings are famous for!
If Marlo is indeed pregnant, the time line is way off,no baby bump and she’s being deceitful and selfish. Sam loves Andy as shown once again in the final episode. Sam feared the worst when he saw the destruction from the bomb blast and didn’t hesitate to find the woman he’s loved for 5 yes. He would sacrifice his life for her. His emotional effort to find her and deny that he was not crying– I got smoke in my eye! The bedroom scene with Sam comforting and caring for Andy, being so gentle and loving. Andy saw how much he loves her and kept her eyes closed during the soft kisses to her face.
Marlo may have planted the bomb in the evidence room, maybe inspector Jarvis headed to the interrogation room after Sam left Ted alone! Perhaps commissioner Santana assisted with the suicide death to cover up the dirty cop &justice system.
What an assinine storyline if Marlo is pregnant with SAMs baby. I will vomit and most likely stop watching. I am not going to watch that crap. I have watched rookie blue since day 1. I am going to be positive and believe that the baby is not his. Tassie said we are to assume. Sam will never love Marlo. He belongs with andy.
The worst character/actor brought into the show has been Duncan. Typically I lose interest in any show past season 2, but Rookie Blue held me captive, until Duncan came along. Any scene he’s in makes me leave and clean the toilet. I was hoping he’d get blown up and never return. Guess it won’t matter anyway, the show won’t be returning after season 6.
I am rlly looking fwd to Season6 (though sad the series is over)… Let’s give the writers the benefit of doubt; love McSwarek to bits, Ms. Bipolar? Back to work, pregnant and feels she can get Sam back? Nuh, Marlo left Sam to die… Gail, won’t go with Holly. Dov will regret letting Chloe go… Oliver, I love that guy. he needs to be in the White shirt to show promotion. My darling Tracy will rather Peck that Bailey..I think? Chris will bounce back and Nick….misses Andy
Is there any news on the decision for another season past the currently shooting 5/6? She says in the HuffPo piece it’s a few weeks out, and we’re 17 days past that…
OMG people,can i first say its only a show first and foremost,i would hope that those who watch it would be for the storyline and characters not for anything else .
Can’t we just watch it and enjoy a good story and see what happens before people stop watching it.i’m not a hater i love Rookie blue and have several cast members following me on Twitter ,just enjoy a good story and excellent acting .
Lesley. I’m thinking of contacting some of the cast via twitter, can you give me a few names who you’ve had contact with.? Maybe Ben. Missy, Gregory or Matt,yes?
I WANT Luke back. I liked Andy and Luke together. I could have missed it, but I don’t feel like that story line was really played out. They’re engaged and then they are not. I know he cheated with that skanky ex lover/partner but somehow it wasn’t explored like it should have been. Andy is more of a fighter even though her feelings for Sam are strong. Please somehow bring the handsome sexy cheating Detective back.
Please don’t I hate cheeters
Look…the guy was recovering from being shot with his own gun. I think he might have felt some un-sureness about Andy’s relationship with Sam. He had a moment of weakness…with the skank Jo. Andy didn’t even talk to him about his actions..why did she believe Jo so quickly? Looking for a way out of her engagement? I think Luke deserves another chance. Besides it’s a tv show and meant for entertainment. Eric Johnson is a great actor, Pls work it out and bring him back.
Wow, I keep hoping the acting gets better but unfortunately it just does not. I have never seen worse or more unbelievable actors other then Reality TV. The show scheduling is horrific which does not help also. Great cast but they need more experience. The funny thing is I still watch it and keep hoping…
Andy and Sam better stay togeather this time no matter what or who comes between them. I love them togeather a lot! Andy and Sam are great togeather and it will ruin the show if they don’t stay togeather and the shiw does not end with them still togeather. I love this show and would really hate for it to get ruined. Andy and Sam forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree Andy and Sam need to stay together. They belong togeather no matter what.
My husband watched Rookie blue then I started watching it with him.I really enjoy the show.Cant wait till it starts again .All the actors are great.Altho its a nail biter sure hope goes well for Andy and Sam and Marlos not pregnant.I guess we will just have to hang on and wait and see.
Nick & Andy! In my opinion they had the greatest chemistry and the cutest relationship. I feel like their relationship should be given a REAL opportunity unlike the first one.
I LOVE this show more than anything else on TV, but part of the reason it works is because of the Andy and Sam relationship. He’s finally a real boyfriend and it’s all finally working. Why would you want to go and screw that up? Marlo was a useless character from the beginning. A simple plot device to facilitate the relationship between Andy and Sam. It’s going to be hard to watch the show if she ruins that relationship again
McSwarek all the way. All of yall who don’t agree can leave. Andy and Sam belong together. And Marlo doesn’t look pregnant. She probably is doing it to try and get Sams attention away from Andy. I don’t think it’ll work. Sam would never give up on Andy not again.
I have recently finish the series of rookie blue and I love the fact that Andy and Sam are together and I hope it stays that way. Marlo and Sam weren’t a good couple and she didn’t look pregnant on the last episode. She was trying to get dov and Chloe back together so made it is Chloe’s ultrasound so to all the fans out there watch at lest the first episode of season 6 then choose if you don’t want to watch it. Hi hope it is not Marlo’s baby if she has a baby it is going to be more bipolar than her. Andy and Sam are a great couple and I hope they stay together. I can’t wait till season 6 comes out because I will watch every single last episode.
When a story depends on incestuous office relationships (everybody sleeping around with everybody), you know the writers have run out of creativity. What’s wrong with integrity and honour? Is that not what the police force is meant to represent?
I Love Rookie Blue and I have all my family and a host of friends watching the show. It is a good cop show and I love Andy and Sam they belong together. I will vomit if Marlo is pregnant by Sam. Can’t wait for season 6 and I hope this show continues.
Absolutely love Rookie Blue! Such a great show, even got my husband into watching it. As far as Marlo, I hope she’s not preg with Sam’s baby. Sam and Andy are finally in a great place with their relationship and I would hate for it to get messed with by a preg Marlo. Can’t wait for season 6 and hoping for a season 7 as well! Love this show!!
ROOKIE BLUE RULES! CAN’T WAIT! CAN’T WAIT! If you don’t like it, DON’T WATCH!!!
The storyline with Marlo being pregnant is a really bad story line is what this country is finally taken serious. Mental Health is a big. Issue you had Marrlo on and off her medication which I know when you are trying to get pregnant. You really need to get with a doctor to adjust your meds. For you to go on this story line like it is nothing is a really big problem and your not helping it. So why don’t you get with the rest of the country and realize we have a big problem with mental health and getting better. Not going to the bottom and be in perfect health in 3 or 4 months healthy and pregnant. Maybe you should talk to people who have had it it for 4 or 5 years or more what it’s like with therapy and meds changes. I thought your story lines were a lot better then this. And one more thing Marlo has the police station shot up and people shot and losing there job but you have her back at a job at a police station after 3 months. News flash she wouldn’t be able to work their with her condition and let’s not forget she never told them she had it from the beginning.
I wanna see sam and andy wedding! Please make Gail straight again. She is too beautiful to be gay lesbian. Doesn’t suit her at all. Bring on season 6
Did you really say that Gail “is too beautiful to be gay lesbian”? Kindly join the real world. Even Charlotte O’Sullivan says she figured Gail was a lesbian.
Bring holly and gail back together.They are made for each other and I know that they are really in love