Spoiler alert: The following article contains spoilers from The Rookie season 7, episode 7, "The Mickey."

After a bumpy start, The Rookie season 7, episode 6. Nolan and Bailey still aren't talking after their fight, and Tim and Lucy are avoiding each other and talking about their surprise hook-up (aside from sharing time in group therapy). Elsewhere during the hour, Seth finds himself a love interest, much to Lucy's dismay, and the return of one villain and the introduction of another makes for a memorable episode.

The Rookie's 100th episode weaves him back into the ABC police procedural show's plot. But this time, he has a friend named Mickey, who is easy on the eyes, alongside him. The two criminals make for a great team, providing comedic relief in a heavy episode and alleviating their rather forgettable storyline. Overall, it seems as if The Rookie season 7 is figuring out how to perfectly balance its episodic arcs (like "The Hammer" and Mickey's partnership) and overarching ones (like Tim and Lucy's drama). Hopefully, the series keeps this momentum going forward.

The Rookie Season 7, Episode 7 Solving Nolan & Bailey's Drama Fast Is For The Best

Stretching Out The Couple's Fight Would've Hurt Their Development

Perhaps Nolan and Bailey making up at the end of episode 7 feels rushed to some, given that their fight only started during the previous hour. However, "The Mickey" puts in the work to ensure the couple earns their resolution. Nolan goes looking for a fight while on the job to let out some steam, which backfires spectacularly. Then, he tries having a heart-to-heart with Tim, who is still figuring out his drama with Lucy (and making great progress, thanks to some much-needed therapy). Tim gives Nolan good advice, prepping him for his next talk with Bailey.

If episode 7 concluded without any conflict resolution between Nolan and Bailey, their fight would just start to get annoying, making viewers want to see them break up instead of solving their issues.

As for Bailey, she comes across Diana from a women's shelter during one of her calls. Diana helps Bailey work through her trauma with Jason. Well, she at least nudges her in the right direction. Bailey has been suffering ever since her ex-husband, a Rookie villain, broke out of prison. So, she finally opens up to Nolan, and the healthy communication sets them on the right path. If episode 7 concluded without any conflict resolution between Nolan and Bailey, their fight would just start to get annoying, making viewers want to see them break up instead of solving their issues.

The Return Of Tamara Is Great For Lucy & Seth's Growing Tension

Seth's Story Is One Of The Season's Best Because It's So Unpredictable

Lucy is still cautious of Seth's actions and motives, even after he reveals his cancer has returned The Rookie season 7's episode 5. Although her suspicion of her rookie is becoming frustrating, the addition of Tamara into the story makes it 10 times more interesting. Seth and Tamara's growing romance is cute, but not to Lucy. She even warns Tamara to stay away from Seth at one point, which doesn't go over too well with the younger woman. Lucy's problems are only getting bigger, and it's unclear when/if/how her growing tension with Seth will be resolved.

It's so intriguing how the beginning of The Rookie season 7 makes us wary of Miles while giving us no reason not to trust Seth, and then gradually flips the roles. By episode 7, Miles is perceived as the better guy and Seth is becoming more shady. I can't help but want to root for Seth based on the early episodes, but he's not making it easy.

Additionally, seeing Lucy (who has more than gained our trust) continue to be cautious around Seth is more than enough to give us pause as The Rookie season 7 goes on. If Lucy doesn't trust him, we can't either. Now with Tamara, the situation is quite messy, and the anticipation for what happens next is higher than ever.

Every Character (Except 1) Gets Some Love In The Rookie Season 7, Episode 7

Grey Continues To Be Ignored

Ultimately, The Rookie season 7, episode 7 provides a solid hour filled with entertaining moments, intriguing plot and character developments, and a fun villainous duo. "The Mickey" also does a good job of giving each character (aside from Grey, unfortunately) meaningful screen time. From Tim's therapy session to Harper and James (finally) resolving their fight about police reform, episode 7 demonstrates how The Rookie thrives when it embraces its status as an ensemble show.

New episodes of The Rookie season 7 air Tuesdays at 9pm ET on ABC.