#Sergeant Chen

[iw4ntrevenge]

And when you talk about my girl Lucy Chen, make sure you put ‘Sergeant’ in front of it!!! 🙂‍↔️🥹

[renegadesstuff]

She gives the best advices 🥰🥰

[multifandom-gif]

Lucy chen, *the* girl girls ❤️

2.07 | 7.09 | 7.13

[pattysfics]

“I’m trying to be respectful that I’m the one who broke her heart.”

“If you leave her hanging, then you just might break it again.”

RUN ME OVER WITH A TRUCK AND PUT ME OUT OF MY MISERY!

[northhopest]

Don't worry, future Chenford daughter (played by Lola Tung), your parents are getting back together 🤗

[4ever-chenford]

Always listen to Lucy, Penn 😉

Sneak Peek

7x18 - The Good, The Bad and The Oscar

[lalawitheca]

Love the ride to the exam! Promise of physical intimacy 😍. Sergeant Chenford here we come!

[buntress]

[No spoons for IDs, tags below]

❝ Galaxy Quest Genders pt 1 ❞

[PT :: Galaxy Quest Genders]

Taggartcharic :: A gender related to the character Commander Taggart from Galaxy Quest. Tawnycharic :: A gender related to the character Tawny Madison from Galaxy Quest.

Chencharic :: A gender related to the character Tech Sergeant Chen from Galaxy Quest. Lazaruscharic :: A gender related to the character Dr. Lazarus from Galaxy Quest.

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Template By :: Me :3 Notes :: I got fed this autism movie while stoned. I was doomed from the start. Anyways Larado, Guy, Mathesar, and Laliari will be posted after this. Yay!

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Taglist :: @thatonegaybrit @mimiscoiningcafe @discrophy @horrgores @smilepilled

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Cont Tags :: @fukounagrl @scr-ppup

[jerzwriter]

Oooh, Lucy is going to have to kick some ass!

Dream team - not.

[emaaa3210]

You think Lucy will ever be back on a day shift routine? Don't get me wrong, night shifts cam be also good, but seriously, she needs some sleep

[slysidekick]

I couldn’t agree with this more! It’s like they took the words right out of my head.

Not to mention in episodes 6x05 and 6x06—Lucy was left waiting and worried about Tim. She couldn’t sleep and kept staring at her phone and as emotionally intelligent as Lucy is—she had to know that’s what being undercover for long periods of time would be like for both her and Tim. Especially if they ever got married and started a family.

Even though her conversation with Grey in 7x01 when he offered her the interim to P3 as a substitute training officer hints that she still wants to be an undercover detective, Lucy doesn’t light up like we normally see her when she goes after something she wants.

Of course that could be because she is still suffering from the fallout of her relationship with Tim ending abruptly and she is trying to figure out how to navigate her emotions while still seeing him every day—and figuring out how to move forward in her career.

And personally, since season one I have wanted to see her rise through the ranks and be a badass like Captain Andersen.

Dipping my toe into the discourse here— I LOVE the idea of Sergeant Chen. I know the prevailing theory is that it’s shoehorned in or just to move Tim out of her chain of command, but I don’t think so.

Realistically, the only way she would have become an undercover detective would have been if they wrote her off the show. The long ops that takes weeks to months? That’s not what the shows about and it wouldn’t fit.

Nolan and Aaron and almost every rookie on the show also said they all wanted to go for detective when they first started. (Sort of like how every student applying for med school wants to be an orthopedic surgeon) But it’s completely okay for characters to change direction based off their skills and interests— just like Nolan made the pivot to be a training officer. It makes the most sense for him and fits the story better.

They’ve been sowing seeds of doubt about Lucy being an undercover detective since season two when Nyla tells her just how much she’ll have to give up to do it. We know she’s great at it, but are the sacrifices worth it? I don’t think Lucy “failing” the detectives exam was random plot or just added to give Lucy more strife in a season already packed with it. I think it’s supposed to allow her to think outside the box she’s put herself in and see what else she might be good at.

And Lucy is good at leadership! We’ve seen it numerous times, once she gains the confidence, she knocks it out of the park. (Namely in 5x05 when she runs the entire precinct while Grey and Tim are in the hospital)

Part of me even thinks that’s what this whole episode back in season one was about: comparing Lucy to a young Captain Anderson

Basically, I always wanted Lucy to change from undercover work to something in leadership, so I am SO on board. And I hope this plot is on the way to giving our girl her spark back

[renegadesstuff]

HER OUTFITS THIS SEASON ARE JUST PERFECT ✨️❤️

[multifandom-gif]

Tim is hiding somewhere in her bedroom right?! 👀

[northhopest]

7x08: Wildfire

"Wildfire" is my favorite episode so far this season. My heart soars for Chenford, aches for Jayla, and dreams of the day Tim Bradford goes feral on Seth.

The Rice Cooker

Someone on Tumblr spotted a rice cooker in Tim’s house after it got broken into. Another tried to downplay it by pointing out that he also has a vintage camera like Lucy. And this is exactly the problem. We get so few glimpses of Lucy’s culture on the show—tiny morsels, barely enough to hold onto—yet some fans are quick to generalize or minimize them. This kind of dismissal contributes to cultural erasure, which often goes hand in hand with whitewashing.

Rice isn’t just food; it’s foundational to what it means to be (East) Asian. Nearly every Asian American household has a rice cooker, while most other households don’t. Melissa has even asked the props department why Lucy doesn’t have one in her home, and to give Lucy Chen a rice cooker. Meanwhile, vintage cameras are common in LA and have been seen in various characters’ homes—they’re not culturally specific. But a rice cooker in Tim’s house? That’s different. He’s a white male cop, a bachelor, someone highly unlikely to own one on his own. Its presence strongly suggests Lucy’s influence.

In fact, it’s more significant for Tim to have one than it would be for Lucy. For Lucy, a rice cooker is expected. But for Tim, it speaks volumes about the cultural exchange that happens in an interracial relationship.

This Was NOT a Feelings Confession. It Was a Feelings AFFIRMATION.

This scene contains some of Tim’s best lines since Season 5:

"Do you have somewhere you gotta be?"

"I might say something hateful! You don’t know!"

"Wow, the arrogance!"

Their banter under duress screams old married couple energy. Tim wants to say something heartfelt, but Lucy’s scared and doesn’t want him to. He uses humor to bring them back to a familiar place and diffuse her fears. Then, when she still doesn’t let it go, he affirms her with a big silent DUH before telling her that he still loves her.

His approach is similar to how he looked at her in the 6x02 lie detector scene: He takes a breath, looks at her like she’s his world, and with his whole face, tells her Of course I love you before he actually says it.

Then Lucy yells, “It doesn’t matter!”—because admitting it would mean admitting they might die, and that she still has feelings for the man who broke her heart. Tim knows her too well and cuts through the subtext.

Lucy Chen doesn’t say I love you. She says, “Oh, you’re infuriating!” And Tim Bradford acknowledges her love with, “I know! I know.”

And then he protects the most vulnerable part of her: her neck.

CHENFORD is Code Four.

Their relationship is Code Four. I repeat: Code Four. They’re gonna be okay.

Tim and Lucy bantering like an old married couple.

Tim taking her hand and helping Lucy up.

Wade Grey freaking out over his daughter and son-in-law.

Lucy giving Tim that same look she used to give him as his rookie whenever she needed his approval or reassurance.

Tim giving the reassurance right back to her.

She’s still looking at him even as he looks away.

Wade’s celebration punches 🥹

And the hug.

Lucy resting her hand on his lower abs and belt? Not platonic. No ma’am. If any other woman ever touched Tim like that, Lucy would be pissed. Meanwhile, Tim is holding onto her like she’s his life (because she is).

I half-expected Tim’s signature forehead kiss.

Sergeant Lucy Chen

Lucy needs to keep her last name. It’s not just a name—it’s a critical part of representation. Chen is the only Chinese last name—the ONLY Asian last name—in the main cast. We already get so little of her culture, and losing her name would be yet another erasure.

Some fans joke about the idea of two Sergeant Bradfords, but Lucy is her own person. Chen holds far more weight than Bradford ever could. There are four white male characters on the show, plus four others with Anglo-sounding last names (Grey, Harper, Penn, and Murray). Asian characters even have Anglo last names (Jamie Hall, Chris Sanford, Misha Porter, Chief Coleman, Kylie Thomas to name a few). Chen stands out. It matters. It cannot and should not be replaced with Bradford.

Imagine Tim becoming Sergeant Chen after marriage. Not just imagine it—savor it.

This wouldn't just be "different"—it would be revolutionary in the context of any show. A white male officer taking on his Asian American wife's surname? That's the kind of subtle yet powerful representation that television never gives us.

Tim would wear "Sergeant Chen" like a badge of honor. And in one simple name change, The Rookie could make a profound statement about love, respect, interracial relationships, and cultural identity that would resonate far beyond fictional Los Angeles. It would be an act of quiet rebellion against systemic norms and patriarchal traditions.

The Hospital Scene

Tim Bradford’s priorities are LUCY CHEN and LUCY CHEN ALONE. He’s so in love with Lucy Chen, and he will do anything for Lucy Chen. And as far as we know, Tim is the first person Lucy has confided in about her Sergeant Chen aspirations.

“If you pass, I wouldn’t be your supervisor anymore.”

I’ve seen people upset that Tim turned it back onto himself and what he wants. But it's okay if he’s a little selfish and hopeful that the chain of command will no longer be an issue? He wants her back. And this time, she doesn’t have to put a black mark on her career for them to be together. He also knows that Lucy Chen is a badass. She’ll be his equal and he’s proud of that.

Right before this, Lucy mentioned “moving forward,” and Tim was fighting for his life in that pause before she clarified “in my career.” Moving forward from what? From Tim? From the rebuild he’s been desperately trying to do? From Mid Wilshire? He’s probably stunned into awkwardness and I think awkwardness contributed to the "chain of command" line. It's also a contrasting callback to the 7x06 elevator scene when he reminds her that he's still in her chain of command.

Also: the audiobooks callback!

Lucy knows the Sergeant’s Manual inside and out. She’s read the books, dictated them, and likely edited the recordings. This is just a refresher for her. She’s willing to accept Tim’s help, but she’s not desperate for it. He broke up with her, and she still has her guard up. She nods her acceptance, but she’s not clearly assenting.

And that’s dignity.

The One Scene I Didn’t Like

Lucy, Nyla, and Celina changing in front of Miles and Nolan.

Celina wears a low-cut top and bends down in front of her TO.

Lucy bounces around while putting on her pants.

Lucy takes off her shirt in front of her ex and her ex’s rookie, who used to flirt with her.

Lucy wearing a show-through bra that showed through her t-shirt. Give that woman a full coverage bra!

Nyla is the only one not being sexualized onscreen.

Miles is in his respectful gentleman era, and Nolan is whipped by Bailey, but the ladies did not need to be doing this. This was likely a mix of script, direction, and acting choices. I’m not for it.

Our women are powerful. Them being sexualized for the male audience is not my cup of tea.

Other Observations

When the fires hit LA, firefighters protected others’ homes even as theirs burned down. In large-scale emergencies, first responders must go where they’re assigned. Tim was heading back to the station when Lucy informed him about looting in his neighborhood. They both had their own assignments, and both broke protocol—Tim to protect his nephews, Lucy to protect Tim.

Last episode, Tim promised Seth that if he puts Lucy in danger, Seth will have Tim to deal with. It became abundantly clear to me in 7x06-7x08 that Tim Bradford lives and breathes Lucy Chen. He’d better hope that Tim doesn’t find out about his flub up. Feral Tim is a beautiful thing. Unless you’re Seth Ridley.

I think Seth is a villain. He knows his TO is in danger and shows no urgency. He has four writing pads and knows exactly which one he wrote the Eagle Rock Road closure note in. He shoves the note into his pocket. He doesn’t call LAFD Command like Grey orders him to. Grey’s freaking out over Chenford but Seth’s concerned about his job and not about Tim and Lucy’s lives. I have a feeling he’s going to use his cancer as a shield when and if he gets found out.

Tim Bradford not knowing how to set up a fire shelter? I think he was joking to diffuse tension. Supercop/Army Vet Tim Bradford absolutely knows how to set up a fire shelter in fire country.

[enchantedblackrose]

Best part of a very mediocre episode

"I did it. Of course you did." THE ROOKIE 7.17 'Mutiny and the Bounty'

[4ever-chenford]

If you can't resist watching the leaked episode of The Rookie, at least watch it on Tuesday as well. Keep supporting the show and the actors