Nyla Harper and James Murray are in trouble if The Rookie ever addresses one scandal from four seasons ago, but this is exactly what their relationship needs. While Nyla and James’ romance isn’t at the center of the police procedural (that honor would go to Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen), it’s still important. However, The Rookie has to stop ignoring their past.
Nyla met James when he was introduced in The Rookie season 3, but they didn’t start dating until season 4. Their first date didn’t exactly go as planned, threatening to end their relationship before it ever began. Thankfully, Nyla and James reconciled and have been together ever since. They got married in season 4, and she gave birth to their daughter in early season 5.
Nyla Slept With Her Ex-Husband In The Rookie Season 4
Nyla & Donovan Got Drunk & Made A Huge Mistake
Although it’s clear that Nyla and James work well as a couple in The Rookie, they have made their fair share of mistakes, one of which has become a forgotten scandal. Soon after Nyla and James started dating, she cheated on him in season 4, episode 5. Nyla and her ex-husband, Donovan Town, got drunk on Halloween night and regrettably slept together.
In the morning, Nyla and Donovan agreed that hooking up was a mistake and to swiftly move on from the slip-up. Donovan was contemplating proposing to his girlfriend at the time, after all, and after sleeping with his ex-wife, he decided he would get down on one knee. Nyla pushed Donovan to do so, sweeping their random affair under the rug.
It was obvious that Donovan had cheated (and presumably didn’t tell his girlfriend/fiancée). Meanwhile, some were confused about Nyla and James’ status at the time. However, the two Rookie characters decided to strictly see each other a couple of episodes before, when she accidentally asked him and another man on a date. So, it’s hard to argue that she wasn’t in the wrong.
James Never Found Out About Nyla Cheating On Him
The Secret Is Still Out There
Based on all the information we have at our disposal, James never found out about Nyla’s infidelity in The Rookie. The following episodes never mentioned Nyla and Donovan’s hookup. A scene never featured Nyla confessing the truth to James. As a result, one can only assume that James is unaware that Nyla slept with her ex-husband in season 4, episode 5.
Some fans might have even forgotten about the scandal because the ABC police procedural series hasn’t mentioned it since it happened. It’s as though the minds behind The Rookie regret pushing Nyla and Donovan together as much as they were sorry about sleeping together. However, the writers and producers can’t change the past. They can try to, but some fans still remember.
It also didn’t help when John Nolan caught Kylie kissing James in The Rookie season 7, episode 8 (right before the two got shot during a drive-by). If anything was going to remind the audience of Nyla and Donovan’s hookup, it was that. James immediately pushed Kylie away and told her that he was happily married, which Nolan didn’t see.
Nolan, Nyla, and co. spent the next episode wondering if James actually cheated. Seeing as though he was in a coma, The Rookie season 7’s characters couldn’t ask him directly. Once he woke up, James set the record straight. Meanwhile, it remains unclear whether Nyla has been open about her own affair, which was brief but still a betrayal.
The Rookie Season 8 Must Address The Affair For The Sake Of Nyla & James’ Story
The Couple Has Been Having Problems As Of Late
Despite the fact that the ABC cop show has ignored Nyla and Donovan’s hookup for four years, The Rookie still needs to address what happened between the two exes. They have a baby together (one who some might have thought was Donovan’s at first, given the timing) and have built a life together. But they can’t continue ignoring season 4’s big scandal.
The Rookie started to tease some growing tension between Nyla and James in season 7, and perhaps bringing up the cheating scandal can give the storyline a boost to make it more substantial. The two characters have disagreed about policing ever since they met. Given that they’re both stubborn, neither is willing to change their mind about their beliefs, and they shouldn’t.
Since season 7 didn’t resolve this drama between Nyla and James, it would only make sense for it to rear its ugly head in The Rookie season 8. Then, Nyla’s brief affair with Donovan can also come up somehow. There isn’t exactly an easy segue between the two conflicts, but the writers can figure out a way to connect them.
Whatever the case, Nyla and James can’t grow as a couple if they aren’t willing to be open and honest with one another. They also can’t completely trust each other if one of them is unaware of the aforementioned cheating. The hope is that this will only make Nyla and James stronger in The Rookie, which they so desperately need.
The Rookie season 8 is scheduled to premiere in early 2026, most likely in January, and consist of 18 episodes.
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- Release Date
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October 16, 2018
- Showrunner
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Alexi Hawley
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
