This Is Us Star Talks The Rookie Showrunner’s Onscreen Debut & Tim And Lucy’s Alter Egos On “Double Trouble”

After appearing in The Rookie season 2, This Is Us star Jon Huertas returned to the series as the director of season 5, episode 18, and he now looks back on the experience. The true-crime-style installment focused on the lives of Tim and Lucy’s criminal alter egos, Jake and Sava, who are also portrayed by Eric Winter and Melissa O’Neil. The series has produced multiple episodes in documentary format, but “Double Trouble” was the first to feature showrunner, Alexi Hawley, onscreen.

Huertas previously played alongside Nathan Fillion as homicide detective Javier Esposito during Castle‘s eight-year run. Several of Fillion’s former co-stars have been featured on The Rookie, with actors such as Toks Olagundoye, Tamala Jones, and Sean Maher also making appearances. During an interview with Screen Rant, Huertas reflects on his time directing a rather unorthodox episode of ABC’s The Rookie. Read his full quote below:

That was a really fun episode. The Rookie had done a couple of other true crime episodes before that. We got the script kind of late, but the script was so different from the other episodes they had shot that were true crime. In the script, it was just surveillance cameras and body cam. I had pitched to Alexi Hawley, the showrunner, “Now that this documentary filmmaker, you, has become successful, I think he’s upgraded, and now has a Cops-style film crew.” So it allowed us to get a little closer and deeper into the action.

And also, it was Alexi Hawley’s on-camera debut as an actor. In the original script, he wasn’t on camera, he was off camera. I was like, “I think we should capture you on camera. That would be fun.” I had so much fun doing that episode because you allow these characters to break this fourth wall and speak directly to the audience, and that’s rare in a procedural television show.

The actors had so much fun in these roles, which allowed me to have a lot of fun. I’ve known Eric Winter for a long time, and he has so much fun playing that character. It’s so funny. So does Melissa O’Neil. I think that they really love stepping out of Tim and Lucy to be these crazy, wild characters. I had a great time doing that episode and really allowing actors to have fun, and allowing Alexi to have fun in front of the camera.

Tim & Lucy’s Alter Egos On The Rookie Explained

Jake & Sava Let The Rookie Explore The Fan Favorite Couple

Jake Butler and his girlfriend, Sava Wu, first appear in the season 4 finale of The Rookie after Jake is arrested on drug trafficking charges. The characters are identical to Tim and Lucy, earning the nicknames “Dim” and “Juicy” from their cop lookalikes. Their placement in the show allows the procedural’s will-they-or-won’t-they pairing to act on their real feelings under the guise of an undercover operation.

Given that the alter egos were created to further Tim and Lucy’s romantic storyline, not much is initially revealed about Jake and Sava’s backstories. The Rookie season 5, episode 18, “Double Trouble,” dives deeper into their history when the fictional camera crew returns to create a new documentary. Jake reunites with Sava after being released from prison, and found footage provides insight into the criminal life they lead together.

“Dim” and “Juicy” allowed Winter and O’Neil to step outside their usual roles, but Jake’s murder at the end of the episode prevented him from returning. However, Sava is last seen giving her number to the documentary’s filmmaker, indicating they may remain in contact. Because she still exists within The Rookie universe, it’s possible that viewers have not seen the last of O’Neil’s “Juicy” character.

The Rookie

The Rookie is a police procedural television series that stars Nathan Fillion as police officer John Nolan. At 45 years old, John becomes the oldest rookie at the Los Angeles Police Department. The show premiered on ABC in 2018.

Release Date

October 16, 2018

Seasons

6

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu

Writers

Alexi Hawley

Directors

Toa Fraser

Showrunner

Alexi Hawley