The Rookie season 7, episode 11 titled “Speed” arrived on March 25, 2025, bringing with it a bus hostage situation, a major villain’s return, and some questions from viewers about a possible connection to the comedy series Game Changer. The episode features a familiar face, but not from the Dropout TV universe. Here is what actually happened in the action-packed hour and who the guest star really is.
The Real Story Behind Episode 11’s Casting
The question about a Dropout’s Game Changer cast member appearing in this episode of The Rookie seems to come from a misunderstanding. After checking multiple sources including the official episode credits and casting lists, no connection to the improvisational comedy series exists.
The actor generating this confusion is likely Jacob Pitts, who appears in a guest role during the episode. Pitts played Joel Howser in this installment. While Pitts is a working actor with credits including roles in various television shows, he does not have a connection to the Dropout TV lineup or Game Changer. The casting choice was simply part of the episode’s larger story involving the bus hijacking.
What Actually Happened in “Speed”
The episode puts John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and Celina Juarez (Lisseth Chavez) in serious danger. The pair go undercover on a city bus as part of a public safety initiative to catch petty criminals. The mission takes a terrifying turn when armed hijackers take control of the bus, revealing a bomb is on board.
What looks like a random hostage situation becomes something much bigger. Throughout the standoff, Nolan works to keep passengers calm, including a pregnant woman named Denise who appears to go into labor from the stress. The hijackers demand millions in cryptocurrency and a plane in exchange for releasing hostages.
Meanwhile, detectives Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox) and Angela Lopez (Alyssa Diaz) investigate from the outside, and Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) challenges Lucy Chen’s (Melissa O’Neil) choices during the operation. Sergeant Wade Grey (Richard T. Jones) works in the field with rookie Miles Penn (Deric Augustine), handling the chaos from multiple angles.
The Villain Twist No One Saw Coming
The biggest news from episode 11 is the return of Monica Stevens, played by Bridget Regan. The corrupt lawyer who has caused problems for the LAPD since season 5 reappears in a major way.
After Nolan stops the hijacker and the bomb is defused, the pregnant woman flees the scene. Police discover she rigged a booby trap house where the ransom calls were routed, nearly killing Harper and Lopez. The woman was working for Monica all along.
Denise stole a government official’s key card during the hijacking. Monica explains the card contains valuable information beyond basic login credentials. The entire bus hijacking was a distraction for this theft.
Richard T. Jones told Us Weekly that Monica is “a very destructive person” and “is manipulating the system fully and completely” as the season heads toward its finale. He revealed the LAPD won’t figure out Monica’s influence right away.
“The evidence starts heading towards that situation where we’re trying to figure it out,” Jones explained. “We don’t know who it might be, but the finale is the biggest reveal for us.”
The Speed Movie Homage
The episode title “Speed” is not random. The creative team designed this episode as a tribute to the 1994 Keanu Reeves action thriller of the same name. Richard T. Jones admitted he was nervous when he first heard about the concept.
“Because I’m a big fan of the movie, I was like, ‘Oh!’ I said, ‘Come on, [showrunner] Alexi [Hawley], you’ve got to do this right.’ I was a little leery when I first got the heads-up about it, but after reading it, I was very confident that we’d be OK,” Jones told TV Line.
The episode uses body camera footage to create a found-footage style that adds intensity to the bus scenes. This approach gives the action a fresh feel compared to standard episodes.
Chenford Fans Get Important Moments
The episode also delivered for fans of the Chenford relationship. Tim Bradford challenges Lucy Chen’s decisions during the crisis, pushing her to grow as an officer. The dynamic between the characters continues to develop as they navigate both professional and personal connections.
Guest Cast and Episode Details
Besides Jacob Pitts, the episode features multiple guest actors:
- Molly McCook as Cassie
- Eric Nenninger as David
- Josh Pafchek as Tommy Howser
- Brian Yang as Rex
- Darren Dupree Washington as Kennedy
- Kieran Tamondong as Pickpocket
Daryn Okada directed the episode, which runs approximately 42 minutes.
Where to Watch The Rookie Season 7
The Rookie airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC. New episodes become available for streaming on Hulu the day after broadcast, typically by 12 a.m. PT.
Viewers without cable can watch through streaming services including Sling TV, DIRECTV Stream, and Fubo, which offer free trials or first-month discounts. The season continues with new episodes leading toward the finale on May 13, 2025.
What Comes Next
With Monica Stevens back in action, the remaining episodes of season 7 will deal with the fallout from her schemes. Richard T. Jones hinted that escaped convict Oscar Hutchinson (Matthew Glave) will connect with Monica somehow.
“Somehow those two forces will come together,” Jones said. “The connection between the two, it will not be as clear as people might want it to be by season’s end.”
The investigation into Monica’s plans will continue, with the LAPD chasing leads without realizing how deep her influence runs until the finale.
For viewers wondering about the Game Changer connection, the appearance of Jacob Pitts in the episode sparked curiosity, but no actual link exists between the two shows. The casting was simply part of the larger story in an episode that paid tribute to a classic action film while advancing multiple season-long storylines.
