The Rookie Boss in Chenford’s “Next Chapter,” a Nolan and Bailey drama

Novice boss warned fans that season 7 will put two couples to the test – Chenford aka Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen and John Nolan and his wife Bailey Nune. In other words, we were warned.

During season 6, Tim (Eric Winter) broke up with Lucy (Melissa O’Neill) as a form of self-punishment for crossing the queue during operation a put Lucy’s career in jeopardy.

According to the season 7 trailer who My Weekly exclusively released on Thursday, January 2, the connection between the pair is not gone. But while they share a steamy moment together — shirtless Tim involved — the showrunner said TVLine in an interview published Thursday that Tim isn’t done working through his inner demons.

“At one point we have a scene where he’s in a veterans support group, so he’s still trying to work on himself,” Alex Hawley he said of Tim as he spoke into the socket.

Hawley noted that the “good news” is that Tim “understands what he did wrong”, he is just “trying to figure out” “why”.

“The worst thing he could think he could do was break up with Lucy, and he’s going to come full circle and then deal with the consequences,” the showrunner explained.

Fans were able to get a glimpse earlier The undeniable love of Tim and Lucy for each other when she saved his life during the season 6 finale. That bond will continue to grow, according to Hawley.

“We really wanted to go into this season positive about Tim and Lucy. Obviously they did a lot of work at the end of last season, especially Tim,” he said. “It felt like they were coming back together in a way that was positive to say the least.”

Looking ahead, Hawley says Chenford will have to ask himself, “Okay, we’re at the next chapter — what does that look like?”

The TV writer added that their new normal will include a practice bet LAPD New Rookies.

That bet allows Novice team to “play the teasing” and “chemistry” Hawley explained, adding that “it allows us to lean into the competitiveness between them that was baked into them from the beginning, even though he was basically her boss.

Tim, hopefully winning Lucy back is just one big romance to watch out for in the new season. Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and wife Bailey (Jenna Dewan) received shocking news at the end of Season 6: Bailey’s ex-husband Jason Wyler (Steve Kazee), escaped from prison alongside Oscar Hutchinson (Matthew Head).

“Jason will end up being the biggest threat in the first half of the season,” Hawley said. “He’s kind of an existential threat because he’s a threat to the family, especially Bailey.

As the first part of the season unfolds, viewers will learn more about “the trauma of Bailey’s relationship with Jason that she may not have processed yet, the abusive relationship she had with this guy,” he continued.

Hawley added: “It seeps in fear of reunionbecause part of the drama of the first half of the season is, ‘When is he going to show up?’ And that feeling of always being afraid is obviously not healthy.”

Nolan and Bailey’s past speaks of maybe expanding their family through adoption, he will also “come back” according to the showrunner. “Without spoiling anything, I don’t know what else to say,” Hawley concluded.

Season 7 Novice premieres on ABC Tuesday, January 7 at 10:00 PM ET.