Exploits of a brilliant cop

"THE ROOKIE": GRIPPING STUFF INSPIRED BY TRUE STORY

- Hein Kaiser

Here's something addictive about good police shows. From method detective ramp-ups like Bosch to classic boys-in-blue roll calls like Hill Street Blues and TJ Hooker. Nothing quite like a good skop, skiet en donner to help us unwind after work and forget about VAT increases and political snafus.

The seven seasons of The Rookie on Showmax deliver on all fronts: from street-level drama to comedic moments and a whole lot of humanness in between. And it's inspired by a true story.

At 45, freshly divorced John Nolan was searching for purpose. He left his quiet life in Pennsylvania and headed to Los Angeles for a midlife career change. He wanted to become a cop.

After helping police during a bank robbery, he traded his construction business for the LAPD academy.

Nolan officially became the oldest rookie on the force, and the show follows his immersion into law enforcement.