Why Aaron Thorsen Left The Rookie

When The Rookie returned for Season 7 in January 2025, one regular character in the series was shockingly absent. Aaron Thorsen, played by Tru Valentino, was a rookie officer caught up in a scandal and the character left the show. However, he is still alive in this universe and working as a police officer at a different precinct. The reason why has more to do with behind-the-scenes factors than the story itself. Introduced in Season 4, Aaron Thorsen was a great character on The Rookie with a unique backstory. The son of rapper Lincoln Thorsen and reality TV star Yvonne Thorsen, Aaron was accused of murdering his best friend. He was subsequently put on trial and acquitted.

He chose to become a police officer to help prevent others from being falsely accused of crimes. He had to sue the LAPD in order to gain his position. Over time in the series, his name was cleared, and the real killer was uncovered. Thorsen became a crucial member of the team, and he almost died in the line of duty between Season 5 and 6. However, when the show returned for Season 7, the character was no longer in the Mid-Wilshire Precinct, having moved instead to the North Hollywood Division. Why Aaron Thorsen left is down to a narrative change in focus for The Rookie as a show, and possibly budgetary concerns.

What The Rookie Producers Had to Say About Aaron Thorsen Leaving

Tru Valentino Posted a Farewell Message to Fans, but the Door Is Open for a Return

Series creator and showrunner Alexi Hawley addressed Valentino’s exit from the cast, saying “creatively we needed to pivot” but called him “a great actor” he would “love to have…back in some capacity.” This means that Thorsen could return as a guest star in a future episode, but his character wasn’t a part of the show’s larger seventh season plans. As a series with a large ensemble of characters, it’s possible the producers didn’t have room in the narrative to do the character justice.

“I will always cherish my time on The Rookie… and feel so lucky to have had the last 3 seasons… You never know who may pop back up in the mid-Wilshire precinct. Until then, 7 Adam 19, this is Officer Thorsen, over and out!” — Tru Valentino via Instagram.

Thorsen did have some heavy storylines during his three seasons in the cast. While initially being suspected of getting away with murder, he struggled to fit in with the other officers. In The Rookie Season 5 finale, Aaron Thorsen was shot and last seen going into cardiac arrest. He survived this brush with death, just the same. While little time was spent on his physical recovery, the character’s mental recovery in Season 6 played a big role in the larger story.

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Otherwise, as the son of celebrities, Thorsen’s stories were most often humorous. The Rookie never really explored his fame beyond a handful of episodes. More often, it was used as a punchline in episodes, like when it was revealed he had four million followers on the “ClipTok” app or participated in “true crime” documentaries on the show. There also could have been budgetary concerns. Typically, a series regular’s third season on a show earns them a salary increase. Valentino started as a recurring actor, meaning Season 7 would have been his third as a series regular.

How The Rookie Wrote Aaron Thorsen Out of Season 7

Fallout from Season 6 Sent the Former Trainee to a New Precinct

In Season 6, Aaron Thorsen was in therapy with Doctor Blair London, who recorded her sessions as part of a blackmail scheme by villain Monica Stevens. In the Season 7 premiere, it’s mentioned that Thorsen went to the North Hollywood division as part of the fallout from that scandal. Why he had to move precincts isn’t stated, but it does leave the character active in the universe and still working as a police officer. In his stead, two new rookie officers were introduced.

With Season 7, The Rookie may be returning to form as a series focused specifically on training patrol officers. After all his experiences in the past, Thorsen was no longer the average trainee. While he was promoted to Police Officer II in the series, he hadn’t officially completed his training. However, Thorsen was ambitious and was already working on his skills in order to become a detective.

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Despite his problems with the fallout from the corruption scandal, Thorsen was likely promoted during The Rookie‘s month-long time-jump. Given his past experiences, Thorsen could have accepted the transfer to North Hollywood because it gave him a better chance of being promoted again. He may even end up fast-tracked to detective or becoming a training officer himself. Surviving what he did thus far, it seems possible he could even earn the coveted “Golden Ticket,” which allowed Harper and Nolan to get their current jobs.

Why Aaron Thorsen Was Left Out of The Rookie Season 7

The Show Is Refocusing on Officers in Training as the Cast Grows Larger

A big part of the series’ dynamic is following officers in training through street-level stories, or it used to be. In The Rookie Season 5, the series’ premise changed to match a more traditional police procedural. This led to bigger stories, action sequences and investigations with less of a focus on training the new officers. The introduction of two new series regulars, the show may be reverting to the original format. With the focus on them, Thorsen’s character could risk being underserved and vanishing into the background.

The Season 7 premiere episode introduced Miles Penn and Seth Ridley, two new officers in training. While she’s mostly been focused on undercover work, Lucy Chen became a training officer for the first time. She, Tim Bradford and John Nolan (also still a “rookie” training officer) now all have their own “boots” learning to become police officers. It’s a dynamic reminiscent of the first two seasons of the show. In fact, Season 7, Episode 2, “The Watcher,” felt like one of those early season episodes of The Rookie.

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Instead of a big investigation involving terrorists, bank robbers or some other splashy criminal, the focus was on training the rookies. This allowed a return to the street-level, character-focused stories that show the series’ officers helping people affected by crime rather than locking up this or that villain.

Was It a Mistake for The Rookie to Let Aaron Thorsen Go?

Tru Valentino Was Great in the Role, and the Show Could Lose the Actor

If The Rookie is switching its focus back to more training-oriented stories following patrol officers on the beat, Thorsen’s exit does make some sense. While Ridley and Penn are still brand-new, Juarez was taking charge on her Plain Clothes Day. At the same level of training or even more advanced, Thorsen’s story would risk being redundant, especially given his ambition. While Valentino would surely like to still be around the set, letting Thorsen live his life off-screen is perhaps not as bad as letting the character grow stagnant.

Still, fans of The Rookie rightly feel there was more to explore about who Aaron Thorsen was as a person, particularly off-duty. His fame was never really explored after his name was cleared, and how that notoriety could affect his ability to do the job could create good drama. There is also a clear lack of closure for Thorsen and his relationships. He had a close bond to Juarez, and he had an interesting dynamic with Bradford that feels unfinished.

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However, since the producers and Valentino hinted at a possible appearance on The Rookie in the future, it could already be in the works. The dangling character and story threads might be tied up through a guest spot over an episode or two where the Mid-Wilshire and North Hollywood divisions work together. Even with a renewed focus on smaller-scale policing stories, The Rookie never lacked for spectacle (especially around “sweeps” times). Thorsen’s return to the show might already be underway.

The Rookie Sesaons 1-6 are currently streaming on Hulu, and new Season 7 episodes debut Tuesdays at 10 PM on ABC.

Starting over isn’t easy, especially for John Nolan who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of joining the LAPD. As their oldest rookie, he’s met with skepticism from those who see him as just a walking midlife crisis.

Release Date

October 16, 2018

Seasons

7

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu