The Los Angeles Police Department was thrown into a whirlwind of chaos and danger as the seventh season of ABC's hit show "The Rookie" returned with its explosive first episode, "The Shot." The episode picks up right where the last season left off, with Officer John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) recovering from his gunshot wound and getting back to work. However, the tranquility of his return is short-lived as two dangerous criminals, Oscar and Jason, break out of prison with the help of Monica Stevens, a rogue LAPD officer who is now on the run herself.
Monica's escape leaves the LAPD in disarray, complicating matters further as she could be anywhere in the world, making her a significant problem for federal agencies. Meanwhile, Oscar and Jason don't flee to the border as expected. Instead, they stick around Los Angeles, with Oscar reveling in causing chaos and Jason seeking revenge on his ex-wife, Bailey, who is now married to Officer John Nolan. Aware of the danger Bailey faces with Jason on the loose, she deploys with the National Guard, leaving her out of harm's way for several months.
As the LAPD scrambles to locate Jason, they initially suspect he has joined forces with low-level drug dealers. However, their suspicions prove incorrect when they arrest the drug dealers and find Jason absent. Jason's ability to evade capture is a testament to his cunning, leaving the newly promoted Lieutenant Grey and his team struggling to make any headway in the manhunt. In a bid to bolster their efforts, Grey temporarily promotes Officer Lucy Chen (Alyssa Diaz) to P3, putting her in charge of training a new rookie, Seth Ridley (Patrick Keleher). Despite her reluctance, Lucy accepts the promotion, seeing it as a temporary measure and an opportunity to make a bet with her ex-boyfriend and fellow officer, Sergeant Tim Bradford (Jon Huertas).
Tim and Lucy's bet centers around training their respective rookies to outperform each other. Tim is paired with Miles Penn (Deric Augustine), a cocky former Texas cop seeking more excitement in LA. Miles' overconfidence and attempts to flirt with Lucy immediately rub Tim the wrong way. Meanwhile, Lucy's rookie, Seth Ridley, is a bundle of nerves, struggling to cope with the realities of police work.
The chaos of the day intensifies when an armed robbery occurs at a local pharmacy. Officer John Nolan and his rookie arrive first on the scene, narrowly missing capturing the perpetrator due to unclear conditions. The suspect escapes, injuring a pedestrian in the process. Later, Lucy and her rookie, Seth, manage to apprehend the suspect, only for him to die from an overdose of the stolen drugs. Seth's reaction to the sight of the dead body reveals a traumatic past involving his high school girlfriend's overdose, which triggers his anxiety whenever he encounters certain stimuli.
As the LAPD deals with the aftermath of the pharmacy robbery, an alert goes out about a car with high radiation levels. The FBI reveals that a Cold War-era nuclear device has gone missing, and the LAPD must now locate it before it falls into the wrong hands or is used. In a dramatic car chase and shootout, the LAPD, led by Nolan, manages to secure the device. Despite the rookies' mistakes during the operation, the case is resolved, and the scene is handed over to the FBI.
The episode concludes with Tim and Lucy's bet ending in a draw, as both their rookies falter in crucial moments. Meanwhile, the corruption caused by therapist Dr. Blair London leads to an internal review, complicating matters for Wesley Lopez (Richard T. Jones), who must remain unbiased despite learning of another officer's feelings for his wife, Angela Lopez (Melissa O'Neil).
John Nolan returns home to an empty house, feeling the weight of the day's events and the loneliness that comes with it. As he congratulates himself on a tough day, he is reminded of the ongoing challenges and the importance of the work he and his fellow officers do in keeping their city safe.