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Why you should be watching “Rookie Blue”

Rookie Blue started off as a little Canadian cop drama, visiting every May or June for 13 action-packed episodes like a hot summer romance. There was laughter, tears, blood, cop-on-cop action. This year, though, the 15th Division is here for a full 22-episode season; things are getting serious. And it’s a good thing, because in the back half of season four, Rookie Blue added the one thing it was missing: a lesbian character.

And while I’d like to believe that you would just trust me when I say Rookie Blue is a show you should check out, I’d rather be safe than sorry, so here are the top three reasons why you should be watching Rookie Blue.

Reason #1. Charlotte Sullivan

She’s been through some tough times, but Gail Peck is a force to be reckoned with. She’s sassy, she’s smart, she’s stunning. She has chemistry with literally everyone, and a voice that could melt an iceberg. Her bark is just as bad as her bite, but once you get to know her, you can tell it’s just a defense mechanism and that she has a good heart in there somewhere. Plus her sharp sarcasm is hilarious, and if there’s anything the 15th Division needs, it’s comic relief now and then. Charlotte Sullivan herself is also a force, but less in the derailed-train way that Gail Peck is. She’s more like the force of someone scooping you up in a giant hug. Strong and warm and full of joy. I had the pleasure of chatting with her about her role on Rookie Blue and she is so excited about Gail’s journey and her relationship with Holly. She spoke passionately about wanting it to mean something, wanting to do it right; she was insistent with the show’s creative team that she didn’t want this storyline to be about girls kissing girls for the titillation of men. She wanted this to be real and meaningful; and so far, she has succeeded.

Reason #2. Aliyah O’Brien

Holly is a down to earth, what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of girl, which might be the biggest reason she and Gail hit it off. Gail called her a geek within five minutes of meeting her, but Holly just smirked at her. I think not getting the usual reaction to her brashness threw Gail for a loop and intrigued her. By the end of their first day together, Gail was already sharing feelings with Holly that would have taken her months, or even years, of getting comfortable with someone before sharing. Holly loved Gail’s quirks from that first day, and happily agreed to be her plus one at a wedding. Her weirdness moved her so much, that she even planted a kiss on Gail, a kiss that expected nothing in return. Lucky for us, this kiss turned Gail’s world upside down, and thus “Golly” was born.

Aliyah herself is also a champion for “Golly”-in fact, it was her that chose the portmanteau. She is active on Twitter and seems to enjoy interacting with her fans. She tweets about the show and shares fanart, organizations she supports, and even other shows she loves (like Orange Is the New Black).

As an extra perk, in a recent interview with Vancity Buzz, Aliyah said, “If you asked me what my sexuality is I wouldn’t say ‘straight,’ I’d say ‘who cares?’ I’m attracted to men and women, it’s not about the penis or vagina, it’s about the person.” Between Aliyah being on the spectrum and Charlotte being so passionate about representing the LGBT community, I think it’s safe to say that Gail and Holly are in good hands.

Reason #3. The combination thereof (AKA Golly)

Within the first five minutes of meeting Holly, Gail called her a geek. But as Gail kept being her Gail-ly self and Holly took every hit in stride, smirking all the while, Gail started to fall. Aforementioned kiss at the wedding opened Gail’s eyes to the possibility of something more. Maybe what she thought was black and white wasn’t really. Maybe there was about herself she hadn’t yet discovered. After a little resisting, she gave herself a break and she and Holly went on the cutest date in the history of dates. Though she still wasn’t entirely sure what it meant; all she knew was that she liked being around Holly. But then 15th Division was rocketed into chaos and Gail realized that life is too short to be second-guessing things. So she kissed Holly, right on her mouth. The rest was a bit of a whirlwind. There was a moment where Gail pretended they were just friends in front of her brother, which confused Holly because Gail wasn’t usually one to hide anything, especially not whatever she’s thinking. But as the lives of two of her friends hung in the balance, she decided she was glad to have Holly by her side, and introduced her to her brother. Last we saw the pair, they were holding hands in the hospital waiting room, surrounded by their coworkers and friends waiting for what would hopefully be good news.

There you have it, three huge reasons to start watching Rookie Blue (or keep watching).

Bonus points for Missy Peregrym. Her character is straight, but she’s always getting into sexual shenanigans, so we’re often blessed with seeing those killer abs (that she obviously got from being a gymnast with a troubled past in Stick It).

If you want to dive into Season 5 headfirst with us tonight, that’s really all you need to know. If you want to spend the week marathoning seasons 1-4 and jump in with us next Thursday, I support that option as well.

And don’t worry, I have full faith that Holly will play a significant role this season. In fact, one of the Global TV (the station that airs Rookie Blue in Canada) promo posters has Gail and Holly handcuffed together. So she can’t leave us if she tries!

Join us tonight (and every Thursday) at 9 pm on ABC and tweet along using the hashtag #GailPlusOne!

For those of you who aren’t rookies, let me know in the comments what you hope to see in Season 5. (Canadians, please don’t post spoilers, you lucky little ducks!)

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