The latest update on The Rookie season 7 confirms that one cast member has been promoted. Heading into its seventh year, the long-running procedural lost one major star in Tru Valentino. The actor had been with the ABC show since season 4 in the role of Aaron Thorsen and exited at the end of season 6. To fill the void left by Thorsen's absence, two new characters were introduced. Heading into The Rookie season 8, which is already confirmed, one of those new additions will be sticking around.

Deadline reports that Deric Augustine, who plays Miles Penn, has been upgraded to a main cast member. Augustine is one of two new major additions to the ABC show, alongside Patrick Keleher as Seth Ridley. Augustine had previously been listed as a recurring guest star in The Rookie season 7, though he has had a presence in most of the episodes.

What Deric Augustine's Upgrade Means For The Rookie

Fans Have Gotten To Know Miles Well

Having worked in the police department in Texas, Miles is one of the newcomers in The Rookie's cast of characters. He has Tim Bradford as his training officer. He's gotten more of a spotlight since his arrival, perhaps hinting at his evolving status within the show. In a recent episode, for example, Miles considers the possibility of leaving the force and working alongside a friend that he's reconnected with. But with Tim's input, Miles decides to remain a police officer. Fans have also seen that Miles lives out of his car.

Augustine, who has appeared on shows like The Vampire Diaries and Criminal Minds, has gelled with his co-stars and has displayed particularly crackling chemistry with Winter's Tim Bradford. Overall, the Alexi Hawley-created series has maintained a core group of original characters, but the added spotlight on Miles Penn means that the procedural will likely look to add characters specifically for him in guest roles, whether they're relatives or potential love interests.

Our Take On The Latest Rookie Upgrade

It's A Good Move

Following the exit of Tru Valentino as Aaron Thorsen, a departure that has left some fans disappointed, The Rookie has gone a different route with Augustine as Miles Penn. He's not exactly a pseudo-celebrity, making the relationships that he's building with Tim and the rest of his team distinctive and perhaps more weighty. After making a good impression, the newbie will stick around for a little longer, allowing his character to grow even further. This can only help The Rookie in the long run as it continues to focus on the characters it has and build up their interpersonal dynamics.

The Rookie season 7 airs Tuesdays at 9 PM ET on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.

Source: Deadline