Summary

• Tamara Colins was a vital character in The Rookie, humanizing cops and bringing needed change to the show's dynamics.
• Dylan Conrique's reduced screen time is due to budget constraints, not because her character, Tamara, was axed from the show.
• Dylan Conrique enjoys acting on The Rookie but doesn't mind the off time, as she values time for her music career as well.

The Rookie cop series added a fan-favorite character, Tamara Colins, in the earlier season. However, in the latest episodes of season 6, she has been appearing less and less, leading many fans to think the character has been axed from the show. However, that is not the case. Tamara Colins, played by Dylan Conrique, is a vital character in the show.

Apart from bringing some much-needed change from the monotonous cop-investigative style of the show, she humanizes many of the cops on The Rookie. Colins was sort of adopted by one of the rookie's Lucy Chen after Tamara stole Lucy's car. So, why has Dylan Conrique's The Rookie character been seen less in recent episodes?

Let's take a look at the real reason why we’ve not been seeing much of Tamara Colins and whether Dylan Conrique left the show for good.

When Did Tamara Colins First Appear On The Rookie?

Dylan Conrique joined the cast of The Rookie in season 3, episode 2, “In Justice,” and, ever since, has been one of the main supporting characters. In the episode, Lucy Chen’s car gets stolen, and while on patrol with her training officer, Tim Bradford, they spot it on the side of the road. When they go to check on it, they find Tamara inside. At first, Tamara tries to run but is unsuccessful when Lucy catches up to her. During a short interrogation, Lucy finds out Tamara not only stole her car, but she fixed the broken locks and has been sleeping inside it.

Bradford finds a teddy bear belonging to Tamara and Lucy gives it back to her, slowly developing a connection with the teenager. Lucy Chen decides to let Tamara Colins go and not press charges, seeing as she is just a teen trying to get by, and offers to take her to a shelter instead of jail.

But Tamara ultimately refuses, arguing the shelters are not safe, and she’s been stolen from there a few times. When Dylan Conrique’s character says she needs somewhere near school, Lucy Chen (played by Melissa O'Neil) tries to figure out how to help her.

By the end of the episode, Lucy gifts her run-down car to Tamara since she has no place to stay since her parents died long ago. On one condition, as long as she texts her daily to ensure she's safe.

"Once a day until you're off the streets, or no deal."

Lucy also plans to talk to social services to get Tamara a permanent place to live, beginning their long sister-like relationship on the show. However, things don't go as planned, and shortly after, Tamara ends up selling Lucy's car for $4,000 and buys herself a new computer and some new clothes.

Why Tamara Colins Is Missing From The Rookie

Tamara frequently appeared on The Rookie and engages with the rest of the cast, bringing light-heartedness to an otherwise bleak show. In season 4, Tamara got closer to Lucy when she moved in with her and West, and we got to see Dylan Conrique's character more on the show. When Lucy Chen’s roommate, Jackson West, is killed, she offers Tamara the chance to move in with her, since it would be the safest place for her to be, as she completes her high-school education and goes off to college.

Since then, Tamara had become a regular part of The Rookie until season 6, when fans noticed she hardly appeared in the episodes. Tamara Colins’ first appearance in season 6 was a brief moment in episode 4, “The Vow.” Tamara’s appearances on the show have been reduced, not because she’s been axed from the show, but because The Rookie added more supporting characters that would increase the show’s budget.

The show already has ten main cast members and frequently adds new faces, like Angel Parker’s Luna Grey, Bridget Regan as Monica Stevens and Brent Huff’s Officer Smitty. This means the show would have to pay more if Tamara Colins kept up her regular appearances. Despite her reduced time on The Rookie, Dylan Conrique doesn’t mind having time to herself because it means she can focus more on her growing music career. During a Q&A session with "Ones to Watch," Conrique shared that acting takes up much of her time.

“I usually have the weekends off, which is really nice, and I can just do whatever I need for myself. When I’m acting, it’s full attention to that at that moment, and after, I can go back to singing.”

Fans can rest assured that Dylan Conrique’s character will not be going anywhere anytime soon, as she loves working with The Rookie cast.

“Being on The Rookie has been amazing because I’m learning from actors on the show, which is really cool, but I’m also just having fun while acting. I love being able to play a different character. It’s easy to snap into it.”

The Importance Of Tamara Colins’ Character On The Rookie

Tamara Colins was among the first supporting characters to join the show outside the LAPD precinct cast. Unlike the first seasons, which solely focused on the cops and their deadly encounters with criminals, the show tried to expand its perspective on the community that the patrol officers served. When Tamara moved in with Lucy Chen, their adorable dynamic brought a breath of fresh air to The Rookie.

Tamara is important to Lucy, as shown by her appearances in seasons 3, 4, and 5. Lucy who is often guarded with her cop friends, opens up to the young girl. Especially when Lucy begins dating Tim Bradford, Tamara acts as a reasonable sounding board, not to mention her cheeky interactions with Lucy and Tim during their relationship. Since Lucy has a complicated relationship with her parents, Tamara is practically the closest thing she has to family outside her police workmates.

So, apart from being a pillar of strength to Lucy Chen, Tamara Collins is a lovable character who fans always want to see more of on the show. But many understand she would want to pursue more of her music career. One fan said on a Reddit thread about the show, "I'm conflicted because I want Tamara, but I also always want more music from Dylan."