Eric Winter teases romance, chaos, and growth in “The Rookie’s” Valentine’s Day episode on

NEW YORK — This Valentine’s Day, love and danger are both in the air on ‘s “The Rookie.”

You’ll get explosive drama as well as emotional fireworks in Monday night’s episode, and that’s especially true for fan favorite couple “Chenford,” of course made up of Lucy Chen and Tim Bradford.

For Eric Winter, who has played Tim Bradford since day one, the episode offers another glimpse at how far his character has come, and how relationships continue to challenge him in unexpected ways.

“It’s been incredible,” Winter said. “As an actor, to be able to get a role like Tim Bradford, he’s been so complicated and just challenging as an individual from day one. To see his growth, it’s been one of the best evolutions on the show for sure.”

From the gruff training officer audiences first met in season one to a man now navigating what seems to be true love, Tim’s journey has been shaped by years of layered storytelling. Winter credits series creator Alexi Hawley and the writers for constantly finding new sides of his character.

“We’re still peeling back layers every single year,” he said. “I’m just excited and surprised every year to see what we’re going to peel back next.”

The Valentine’s Day episode leans into something relatable for many and unsurprising for fans: Tim Bradford is not great at gifts.

“Not every guy, in particular, is great about figuring out presents for their partner,” Winter said. “And Tim is definitely not that person that thinks in advance.”

While Tim does try to get it right for Lucy, the episode shows him struggling, and even leaning on his sister for advice, before ultimately landing on something meaningful.

“In the end, he does nail it in a really cool, fun way,” Winter said. “But you see that struggle about what to do.”

For fans of Chenford, it’s another milestone in a relationship that has taken on a life of its own.

“It’s by far the biggest ship all over social media that I’ve ever been a part of,” Winter said. “It’s taken on a life of its own worldwide. We have an incredible fandom that just continues to build this show every season.”

Aside from the romance, there’s still plenty of action this episode and this season as a whole.

“There’s an explosion and there’s a lot that happens,” he said, adding that while the show tends to “button up the craziness” within each episode, the emotional impact carries forward. “There are some changes and some things that are going to take place, but I think everybody’s going to be excited for what’s to come.”

Meantime, off screen, Winter is juggling more than just long days on set. In addition to acting, he’s also a co-founder of Palm Republic Rum, a premium sipping rum inspired by years of travel and family influence.

“My wife’s Puerto Rican, and I got introduced to rum about 20 years ago,” he said. “I loved the complexity of it, and our mission is to elevate the rum space.”

Winter admits balancing a hit TV show, a growing brand, and family life takes effort.

“It’s a juggling act,” he said. “I have great support from my wife and my kids. This has been a passion of mine, not just a celebrity project.”

You can watch new episodes of “The Rookie” Monday nights at 10 p.m. ET on and streaming the next day on Hulu.