Blue Bloods fans would have preferred a world where their favorite police procedural lasted as long as Law & Order, but a 14-season run was still commendable (more than 99% of shows ever achieve). Even better, CBS hasn’t slammed the door shut on the cop drama’s fictional world. A spinoff, Boston Blue (we wonder why an offshoot didn’t come sooner), starring Donnie Wahlberg’s character, Danny Reagan, is reported to be in development. If it’s a success, we can expect even more post-retirement babies.
Praised by real-life law enforcement institutions for its accuracy, the parent series — centering on the Reagan family (most of them cops) — will forever be remembered as one of the most flawless television productions. Of the 293 episodes, none scored lower than 7/10 on IMDb, confirming that fans loved everything they saw. But which episodes of the Tom Selleck-led CBS show really stand out?
“This Way Out”
Season 3, Episode 23
“This Way Out,” the Season 3 finale, opens on a high note, with Mayor Poole getting shot during a town hall meeting. As gang activity in the city rises, acting Mayor Grace Newhouse vows to get Chief Frank Reagan fired if he doesn’t clean up the Bitterman Projects within the next few weeks. The clock thus starts to tick. Will he get the job done?
Fighting Fire with Fire
Blue Bloods is often at its best when characters are pushed to the limit, and Frank is in such a corner this time. His principles dictate that he should negotiate with the gangs, but force seems to be the only logical way, so a fun morality versus pragmatism battle plays out. In the end, he organizes raids on the Bitterman Project, but the move leaves viewers wondering what his mental framework will look like following the choice. A great way to make everyone eager for the next season.
“The Bitter End”
Season 3, Episode 22
Right above “This Way Out” is Season 3’s penultimate episode, “The Bitter Feud,” which also shocks viewers in the opening minutes. When Vinny and Jamie venture into the Bitterman housing projects to answer a call for help, a young mother who wants to be free from the shackles of gang life commits suicide in front of her infant son. Later, Santana, the leader of the Los Lordes gang, declares war on the NYPD, a move that causes Vinny’s death in an ambush.
Something Needs To Be Done
Shock and grief are always powerful tools in storytelling, and “This Way Out” uses both to great effect. Away from that, Danny gets proper character development. His moral complexity is expounded on, and his burgeoning partnership with Baez gets a nice gloss. Above all, the episode highlights the challenges that gang activity often poses in local communities. The first scene feels straight out of a horror movie, but we are reminded that such frustrations aren’t alien. Even better, suspense is utilized to wrap up the events.
“Justifies the Means”
Season 11, Episode 16
The Donnie Brasco-type plot in “Justifies the Means” involves the Reagan family dealing with a mob threat. Joe is undercover, but his cover might be blown. As Frank wonders whether he should pull his grandson out or send him deeper into hell, Danny and Jamie team up to protect the man. Will Joe get out safe?
Joe “Pistone” Hill?
There had been signs that the conflagration of mob activity had begun to engulf the city, but “Justifies the Means” takes it to a whole new level. Everything works this time around. The writers design the dialogue both to inculcate and to overwhelm. Technical phrases abound, lending a nourishing and glutinous texture to the conversations. And the action is quite good, too. Put a keen ear out for Frank and Garrett’s operational strategy talks.
“Partners”
Season 3, Episode 17
“Partners” has Danny Reagan and Maria Baez looking into the murder of a wealthy man with ties to drug trafficking. Before they can make any real progress, DEA Agent John Collins demands to take over. Angry, Danny starts questioning the agent’s motives. Elsewhere, Erin is offered a high-profile case concerning an ex-cop and corruption.
Inter-Agency Feud
There are some Emmy-worthy performances in “Partners.” Marisa Ramirez is a standout as the frustrated but relentlessly optimistic Maria, and Wahlberg also registers strongly as her bitter, frustrated, and conflicted partner. At this point, jurisdictional conflict has become an annoying trope in movies and TV shows, yet Blue Bloods is somehow able to use it decently. It’s refreshing because it’s the DEA, not the FBI, badging in, taking over, and acting like everyone was doing a poor job all along. Additionally, the annoying Copaganda that often accompanies the trope in other screen productions isn’t present.
“Something Blue”
Season 9, Episode 22
“Something Blue,” the Season 9 finale, finds the Reagan family preparing for Jamie and Eddie’s long-awaited wedding. Eddie has doubts, though, wondering whether marrying Jamie will ruin her law enforcement career. At the same time, Danny and Erin do their best to navigate the pressure leading up to the mega event.
Love Is Blue
Despite its melodramatic tone and rom-com nature of the plot, “Something Blue” remains technically impressive and, for viewers of any background, utterly enthralling. There are catchy songs, great words of advice, and marvelous views all around. On a satisfaction scale, the episode scores high marks because it gives viewers what they’ve been waiting for all along. It also serves as a necessary break, whisking us all away from the grueling aspects of police work and into the joys of family.
“The Blue Templar”
Season 1, Episode 22
The Reagans set off on an unusual quest in “The Blue Templar” — marching toward evil rather than running away from it — armed with guns and the law. Vowing to get revenge on the Blue Templar (secret police organization responsible for Joe Reagan’s death), they dig deep and hard. It gets dangerous, and a dramatic showdown even ensues, but they emerge victorious.
Justice for Joe
As the head of the family, Frank is more animalistic and voracious than he has ever been, while Erin conveys exquisite yearning as the person pulling the strings on the legal side of things. Like the family, fans get closure. Watching the entire family join hands for a mission is also euphoric; they tend to take a splinter approach. The final scene where the Reagan family visits the graves of their fallen family members is quite heartwarming, too.
“The Art of War”
Season 6, Episode 22
A gang ambush leaves Linda critically injured in “The Art of War.” Furious, Danny considers the raw approach, but Frank calms down, insisting on the importance of not breaking any laws. As Danny and Baez go after the shooters, Jamie and Eddie try to extinguish gang activity on the streets. Everything seems difficult at first, but great progress is made towards the closing minutes.
They Messed with the Wrong One
Shocking intro? Personal stakes? “The Art of War” builds a solid enough foundation to keep viewers glued for the rest of the episode. Beyond that, each member of the ensemble gets used to the best of their abilities, so you are left satisfied no matter who your favorite is. Away from that, the Frank Vs Danny arc serves as a lesson on masculinity. Calmness beats rage every time, yet we are reminded that Frank’s mannerisms aren’t easy to learn. Experience could be the only teacher.
“End of Tour”
Season 14, Episode 22
No one ever had doubts that the series finale was going to be explosive. For the final adventure, New York’s gangs unite, demanding proper justice for imprisoned members. Danny and Maria also investigate the murder of a judge, realizing that the incident is also linked to gangs. Then Badillo is fatally wounded after responding to a carjacking. On the family side of things, Erin reunites with Jack, resulting in a marriage proposal. Finally, the Reagans have one last dinner where Eddie reveals she’s pregnant.
It’s a Wrap
“End of Tour” has the sour clarity and the aromatic exhilaration of fresh perceptions arrived at after a long struggle, and the viewer enjoys it not only for itself — it truly is engrossing from the first shot to last — but as a closure for all the main characters, who, at this point have hit their peak and are now just cruising on it. What’s next for Tom Selleck? After Magnum P.I. and Blue Bloods, we hope he finds himself in yet another procedural. We need more Jesse Stone, too.
“Family Secrets”
Season 10, Episode 19
Big news in “Family Secrets.” Apparently, the late Joe Reagan fathered a son, Joe Hill, who is now a freshly recruited NYPD officer. Interesting times! Frank insists on investigating the matter quietly first and discovers it’s all true. After a plot involving a drug dealer, Joe Hill is introduced to the family at dinner.
Welcome, Joe!
Ordinarily, members of the Reagan family personify a settled, assured aura, without a trace of mawkishness and falsehood. It’s thus shocking to find out that there is another Reagan out there that no one ever knew about. Still, it makes for an interesting plot. Most importantly, it captures the true spirit of Blue Bloods. Forget the Fast & Furious fellas, Frank and his clan love family more than anyone else, and they remind everyone of that fact here. “If this is true, it changes everything. But it doesn’t change who we are,” says Frank to the Archbishop.
“My Aim Is True”
Season 8, Episode 22
Law enforcement members are put on high alert in “My Aim Is True” due to a series of drive-by shootings targeting friends and family of those who locked up the Prospect Park Six (a group of men recently exonerated following a wrongful conviction). Fear crawls into the Reagan family, with concerns that one of them might be targeted. Jamie and Eddie later reveal their engagement to the family.
A Costly Mistake
It’s in the DNA of season finales to be emotionally powerful, we suppose. The heroes run into fearsome obstacles, unexpected scenarios, and fire-breathing danger, which they somehow overcome easily before moving on to face fresh perils and thrills. But nothing is overcome easily here. “My Aim Is True” attains a heightened sense of tension, urgency, and menace throughout its running time, as the lines blur between fear and cowardice. We’ve never seen the officers this worried, but such emotions make them more human and relatable to the ordinary viewer. Overall, the episode is quite emotional thanks to numerous crucial scenes, such as Danny’s visit to Linda’s grave, where he confesses his solitude. We also have a proper critique of the justice system’s flaws.
- Release Date
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2010 – 2024
- Network
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CBS
- Directors
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David Barrett, Ralph Hemecker, Alex Zakrzewski, Robert Harmon, John Behring, Alex Chapple, Jackeline Tejada, Douglas Aarniokoski, Eric Laneuville, Michael Pressman, John Polson, Heather Cappiello, Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Jennifer Opresnick, Peter Werner, Donald E. Thorin Jr., Frederick King Keller, Bridget Moynahan, Dean White, Deran Sarafian, James Whitmore Jr., Martha Mitchell, Rachel Feldman, Robert Duncan McNeill
- Writers
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Siobhan Byrne O’Connor, Brian Burns, Kevin Wade, Robin Green, Kevin Riley, Jack Ciapciak, Thomas Kelly, Diana Son, Van B. Nguyen, Dawn DeNoon, Willie Reale, Bryan Goluboff, Julie Hébert, Mark Rosner, Vanessa Rojas, David Black, Ed Zuckerman, Gwendolyn M. Parker, Ken Sanzel, Seth Pearlman, Amanda Green, Ben Cummings, Orson Cummings, James Nuciforo