S11.E02: In the Name of the Father

[Jaded]

Quote

Danny and Jamie combine forces to convict a notorious drug lord, as Erin nervously awaits the Governor’s selection for the new District Attorney. Also, Frank and his grandson, Joe Hill (Will Hochman), face a difficult decision as they navigate their new and complicated family ties

 

[preeya]

I guess Erin just didn't fit the narrative. Just sayin.

I like Bonnie Sommerville.

Det. Joe Hill should become a regular.

[cameron]

Is the actress that plays Abigail pregnant or just had a baby?

[preeya]

1 hour ago, cameron said:

Is the actress that plays Abigail pregnant or just had a baby?

According to IMDB, she has one son but it doesn't say when she gave birth or if she's currently with child.

[kurtz]

Two episodes in, the writing is better this season than last, and maybe the season before it. My biggest beef was that four storylines per episode are two many, so having three is a big improvement. I get why Jamie is sharing storylines with Danny as they are shooting more footage at less locations (COVID), and I like it. 
 

It could have been clearer as to why the DA was booted. But other than that, I thought this episode is worthy of a future rewatch. I really like Joe Hill (Will Hochmann) and I hope his integration into the show as the Regan grandson/nephew remains organic and not forced. The scenes with him and his mom at family dinner seemed to be a shoutout to our ongoing commentary on the dinner table scenes. 
 

 

[3 is enough]

So Erin doesn't get to be D.A.  Father and grandfather became Police Commissioners, two brothers got to be detectives, one brother became a Sergeant, but she doesn't get the big promotion?  Why?  

 I can see where the writers would want to show that not everyone whose name is Reagan will automatically get the top prize, but of course, it has to be the only female member of the family who falls short.  

And how realistic would hiring a new D.A. from out of state be in the real world?  I know in my state they are elected, so it would not happen.

[cameron]

39 minutes ago, preeya said:

According to IMDB, she has one son but it doesn't say when she gave birth or if she's currently with child.

Thanks.  I remembered when she was pregnant before; she just looks heavier to me now.

 

[Magnumfangirl]

21 minutes ago, 3 is enough said:

And how realistic would hiring a new D.A. from out of state be in the real world?  I know in my state they are elected, so it would not happen.

I think she was named "acting D.A" , but I agree that its unrealistic that someone from another state would get the nod.   

[preeya]

33 minutes ago, 3 is enough said:

So Erin doesn't get to be D.A.  Father and grandfather became Police Commissioners, two brothers got to be detectives, one brother became a Sergeant, but she doesn't get the big promotion?  Why?  

 I can see where the writers would want to show that not everyone whose name is Reagan will automatically get the top prize, but of course, it has to be the only female member of the family who falls short.  

She (the new DA) was chosen to fit in line with current political/social reasons and to reek havoc on Frank and the NYPD. Imagine when she and Whoopie join forces.

I wouldn't want to be Frank's or Erin's shoes when that happens.

Edited December 12, 2020 by preeya

[DanaK]

I too often find Frank ponderous and grouchy, but I like how he lights up around his newly found grandson Joe

[mtlchick]

3 hours ago, kurtz said:

Two episodes in, the writing is better this season than last, and maybe the season before it. My biggest beef was that four storylines per episode are two many, so having three is a big improvement. I get why Jamie is sharing storylines with Danny as they are shooting more footage at less locations (COVID), and I like it. 
 

It could have been clearer as to why the DA was booted. 
 

 

I was pretty confused as to what was going on with the DA though the actor himself is now on Evil on CBS so guess they needed an quick exit for him due to availability. 
 

I will say that one good thing coming out of COVID is that the writers have to be more creative in storytelling because nyc location shooting is getting much harder (for example they can no longer shoot close to restaurants since they can have outdoor dining into the streets and have to limit the amount of production trucks.) Will mentioned that he has been shooting a lot more with Donnie as a result. 

And they actually did a call back to the one family dinner at the hospital! Progress! 

[Magnumfangirl]

The discussion at dinner was a little too meta for my tastes.  Plus, some of them have missed dinner at various times (Jamie missed when Vinny Cruz was killed).

[EtheltoTillie]

10 hours ago, 3 is enough said:

So Erin doesn't get to be D.A.  Father and grandfather became Police Commissioners, two brothers got to be detectives, one brother became a Sergeant, but she doesn't get the big promotion?  Why?  

 I can see where the writers would want to show that not everyone whose name is Reagan will automatically get the top prize, but of course, it has to be the only female member of the family who falls short.  

And how realistic would hiring a new D.A. from out of state be in the real world?  I know in my state they are elected, so it would not happen.

They’re elected in NY too. This is just odd. I know it’s an appointment for acting DA but I can’t remember any outsider being brought in under such circumstances. 

Edited December 13, 2020 by GussieK

[EtheltoTillie]

I thought this episode was not as good as the last but I appreciated the Joe Hill storyline. I don’t think it made sense that Jamie and Eddie were brought in on the mobster takedown. 

Now here’s my nitpick. Danny goes all grammar police on that kid’s ass, correcting him for his double negative. Then in the very next scene he commits a huge howler, telling the mobster that he feels “badly” for him. 

[Sarah 103]

11 hours ago, kurtz said:

Two episodes in, the writing is better this season than last, and maybe the season before it. My biggest beef was that four storylines per episode are two many, so having three is a big improvement.

I agree. Three storylines was more manageable. I liked it when the format was a Frank storyline, a Danny storyline, and a third storyline that went to Jamie or Erin. Sometimes the character who did not have the third storyline would be part of the Frank or Danny storyline.

I like Joe as a new character. I can't wait to see what happens.

[Maverick]

Joe seems ok but I cannot stand his mother.  She keeps going behind his back interfering with his job, trying to block him from knowing his family.  It's not Joe or the Regan's fault she decided to have a kid and hide his paternity but she runs around like they're all out to get her if they don't blue down to her wishes. 

 I don't understand how the reporter found out.  Joe Sr isn't on the birth certificates is he?   And how did Baker know?   Was she told in the season finale or are we supposed to assume she used her detective skills / female intuition (some neither of the guys puzzled it out) to figure it out herself?

[Woodrose]

The take down of the current DA came out of the blue for me. Have I missed something? 

It's completely unrealistic, but I'm fine with Jamie and Eddie serving as backup uniformed officers to Danny and Baez. Makes for good stories and interactions between our characters, and doesn't spread them out into too many storylines.

Joe's a keeper. He runs as fast as Danny!

I like Anthony. 'You get that I'm a detective, right?' The best part of this episode was Erin hiding out in his office and him finding her there. 

Agree with others that it is unrealistic to bring in someone from out of state to be the acting DA. Most attorneys have only passed the Bar in one state, for starters. How can she pop in and start enforcing the laws of New York as top dog from day one?

Edited December 13, 2020 by Woodrose

[Sake614]

Does the show have new writers? Because as others have said, two episodes in and the writing is vastly superior to the last several. I really enjoyed this episode, especially Joe’s story. I agree that his mother needs to stop trying to prevent him from knowing the Reagans, and don’t understand what she has against them? He’s a grown man, fully capable of making his own decisions. He went to Frank and said he doesn’t want to be the poster boy, just wants to get back to work. Done. If he doesn’t want to be part of the family, that too is his choice. But mommy needs to zip it already. No one knew except the immediate family and Baker. No one was going to know unless Joe made it known. If Joe Sr. Wasn’t listed as the father, there’s no known connection to uncover. So I can’t fathom where a reporter got the information.

as soon as I saw who the other DA candidate was, it was a foregone conclusion that Erin would not be chosen. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing but I can’t remember a single time when a NY District Attorney was NOT from NY. Is this woman even licensed to practice law in NYS? And were there absolutely no qualified Black women in the entire city who could have been chosen instead?

Loved Erin hiding out in Anthony’s office lol! And I really like her new assistant blocking Danny and even Anthony from going in when Erin told her NO visitors. 😀 

[Sarah 103]

On 12/13/2020 at 1:25 AM, Woodrose said:

 Most attorneys have only passed the Bar in one state, for starters. How can she pop in and start enforcing the laws of New York as top dog from day one?
 

There are lawyers who have passed the Bar in multiple states. It is possible that she could have passed the New York State Bar and The Georgia State Bar (I think she was from Georgia).

[Woodrose]

23 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

There are lawyers who have passed the Bar in multiple states. It is possible that she could have passed the New York State Bar and The Georgia State Bar (I think she was from Georgia).

Let's hope the fictional interviewers were thorough and made sure the new fictional DA has passed the bar in New York, else she'll be practicing law without a license 😉

On 12/14/2020 at 6:56 AM, Sake614 said:

If he doesn’t want to be part of the family, that too is his choice. But mommy needs to zip it already. No one knew except the immediate family and Baker. No one was going to know unless Joe made it known. If Joe Sr. Wasn’t listed as the father, there’s no known connection to uncover. So I can’t fathom where a reporter got the information.

Frank said at the dinner table that the reporter had gotten a certain birth certificate, and the press now knows who Joe is. But the earlier episode made it clear Joe did not know who his father was until his Mom told him after talking with Frank. Which implies Joe had never seen his own birth certificate, which apparently lists Joe Reagan as the father. But Joe's Mom said he had asked her a million times who his father is -- surely he checked his own birth certificate at some point. And wouldn't he have had to submit his birth certificate when applying to the academy or applying for a driver's license? So...this doesn't make too much sense.

Agree that Joe's Mom is not an appealing character. She did wrong by her son, preventing him from knowing his father. There should be simmering anger at her.

Edited December 15, 2020 by Woodrose

[TV Diva Queen]

re the new DA - yes they're elected, but when there's a vacancy they get appointed.  If the new Acting DA doesn't have a New York license - her appointment would be contingent on her getting her NY license.  Its not like she is arguing cases in court - anything that would need her signature would be signed by her Deputy. I think  the out of state choice is supposed to be "Lets get an outsider in here to clean up this corruption" cry

I read somewhere that because of covid - last season we missed a few episodes and that's why we are missing information and they're glossing over some things.  I think the ouster of the DA maybe could have been one.  I was really confused.  

[magicdog]

On 12/14/2020 at 6:56 AM, Sake614 said:

I really enjoyed this episode, especially Joe’s story. I agree that his mother needs to stop trying to prevent him from knowing the Reagans, and don’t understand what she has against them? He’s a grown man, fully capable of making his own decisions. He went to Frank and said he doesn’t want to be the poster boy, just wants to get back to work. Done. If he doesn’t want to be part of the family, that too is his choice. But mommy needs to zip it already. No one knew except the immediate family and Baker. No one was going to know unless Joe made it known. If Joe Sr. Wasn’t listed as the father, there’s no known connection to uncover. So I can’t fathom where a reporter got the information.

This!

Ever since the character was introduced, I despised her!  Unless the family was dangerous or destructive, there was no reason to keep Joe, Sr or the other Reagans from knowing about the baby.  Sure, she didn't have to marry Joe (which would have been the thing to do in decades past), but he deserved to know he had a son and be a part of his life.  She seemed so blase about telling Frank that she had an affair with Joe and didn't see him as the love of her life.  It was as if she's casual about it all!  She really did her son a disservice.

I wish we could see more of Joe, Jr.  and his interactions with the rest of the family. 

ETA: If Joe Reagan's name were not on the birth certificate, I'd chalk it up to either loose lips or someone overhearing the information.

Edited April 17, 2021 by magicdog