S11.E12: Happy Endings

[preeya]

Business becomes personal for Frank and his 1 Police Plaza team when Baker is assaulted on the street, as well as for Erin, when she asks her ex-husband, Jack Boyle (Peter Hermann), to represent a defendant she's prosecuting. Also, Eddie wonders if she's being too stubborn after she publicly undermines one of Jamie's decisions at work, and Danny and Baez investigate the attempted murder of a couple with huge secrets.

[preeya]

8 hours ago, preeya said:

Also, Eddie wonders if she's being too stubborn after she publicly undermines one of Jamie's decisions at work

And this ↑ is exactly why husbands & wives should not be in a boss/subordinate position.

Edited April 17, 2021 by preeya

[magicdog]

I've been missing a few episodes this season so forgive me if something had been introduced prior to this episode as I didn't see it:

Since when did the writers decide to bring back Jack Boyle and a possible reunion with Erin?  It had been established since Season one that he was kind of a jerk and that their marriage dissolving was for the best.  I know IRL some divorced couples do get back together  but it didn't seem like Jack and Erin were one of them.  His in-laws certainly weren't afraid of expressing their dislike of him from the get go.

I did laugh at the "Irish Alzheimer's" joke - although, being of Sicilian descent, I always thought it was Italian Alzheimer's!

The feelings around One PP wee understandable concerning Baker's attack, but I got annoyed when Baker acted as if this wouldn't have happened if she were still on the street.  In case anyone forgot the events of the previous episode, Eddie (in uniform, on the street and probably about 10 years younger than Baker) was attacked twice by the same perp with just one punch!  In the first (or second?) season, Henry was attacked by a perp at an ATM.  He was an old school cop and former Commish and a tough ol' bird, but even he got overpowered.  I don't know why Baker would think being on the street would have made any difference.  I also was annoyed that she refused to take a step back after the attack.  There's no weakness in taking a little time to settle down after a horrific attack (at least she wasn't raped like the other victims).

BTW - didn't the character have a child?  I seem to remember the character mentioning she was having a boy a few seasons ago.  No mention of wanting to be with her family (other than the grandmother Baker was bringing groceries to). 

Eddie was rather personal when she questioned Erin about her divorce as it's none of her business (and occurred long before she became part of the family).   Her parents were divorced so it's not like she couldn't have asked her own mother about it.  I do think it was nice for her to take to heart Erin's advice about not taking one's partner for granted.  All couples should keep that in mind. 

[highway61]

A Baker / Jack episode with Jack at Dinner? To quote Sean Reagan, "I did not see that coming."

I'm glad they've semi-redeemed Jack - Erin must have seen something in him at some point (other than the height and handsomeness). And it gives Anthony and Danny someone to bond over!

I like Baker too, though I wish she got some less victimy episodes (I think her other big part was being harrassed. Oh, and her husband being shot). I could see her over-reacting - "What should I have done differently" sort of thing. 

But how did the gangster's orphan wind up getting adopted by the Assemblyman? Did that get explained?

We got Baez to dinner a couple weeks ago - who's next? 

Edited April 17, 2021 by highway61
remembered more sad times for Baker

[magicdog]

7 minutes ago, highway61 said:

But how did the gangster's orphan wind up getting adopted by the Assemblyman? Did that get explained?

Come to think of it, I don't think it was!  I'll have to do a rewatch.  It must have had to have been a stepdad situation.

[highway61]

6 hours ago, magicdog said:

Eddie was rather personal when she questioned Erin about her divorce as it's none of her business (and occurred long before she became part of the family).   

Erin had invited Eddie to 'girls night/help me with my case' dinner, so I could see Eddie thinking things could be more personal!

[Artsda]

Eddie is behaving like an angry wife when Jamie says something a lot. She needs to be relocated somewhere else or stop acting like that. It's about 3 episodes now she's going after his decisions, anyone else acts like that and they'd be written up.

Do they need new people for dinner? Jack? Unless he's going to be permanent staple in Erin's life didn't see the need, or even choose a dinner that had Nikki at. 

 

Edited April 17, 2021 by Artsda

[Magnumfangirl]

34 minutes ago, Artsda said:

She needs to be relocated somewhere

I wish they'd relocate her to another show; preferably, one I don't watch!

This was a pretty good episode because there were only two stories.  I'm all for an Erin/Jack reunion.  Their scenes together are always entertaining.

Edited April 17, 2021 by Magnumfangirl

[magicdog]

1 hour ago, highway61 said:

Erin had invited Eddie to 'girls night/help me with my case' dinner, so I could see Eddie thinking things could be more personal!

Where I come from, inquiring on someone's divorce specifics (even if they're family) is considered rude, unless the person chooses to bring up the subject on their own.  

[Katy M]

9 hours ago, magicdog said:

Eddie was rather personal when she questioned Erin about her divorce as it's none of her business (and occurred long before she became part of the family). 

Erin didn't seem to mind.  they are family.

 

2 hours ago, highway61 said:

But how did the gangster's orphan wind up getting adopted by the Assemblyman? Did that get explained?

I would imagine his mom married him.

Weren't Jamie and Eddie working different shifts?  Looks like 'over.  She should be in a different precinct.  What's the big deal?  Not like they see each other that much at work, or that they won't see each other at home.  If she is working nights, she could switch to days and they could see each other more often while not working.

this show doesn't make me laugh that much, but Shawn's "It's nice to see you."  "thanks."  "We were told to be on our best behavior." was hilarious.

Nice try with the cover up, Erin.  Eye roll.

Where was Baker's attacker's lawyer during the ID.  I don't see that holding up.  Without a witness too much doubt that she was coached to choose right.

[DanaK]

10 hours ago, magicdog said:

Since when did the writers decide to bring back Jack Boyle and a possible reunion with Erin?  It had been established since Season one that he was kind of a jerk and that their marriage dissolving was for the best.  I know IRL some divorced couples do get back together  but it didn't seem like Jack and Erin were one of them.  His in-laws certainly weren't afraid of expressing their dislike of him from the get go.

I think it was maybe a season or two ago they sort of became exes-with-benefits. Still part of each other's lives but not married or living together.

Fairly interesting stories all around, though I'm not sure how it was ethical for Erin and Jack to be on the same case as opponents (and her asking him to defend one of the defendants). Eddie definitely needs to be in a different precinct as Jamie. Working under him is not really working for them as a couple

[AnnA]

I've always liked Eddie but I'm liking her less and less this season.   This isn't the first time she questioned Jaime's decisions in front of other officers.  It's one thing to bug him at home but quite another to do it in public and it's about time she realized it.

As for Erin and Jack...........I dislike Erin 99% of the time.  The exception being when she's with Jack.  He's able to break through her ice queen persona and make her less bitchy.  

I've been looking at this season with the idea that it's the last one and they're setting us up for the end.  Jack and Erin is a good example.  I doubt we'll see them officially get back together but I do think it will end with that looking like a real possibility.   It might be the same with Danny and Baez.

I expected much more from Baker in this episode.  I don't think they explored her acting chops by writing it the way they did.  She seemed relatively unaffected by the experience.  Where was her husband?  He should have been at the hospital.  Speaking of missing persons, where has Joe been lately?  They introduced a new family member and haven't bothered to include him in the Sunday dinners.   

[kurtz]

54 minutes ago, DanaK said:

I think it was maybe a season or two ago they sort of became exes-with-benefits. Still part of each other's lives but not married or living together.

Fairly interesting stories all around, though I'm not sure how it was ethical for Erin and Jack to be on the same case as opponents (and her asking him to defend one of the defendants). Eddie definitely needs to be in a different precinct as Jamie. Working under him is not really working for them as a couple

Erin and Jack briefly rekindled their intimate relationship in Season 4. (Yeah, that’s an awkward sentence.) I love when Jack shows up because Peter Hermann is such a good actor, and Jack makes Erin bearable. I’d be pleased if they made the relationship permanent, as anything that makes the Reagan men uncomfortable is alright with me. With Younger ending its run (thus freeing Peter Hermann), perhaps we’ll see Jack Boyle return in one or more of this season’s remaining episodes. 

All other flaws aside, this was a stronger episode. The Erin, Danny,  and Jamie storylines were components of the main story, and the Frank/Abigail story held my interest.  

[DanaK]

4 minutes ago, kurtz said:

Erin and Jack briefly rekindled their intimate relationship in Season 4.

Longer ago than I remembered it seems!

[preeya]

1 hour ago, DanaK said:

Since when did the writers decide to bring back Jack Boyle and a possible reunion with Erin? 

I guess he wasn't making enough money doing Persil commercials.  ☺️

[Sarah 103]

12 hours ago, magicdog said:

I've been missing a few episodes this season so forgive me if something had been introduced prior to this episode as I didn't see it:

Since when did the writers decide to bring back Jack Boyle and a possible reunion with Erin?  It had been established since Season one that he was kind of a jerk and that their marriage dissolving was for the best.  I know IRL some divorced couples do get back together  but it didn't seem like Jack and Erin were one of them.  His in-laws certainly weren't afraid of expressing their dislike of him from the get go.

Eddie was rather personal when she questioned Erin about her divorce as it's none of her business (and occurred long before she became part of the family).  Her parents were divorced so it's not like she couldn't have asked her own mother about it.  I do think it was nice for her to take to heart Erin's advice about not taking one's partner for granted.  All couples should keep that in mind. 

Jack is one of the those characters that appears every few seasons. I think Jack and Erin have great chemistry together. Normally, it's better than it was in this episode.

I can understand why Eddie would want to ask Erin about her divorce. I don't know exactly when Eddie's parents divorced, but I always figured it was after the company her father was working for was discovered to be a scam and he went to prison. She knows that's not normal and wanted to hear a story from a more "normal/regular" couple. 

5 hours ago, highway61 said:

I like Baker too, though I wish she got some less victimy episodes (I think her other big part was being harrassed. Oh, and her husband being shot). I could see her over-reacting - "What should I have done differently" sort of thing. 

But how did the gangster's orphan wind up getting adopted by the Assemblyman? Did that get explained?

I agree with you about Baker. In Baker's first big episode "Manhatten Queens," she gets to have a moment of awesome with her research/detective skills. In this one, she felt more like a victim who needed strong men around her to help her and protect her. 

I didn't think the gangster's son was an orphan. I thought his mother was still alive. Maybe his mother married the Assemblyman, but that's just a guess. 

4 hours ago, Magnumfangirl said:

This was a pretty good episode because there were only two stories.  I'm all for an Erin/Jack reunion.  Their scenes together are always entertaining.

Jack and Erin are wonderful together. I'm glad they bring him back every now and then. I get sort of a low key, "can't live with each other, can't live without each other" sort of vibe from the two of them. 

[Gizkok]

I have always wondered why Danny and Linda named their first child Jack, especially since there is such antipathy to Jack Boyle. Perhaps he was born before Jack B came on the scene. Has there ever been another explanation or who he was named for?

[Sake614]

33 minutes ago, Gizkok said:

I have always wondered why Danny and Linda named their first child Jack, especially since there is such antipathy to Jack Boyle. Perhaps he was born before Jack B came on the scene. Has there ever been another explanation or who he was named for?

Erin and Jack were married well before Danny and Linda had their first son. Maybe Jack/John was a family name on Linda’s side. Or maybe they just liked the name. Not sure of the timeline for when Erin and Jack were divorced, but it probably didn’t even occur to Danny/Linda when they were naming their child.

[Evagirl]

I enjoyed this episode better than most, but still...on what planet would they allow a patrol sergeant be the supervisor of his patrol officer wife?

I didn't mind Eddie asking Erin about her divorce - they are family.  But Anthony - no.  He acted like a jealous high school crusher.  Erin should have told HIM - it's none of your business buddy, so stay out of it.  He doesn't have a clue about what happened in Erin & Jack's marriage except what Erin has chosen to tell him.

I think Erin and Jack make a great couple.  It's obvious they both still have feelings for each other and it's also obvious that such attractive people would not be "dateless" for 10 years!  They have more on screen chemistry than Eddie and Jamie IMO.  I don't know why the Reagans are so hard on Jack.  There doesn't appear to be any cheating on his side.  The way Erin tells it, they just grew apart.  Even she said there was no one thing, just a lot of little things that added up.

I thought the Baker plot was a little over the top and that she over acted the part.  Who doesn't take at least a couple of days off after being mugged and kicked in the ribs, and nose broken?  Apparently no one in the Blue Bloods universe.  I'm sure her husband would have demanded she take off at least one day so he could take care of her.  Going back to work the next day after getting out of the hospital made no sense to me.  She should have been sore and stiff from the beating.

As they start wrapping up this show for good, I hope they do let Erin and Jack get back together.  Eddie will get pregnant.  Danny and Baez will hook up and Sean will go off to college.

[Ebau]

8 hours ago, Magnumfangirl said:

I'm all for an Erin/Jack reunion. 

Yeah, me, too. I don't mean to sound sexist, but that woman really needs to get laid. It might help remove the stick that's crammed up her kiester. She was banging the ex when she could get Nicky out of the house once or twice a week several seasons ago. What happened with that, I wonder? 

[Sarah 103]

2 hours ago, Gizkok said:

I have always wondered why Danny and Linda named their first child Jack, especially since there is such antipathy to Jack Boyle. Perhaps he was born before Jack B came on the scene. Has there ever been another explanation or who he was named for?

 I always figured he was named for a different Jack. It's a pretty common name. 

1 hour ago, Evagirl said:

As they start wrapping up this show for good, I hope they do let Erin and Jack get back together.  Eddie will get pregnant.  Danny and Baez will hook up and Sean will go off to college.

The show has been renewed for another season. Sean will be going to college next season. We have no idea if he will be going to college locally or too far away to be part of Sunday dinners. In terms of predictions for next season, I like the idea of Erin and Jack getting back together, even though I know in real life divorced couples almost never get back together. I see Eddie announcing she's pregnant towards the end of the season, or make the entire season about her pregnancy and the child is born in the series' final episodes. 

[Sake614]

https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/blue-bloods-the-reasons-why-erin-and-jack-have-broke-up-before.html/

why Jack and Erin broke up...

Edited April 18, 2021 by Sake614

[Maverick]

 I know there was an episode where Jack comments that Danny was the only one who could tolerate/was civil to Jack.   I'm fairly sure is was stated that Danny's son was named after him too.  So it was surprising to see Danny so hateful to him.   I still don't understand why they all (minus Jamie, I think) hate him so much.   It's not like he did anything to betray her.  By all accounts they just drifted apart.   Maybe they just hated him from the beginning.   I'm surprised he married her if they acted like that when they were dating.

[susannah]

15 hours ago, Evagirl said:

I enjoyed this episode better than most, but still...on what planet would they allow a patrol sergeant be the supervisor of his patrol officer wife?

I didn't mind Eddie asking Erin about her divorce - they are family.  But Anthony - no.  He acted like a jealous high school crusher.  Erin should have told HIM - it's none of your business buddy, so stay out of it.  He doesn't have a clue about what happened in Erin & Jack's marriage except what Erin has chosen to tell him.

I think Erin and Jack make a great couple.  It's obvious they both still have feelings for each other and it's also obvious that such attractive people would not be "dateless" for 10 years!  They have more on screen chemistry than Eddie and Jamie IMO.  I don't know why the Reagans are so hard on Jack.  There doesn't appear to be any cheating on his side.  The way Erin tells it, they just grew apart.  Even she said there was no one thing, just a lot of little things that added up.

I thought the Baker plot was a little over the top and that she over acted the part.  Who doesn't take at least a couple of days off after being mugged and kicked in the ribs, and nose broken?  Apparently no one in the Blue Bloods universe.  I'm sure her husband would have demanded she take off at least one day so he could take care of her.  Going back to work the next day after getting out of the hospital made no sense to me.  She should have been sore and stiff from the beating.

As they start wrapping up this show for good, I hope they do let Erin and Jack get back together.  Eddie will get pregnant.  Danny and Baez will hook up and Sean will go off to college.

 I agree that Baker was trying way too hard to be "tough." I also wish they would give her more to do than to be beat up. Her interactions with Garrett and Sid are often great. I loved the show when they were trying to do each other's work. I agree that Jamie's and Eddie's work dynamic is not too realistic, and I really didn't like her going to Jamie last week to change his mind about reprimanding the guy who was late three times in one week because his wife was pregnant, and I disliked more his changing it. Who would still have a job after being late so often because his wife was throwing up? I didn't like Jamie's and Eddie's interaction this week either, though I really like both the characters. They need to not work together. I have never been an Erin fan, and I loathe Danny. I see how they are setting him and Baez up to be together and I don't like it. Danny has never treated his partners, who have always been women, or anyone else, really, with any respect at all, yet both Baez and Jackie, who I loved, would have walked over broken glass for him. I never have understood that.

[mxc90]

Eddie hasn't earned her points with Frank yet???!!!

(Last episode) She was punched, Frank didn't see her face until family dinner and eager to eat because she was late. Baker gets attacked, Frank is immediately at the hospital to see her and sends a team after her assailant (too bad the team wasn't deployed earlier to assist the 5 previous victims).

Nice try Erin but no one would believe Jack bought a pie at Penn Station.

[Daff]

About the episode when Eddie intervened on the issue of the 3x late to shift officer...

The dialog was rushed (in that frazzled “Eddie” way). The point was, she was elected by her fellow officers as the second in line union steward for the precinct. The acting union officer was off the job at that time (not for just a sick day, but for a bit longer-went to a training or convention-can’t remember). Once the late officer filed a formal, union complaint about the consequences Jamie doled out, Eddie was forced to address it with Jamie. Although she really didn’t want to do it, she ended up feeling sorry for the guy. If she hadn’t given it proper attention, all of her peers would view her as not being able to perform the duties they entrusted to her when they elected her. They would lose faith in her-no secrets or privacy in a precinct, or a union, for that matter. 
 

That said, I often find myself backing this show up frequently. So much meaning, subtext, and implication in the fast dialogue often makes my attention stray from the new scene they’ve just tumbled into. I find I’m still pondering the fallout that might ensue from the last scene. 

[susannah]

8 hours ago, Daff said:

About the episode when Eddie intervened on the issue of the 3x late to shift officer...

The dialog was rushed (in that frazzled “Eddie” way). The point was, she was elected by her fellow officers as the second in line union steward for the precinct. The acting union officer was off the job at that time (not for just a sick day, but for a bit longer-went to a training or convention-can’t remember). Once the late officer filed a formal, union complaint about the consequences Jamie doled out, Eddie was forced to address it with Jamie. Although she really didn’t want to do it, she ended up feeling sorry for the guy. If she hadn’t given it proper attention, all of her peers would view her as not being able to perform the duties they entrusted to her when they elected her. They would lose faith in her-no secrets or privacy in a precinct, or a union, for that matter. 
 

That said, I often find myself backing this show up frequently. So much meaning, subtext, and implication in the fast dialogue often makes my attention stray from the new scene they’ve just tumbled into. I find I’m still pondering the fallout that might ensue from the last scene. 

Yeah, okay. I forgot about Eddie being the acting union steward, but now I am puzzled. So an officer who gets a deserved reprimand makes a complaint against the superior who gave him that reprimand, like a crybaby, and the union rep has to go to the superior and get the guy off the hook? That sounds every kind of wrong. The guy was late 3 times in a week, it was documented, and he had also been late prior to that. What leg would he have to stand on to dispute the reprimand?

[Katy M]

9 hours ago, susannah said:

Yeah, okay. I forgot about Eddie being the acting union steward, but now I am puzzled. So an officer who gets a deserved reprimand makes a complaint against the superior who gave him that reprimand, like a crybaby, and the union rep has to go to the superior and get the guy off the hook? That sounds every kind of wrong. The guy was late 3 times in a week, it was documented, and he had also been late prior to that. What leg would he have to stand on to dispute the reprimand?

Not having a leg to stand on was why he lost.  But, I don't think it was necessarily unreasonable for him to get a hearing when his reasoning was that he was late due to family illness.   I just don't think, and apparently Jamie and the board agree with me, that a wife throwing up rises to the level of husband needing to be late.

And technically he wasn't making a complaint against Jamie he was contesting the punishment.  this is standard in unionized jobs.

[TV Diva Queen]

Jack + Erin 4ever  is where I stand with those two.  

 

 

[susannah]

17 hours ago, Katy M said:

Not having a leg to stand on was why he lost.  But, I don't think it was necessarily unreasonable for him to get a hearing when his reasoning was that he was late due to family illness.   I just don't think, and apparently Jamie and the board agree with me, that a wife throwing up rises to the level of husband needing to be late.

And technically he wasn't making a complaint against Jamie he was contesting the punishment.  this is standard in unionized jobs.

I agree also that pregnancy nausea should not be equated with a real illness, as uncomfortable as it is, unless it was severe and she was being treated for it or something.

[zapper]

bit late to the punch on this episode, but a few comments.

First off, any one who did not see the collision course Erin and Jack have been on for 5 seasons is just not paying attention, or perhaps has no love for Jack - certainly the family has not love for him, but what did he do in the first place? Mrs and I have been binge watching Season 1 this past fortnight and Jack from day one is presented as a suspect person with no redeamable features. The first time we see mention of him, Erin is in knots because he took Nicky to SanFran and there was definitely the vibe that this would be an opportunity for Jack to make a run with Nicky.

If you consider that this is a very Catholic family, any reconciliation of a divorce is a good thing (tm).  Even if you don't like the ex, sanctity of marriage is a sacrement and accepting despised Jack at the table fits with the story of this family. Full disclosure - I am not Catholic, but I do understand the mindset.

I liked the three stories model and how Jamie/Eddie's intersected with Erin's. 

I thought that Baker's story was a great unspoken example of mis-directed anger. Once again BB does not hit us over the head (yes, somethimes they do ...) and demonstrates the behaviour without calling it out. Baker was furious with herself (didn't watch her 6, couldn't get her gun out, didn't fight back enough) and took that anger out on those trying to help her and in overcompensating. When Garret got swatted he was off for what seemed like a few days. 

And where was her husband at the hospital? Often when Frank makes a visit he meets the spouse and makes comforting things at them. Not for Baker's husband.

I like how Frank and Baker worked out her staying on, but it seemed like a familiar trope - have we seen it before on BB?

Overall a good episode.

[Neiman]

I like Jack and hope they keep him around a bit longer by giving him more screen time.

I never have cared for Eddie.  If they must include her work on the job, I wish they'd transfer her away from Jamie.  

[magicdog]

On 4/23/2021 at 11:14 AM, zapper said:

Mrs and I have been binge watching Season 1 this past fortnight and Jack from day one is presented as a suspect person with no redeemable features. The first time we see mention of him, Erin is in knots because he took Nicky to SanFran and there was definitely the vibe that this would be an opportunity for Jack to make a run with Nicky.

ITA!  I always had the image that their marriage dissolution was for the best and they had a legit reason to stay divorced.  The fact that her family admitted they never really liked him seemed to cement that fact.  Now they're making him out to be misunderstood and that they do belong together. At least the rest of the adults are still allowed to openly dislike him instead of claiming they were wrong or jumped to irrational conclusions.

Quote

And where was her husband at the hospital? 

Not to mention her son - who must be at least 5 or 6 by now?