S11.E14: The New You

[preeya]

S11.E14: The New You

Frank and the Deputy Commisioner of Press Information, Garrett Moore, quarrel when Garrett refuses to walk back a quote he provided to a local newspaper. Also, Danny and Baez discover a connection to a feud between local residents and city sponsored hotels for the homeless while investigating a hug, Anthony is mistaken for a mafioso and Eddie pressures Jamie to take a love language quiz.

[preeya]

This episode must have been written by a high school freshman who is failing the script writing section of the school's curriculum. Some of the dialogue was making me cringe.

[susannah]

I have seen Danny walk into Erin's office often, and immediately start harassing Anthony. He dislikes Anthony, or anyone he can't control or dominate. Every single time Erin tells the two of them to stop arguing. WHY doesn't she tell DANNY to treat Anthony with respect, especially in his own office? Then Danny throwing a tantrum at Sunday dinner because he didn't get his way. I loathe Danny, and he is the worst hot dog, my way, period, kind of cop. His pulling Baez off the phone while she was talking to the victim's mother and says "what HE is doing is important." He also brought Baez leftovers and apologized for leaving her at the precinct. He never cared that Jackie was there working while he was at dinner, or brought her leftovers. It looks like Jamie and Eddie arguing at the precinct is going to be a weekly thing. She seems to have little clue as to what is appropriate there. They need to stop working together. The whole bit with Garrett and Frank was pointless and silly.

[mtlchick]

This episode was nothing but filler.

-The "love language" between Eddie and Jamie was idiotic.

-Danny and Baez's case was sort of going somewhere only to lead toward someone based on the fact she was seen hugging the victim who happened to have mental issues.  If I was Elon, I would be pretty pissed I was harassed that much. 

-Garrett being told to "walk back comments" about...what exactly?  Outside of the headline, they were not specific as to what he said.  

-The weird argument between Danny and Anthony about the former's hair and the latter's weight.

The only laugh I got was Erin saying Anthony looked like a baseball umpire. 

Here's hoping for a good 2 hour finale because this was HORRIBLE.

 

[Magnumfangirl]

I hate Eddie.  That is all.

[kurtz]

All filler; no thriller.

The Freshman drama class analogy mentioned above is spot-on. This was awful - maybe the worst Blue Bloods episode ever. The dialogue was 30s screwball comedies rapid rat-a-tat-tat rhythm, and was woefully out of place. 

I can’t say enough negative things about the entire Jamie/Eddie storyline. I’ll save my breath and stop on this storyline. If you’re thinking it, then I am too. 

The Anthony mistaken for a mobster story was pointless.  

Sid got in a good line or two directed at Garrett. Other than that, I can’t say I liked anything about this episode  

This episode was so bad that future me refuses to even hate-watch it in reruns. 
 

[AnnA]

I agree with everyone who thought this episode was horrible.   The really sad part is that there's been bad writing on so many other shows as well, e.g., the entire Chicago series.    What happened to the TV writers?   I know home delivery of everything and anything is booming since the pandemic but I have a hard time believing TV script writers quit their jobs to become delivery men/women.  

Once upon a time I really liked Eddie but not anymore.  She's been insufferable this season.   

The idea of Anthony being mistaken for a mobster could have been a good storyline but they blew it.   I'm so disappointed.

Even though it was less than 24 hours ago, the details of Danny's case escape me.  I know my memory isn't what it used to be but it's not that bad.  I just wasn't paying attention because the episode didn't hold my interest.

Edited May 8, 2021 by AnnA

[wonderwoman]

no need to pile on about the ridiculous writing. but, what the hell is going on with the lighting — or more specifically, the lack thereof? every scene is so dark, it’s sometimes to recognize the setting of characters.

did some forget to pay the electric bill? 

[AnnA]

47 minutes ago, wonderwoman said:

no need to pile on about the ridiculous writing. but, what the hell is going on with the lighting — or more specifically, the lack thereof? every scene is so dark, it’s sometimes to recognize the setting of characters.

did some forget to pay the electric bill? 

I agree with you about the lighting.   It happens all too frequently on Blue Bloods.  That said, I think there is a need to pile on about the ridiculous writing.    I'd much rather sing their praises for a well written script.  Hopefully, that will happen again.

[Msample]

Given Steven Schirippa's role on THE SOPRANOS they really could have had some fun with his storyline - and he gets so few of his own since the Reagans seem to be the main focus . Hell, get a former SOPRANOS actor on there as well - they were mostly NY locals anyways. Instead his story just fizzled. 

[mtlchick]

20 minutes ago, Msample said:

Hell, get a former SOPRANOS actor on there as well - they were mostly NY locals anyways. Instead his story just fizzled. 

They have had a few of the actors from the Sopranos on but I don’t think he’s had scenes with any of them. But you’re right, they really dropped the ball on that. Even a random Bada Bing would have been enough. If Donnie can get NKOTB lyrics thrown in on occasion, surely one can have happened for Steven.

[Sarah 103]

5 hours ago, mtlchick said:

-Garrett being told to "walk back comments" about...what exactly?  Outside of the headline, they were not specific as to what he said.  

I can't believe Frank was making that big of an issue out of the headline, unless there was something mean, nasty, and deragory in the article, in which case spend the episode talking about that. I'm sure the headline was taken out of context, and I don't understand why Garrett didn't say that. I have no idea what the question was, but the answer was probably like "Frankly, we could do better which is why we've launched three different initiatives," or something like that. 

There must've been a scene cut from Eddie and Jamie's story which explains why Eddie was so obsessed with the magazine quiz. Maybe a couple they know or she knows that seemed perfect is about to get a divorce, or something else set her off.  Giver her a line to explain she had the couple at the police station take the relationship quiz. I'd go with she was trying to descalate things and kill time for reasons (paperwork, or something else) 

Maybe I watched too much Scooby-Doo as a kid, but I have a strong belief in play-fair mysteries (the audience should have all of the clues needed to solve the case), and it bothers me when that doesn't happen. I don't understand how Danny and Baez went from, she has schizophrenia, she was seen with the victim in footage from the news, she must be the one killing homeless people. 

Anthony's story reminded of me of the silly cases on L.A Law. I thought it was silly fun. 

Overall, I am 100% convinced there were scenes and lines of dialogue that were cut from this episode. 

[preeya]

49 minutes ago, Sarah 103 said:

Overall, I am 100% convinced there were scenes and lines of dialogue that were cut from this episode.

And there were lines of dialog that either should have been cut or significantly changed but weren't.

Edited May 8, 2021 by preeya

[EtheltoTillie]

Something’s going on with the writing.  Giant gaps. Last week they didn’t explain the secret Jamie was keeping. This week they didn’t explain the three homeless murders. Did the mentally ill woman kill all three?  And really the coincidence of the same guy finding all three bodies was not believable either. 

[Sarah 103]

1 hour ago, preeya said:

And there were lines of dialog that either should have been cut or significantly changed but weren't.

I refuse to believe that with so many brothers and an ex-husband, Erin would be unable to recognize the quote from GoodFellas. 

15 minutes ago, GussieK said:

This week they didn’t explain the three homeless murders. Did the mentally ill woman kill all three?  And really the coincidence of the same guy finding all three bodies was not believable either. 

I think so, because Danny and Baez were no longer looking for the person who killed the other two. I agree with you; they did a horrible job explaining/wrapping up the case involving the murders of the homeless.

The same man finding all three bodies made sense if the bodies were all left in the same place or near each other. If he had a regular jogging route, and the bodies were placed along the route, then it would make sense that he found them. 

[Artsda]

Eddie gets more impossible to watch weekly.  

[3 is enough]

7 hours ago, kurtz said:

The Anthony mistaken for a mobster story was pointless.

I think they were alluding to his role on The Sopranos. I did laugh when Anthony seemed taken aback that someone would mistake him for a mobster- it was the only good part of the episode.  Even the Sunday dinner scene was off.

Edited May 8, 2021 by 3 is enough

[EtheltoTillie]

@Sarah 103 I also thought that Erin didn’t get the Goodfellas quote, and I was rolling my eyes, but then in the next sentence she alluded to movie villains, so I think she did get it. 

Edited May 8, 2021 by GussieK

[preeya]

4 hours ago, Artsda said:

Eddie gets more impossible to watch weekly.  

Not only that, but her constant bickering with personal matters when on the job. These two need to be in separate precincts. Married boss/subordinate should always be a no-no in any working environment.

Edited May 9, 2021 by preeya

[Sake614]

I’m not even sure when/how Jamie and Eddie started working the same shift? I remember an episode where she told Jamie that she was transferred to the day shift but NOT on the same days he worked.now suddenly she’s working directly for him. And the captain is perfectly fine with it? I don’t think so....

[Neiman]

I would have liked this episode if it weren’t for the Jamie/Eddie story. So tired of her. Isn’t she in his precinct but with a different supervisor? I thought that was how it was set up, but Jamie has his nose in her business all the time. I’m hoping that episode is making way for her to pursue a career as a psychologist and get her out of the uniform. She looks like a navy marshmallow.

Love any screen time with Anthony ❤️

Danny’s cases used to be prominent, but these days they seem like an after thought or minor part of the plot. I would rather they shift priorities and focus more on the cases and less on Jamie/Eddie’s relationship. I like how Danny brought Baez some leftovers. 

Watching the Frank story makes me disappointed. This season it’s like the trio in his office at 1PP is in rotation for character development. I like them in their supportive roles. No need to dig deeper.

Edited May 9, 2021 by Neiman

[wknt3]

20 hours ago, preeya said:

Not only that, but her constant bickering with personal matters when on the job. These two need to be in separate precincts.

She needs to get assigned to a NYPD helicopter. Preferably after Jamie pisses off a major drug cartel...

[NJRadioGuy]

As a North Jerseyite who lives 2 miles from "Tony's House" in North Caldwell, I was a huge Sopranos fan, and I loved the Anthony-as-a-mobster bit. But I agree it should have been played up a bit more. I also loved the ball-busting between Anthony and Danny. That was the only part of this episode that was enjoyable, and 100% authentic.

Danny's warrant request wouldn't have had to go through Erin. You present your P.C. to a Judge (not the D.A.), he/she grants the warrant and that's that. But let's take a huge step back. This plot point was completely ridiculous. There was no need to get a warrant for Elon's phone. You subpoena his phone records from his carrier. The fitness app itself is irrelevant; the location metadata off cell towers is the information most often brought up at trial and it's sent a huge number of real-world bad guys for an extended stay in the greybar hotel. And even if in TV Land Detective World, why would a prosecutor not be onboard with a request when there's strong P.C.? Let's say Elon was the killer, Erin denies Danny the expanded access, and Elon goes and kills three more homeless people. Who do you think would end up fired (or worse) for failing to connect the dots? What utter horseshit.

How did Baez tweak to Sandy as the killer, rather than just someone he was hugging in a background image? That wouldn't have been terribly out of place or reason for someone to throw away a strong lead on a likely suspect. Better writing would have been for the subpoenaed phone records to be a complete bust along with video surveillance evidence that would prove he was near where his phone was pinging at the time of all three homeless deaths, which would put them back to square one. OK, where do we look now? Crime Stoppers tips would likely be a thing since it would be on the news.

And it's not just awful lighting (and it is--it's horrible) but the sound is terrible as well, with what sounds like HVAC fans or something in the background. Are they using an old warehouse instead of a soundstage for their sets or something? And the writing....good ghods. This season has been hideous, although last year wasn't great either.

If the Commissioner of the NYPD is getting angry about a statement that "we can do better" in 2021, then maybe the Mayor ought to be looking to make a change. 

[Katy M]

On 5/8/2021 at 9:43 AM, mtlchick said:

The only laugh I got was Erin saying Anthony looked like a baseball umpire. 

I actually loved that whole scene.  Easily best part of the episode.  But I also liked Anthony impersonating a mobster.

I didn't mind the Jamie/Eddie stuff.  A little odd, but remember that recently Erin told her that her marriage just kind of dissolved while nobody was paying attention.  I like that they aren't taking their marriage/relationship for granted.

Everything else in the episode was annoying.

[susannah]

6 hours ago, NJRadioGuy said:

I also loved the ball-busting between Anthony and Danny. That was the only part of this episode that was enjoyable, and 100% authentic

Why do you love Danny being a total jerk every time he sees Anthony, who has done nothing to him?

[susannah]

On 5/8/2021 at 11:56 AM, mtlchick said:

They have had a few of the actors from the Sopranos on but I don’t think he’s had scenes with any of them. But you’re right, they really dropped the ball on that. Even a random Bada Bing would have been enough. If Donnie can get NKOTB lyrics thrown in on occasion, surely one can have happened for Steven.

Yeah, Lorraine Bracco was the mayor for a short time, and John Turturro is Aida's (Janice) cousin, though I don't think he was in the Sopranos himself. I am trying to think of who else they have had on.

[TV Diva Queen]

anyone know the name of the bar that Anthony was going under cover in because last night on Godfather of Harlem (set in the 60's) they mentioned the same bar.  I'd like to do a little googling and I can't remember it.  it begins with a B.  Which google is no help for....lol

[Evagirl]

On 5/8/2021 at 11:44 AM, wonderwoman said:

what the hell is going on with the lighting — or more specifically, the lack thereof? every scene is so dark, it’s sometimes to recognize the setting of characters.

did some forget to pay the electric bill? 

THANK YOU!!! I record every episode and watch later (I hate commercials).  When fast-forwarding, all I have to do is hold down the ff button until I see dark, then I know I'm back at the show!  It's crazy!!  In the houses, in the squad rooms, even OUTSIDE in the daytime for crying out loud - it's dark!  But you know what? I've noticed that other shows (i.e. Big Sky) do the same thing.  I just don't understand why every scene has to be so dark.  Makes me think they're trying to hide crappy or cheap backgrounds.

[Sassyone]

I am a runner who has done many races and training sessions in Central Park. So I was excited that there was going to be a crime involving tracking where a runner was. But the show blew it. First of all, two hours for a marathon training run is a perfectly normal time, contrary to Baez's discount. Second, they might have been able to look up the runner in Strava or Garmin without having to get his phone, and see his runs right there. Third, 11 miles in two and a half hours for a fit middle-aged guy is pretty slow. That's about my speed, and I'm a slow runner! Anyhow, there are millions of people out there who are runners, so these apps aren't obscure things. 

[NJRadioGuy]

13 hours ago, susannah said:

Why do you love Danny being a total jerk every time he sees Anthony, who has done nothing to him?

Because it's absolutely authentic. Guys do this kind of thing a lot. It's not always appreciated but it's how a lot of us roll up here in the trenches. There's no room for sensitivity or hurt feelings in a lot of careers. In my own career it was no different. And you gotta be able to take as hard as you give. You push his buttons, he pushes yours. Neither gives an inch until or unless something genuine bad happens then he'll have your back like nobody else ever will. And besides, Danny is a retired Marine. That amplifies things x1000. I can't speak for the rest of the country, but here in NJ, out on Long Island and on S.I. it's a thing.

[susannah]

52 minutes ago, NJRadioGuy said:

Because it's absolutely authentic. Guys do this kind of thing a lot. It's not always appreciated but it's how a lot of us roll up here in the trenches. There's no room for sensitivity or hurt feelings in a lot of careers. In my own career it was no different. And you gotta be able to take as hard as you give. You push his buttons, he pushes yours. Neither gives an inch until or unless something genuine bad happens then he'll have your back like nobody else ever will. And besides, Danny is a retired Marine. That amplifies things x1000. I can't speak for the rest of the country, but here in NJ, out on Long Island and on S.I. it's a thing.

That's really too bad.

[TV Diva Queen]

1 hour ago, NJRadioGuy said:

Because it's absolutely authentic. Guys do this kind of thing a lot. It's not always appreciated but it's how a lot of us roll up here in the trenches. There's no room for sensitivity or hurt feelings in a lot of careers. In my own career it was no different. And you gotta be able to take as hard as you give. You push his buttons, he pushes yours. Neither gives an inch until or unless something genuine bad happens then he'll have your back like nobody else ever will. And besides, Danny is a retired Marine. That amplifies things x1000. I can't speak for the rest of the country, but here in NJ, out on Long Island and on S.I. it's a thing.

Chicago is raising their hand..... OMG - my husband and his friends...this is their LOVE LANGUAGE.  LOL 

[Msample]

14 hours ago, susannah said:

Yeah, Lorraine Bracco was the mayor for a short time, and John Turturro is Aida's (Janice) cousin, though I don't think he was in the Sopranos himself. I am trying to think of who else they have had on.

Michael Imperioli was on recently as a DA I think? He and Schirippa host a podcast called TALKING SOPRANOS which is very good.

The actor who played Artie Bucco has also been on. Here’s others: more than I thought.

 

https://www.imdb.com/search/name/?roles=tt0141842,tt1595859

 

 

[NJRadioGuy]

19 minutes ago, TV Diva Queen said:

Chicago is raising their hand..... OMG - my husband and his friends...this is their LOVE LANGUAGE.  LOL 

Yeah, excellent way to steer back to the episode. It really is. Remember that line in Animal House? "Hey. They can't do that to our pledges, only we can do that to our pledges." Same idea. Now granted sometimes you're forced to work with a Class One D-bag and things can really get ugly, but for the most part it's how guys communicate with their peers, especially ones they deal with all the time. 

34 minutes ago, susannah said:

That's really too bad.

It actually isn't. When someone's giving you guff you know there's probably an iota of respect or trust under all that. If you can't take it then you're in the wrong line of work. It's also one of those things that gives nightmares to the Clipboard Warrior set. Some jobs just aren't for sensitive souls, and frankly I'm OK with that. I wouldn't have been able to hack it in a buttoned-down white collar gig but I thrived in the environments I worked in.

Would that be ideal for colleagues in the accounting department or in the graphic design department? No. But for tough blue-collar careers this is absolutely the norm, it's to be expected and you know that the guy who's giving you the business if you float an air cookie in the truck will be the one who'll come running first if you get injured or your kid gets hurt, etc.

[AnnA]

16 minutes ago, NJRadioGuy said:

Yeah, excellent way to steer back to the episode. It really is. Remember that line in Animal House? "Hey. They can't do that to our pledges, only we can do that to our pledges." Same idea. Now granted sometimes you're forced to work with a Class One D-bag and things can really get ugly, but for the most part it's how guys communicate with their peers, especially ones they deal with all the time. 

It actually isn't. When someone's giving you guff you know there's probably an iota of respect or trust under all that. If you can't take it then you're in the wrong line of work. It's also one of those things that gives nightmares to the Clipboard Warrior set. Some jobs just aren't for sensitive souls, and frankly I'm OK with that. I wouldn't have been able to hack it in a buttoned-down white collar gig but I thrived in the environments I worked in.

Would that be ideal for colleagues in the accounting department or in the graphic design department? No. But for tough blue-collar careers this is absolutely the norm, it's to be expected and you know that the guy who's giving you the business if you float an air cookie in the truck will be the one who'll come running first if you get injured or your kid gets hurt, etc.

I agree and never had a problem with Danny and Anthony trading insults.  They're very comfortable ranking on each other.

Some people may not get it but I think most of them do.   I'm from Long Island so maybe that explains it.  LOL

[susannah]

1 hour ago, TV Diva Queen said:

Chicago is raising their hand..... OMG - my husband and his friends...this is their LOVE LANGUAGE.  LOL 

You hit the operative word with "friends."  Anthony is not Danny's friend, he is his sister's work partner. He deserves to be treated with respect just like any other person. He dislikes Anthony because he can't dominate him.

[Magnumfangirl]

35 minutes ago, susannah said:

You hit the operative word with "friends."  Anthony is not Danny's friend, he is his sister's work partner. He deserves to be treated with respect just like any other person. He dislikes Anthony because he can't dominate him.

I think it's mostly just the actors and writers having fun with the added benefit of being authentic.

[TV Diva Queen]

37 minutes ago, susannah said:

You hit the operative word with "friends."  Anthony is not Danny's friend, he is his sister's work partner. He deserves to be treated with respect just like any other person. He dislikes Anthony because he can't dominate him.

They like each other.  They will take a bullet for one another and not because they're "sworn" to.  I love their interactions.  

[susannah]

6 minutes ago, TV Diva Queen said:

They like each other.  They will take a bullet for one another and not because they're "sworn" to.  I love their interactions.  

That's great. I absolutely disagree that they would take a bullet for each other, or that they really like each other, but people's opinions are their own.

[TV Diva Queen]

1 minute ago, susannah said:

That's great. I absolutely disagree that they would take a bullet for each other, or that they really like each other, but people's opinions are their own.

exactly....to each their own

[AnnA]

1 hour ago, susannah said:

You hit the operative word with "friends."  Anthony is not Danny's friend, he is his sister's work partner. He deserves to be treated with respect just like any other person. He dislikes Anthony because he can't dominate him.

I don't think Danny and Anthony dislike each other.  I believe it's an expression of familiarity and how they communicate with one another.  It's also not just Danny.  Anthony talks to Danny the same way.

[kurtz]

10 hours ago, TV Diva Queen said:

anyone know the name of the bar that Anthony was going under cover in because last night on Godfather of Harlem (set in the 60's) they mentioned the same bar.  I'd like to do a little googling and I can't remember it.  it begins with a B.  Which google is no help for....lol

It’s Bamonte’s, in the Williamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn. You can see it from the BQE (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway).  It has a Mafia history. 
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamonte's

 

 

[AnnA]

2 hours ago, TV Diva Queen said:

  I love their interactions.  

So do I.   They crack me up!

[susannah]

6 hours ago, Msample said:

Michael Imperioli was on recently as a DA I think? He and Schirippa host a podcast called TALKING SOPRANOS which is very good.

The actor who played Artie Bucco has also been on. Here’s others: more than I thought.

 

https://www.imdb.com/search/name/?roles=tt0141842,tt1595859

 

 

I am surprised I missed all of these! It has been a long time since I have seen the Sopranos but I remember what all of the main characters look like. Uncle Junior, Artie, his wife, Big Pussy and even Michael Imperioli, missed them. Some of the others on the list I didn't remember were on the Sopranos.

[TV Diva Queen]

15 hours ago, kurtz said:

It’s Bamonte’s, in the Williamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn. You can see it from the BQE (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway).  It has a Mafia history. 
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamonte's

 

 

thank you!!!  about two years ago -I did a walking/eating tour of Williamsburg and this was NOT on the tour  LOL  

[Ebau]

On 5/8/2021 at 5:43 AM, mtlchick said:

-The weird argument between Danny and Anthony about the former's hair and the latter's weight.

The only laugh I got was Erin saying Anthony looked like a baseball umpire. 

Not to sound too terribly bitchy, but the only laughs I get watching this show these days are because of Danny's hair. 

Also, I think this episode was an excellent example of what many of you have commented on over the past year or so: there are too many storylines to keep track of and not enough time to fully develop any of them. I, too, kept thinking that I missed something because I had no idea how the backstory behind the newspaper headline or Eddie's ridiculous "love language" rant came about. I think the writers thought they were presenting a "slice-of-life" episode," but ended up failing at the task. 

Edited May 12, 2021 by Ebau