Season 5 Discussion

[Quof]

Nope, Danny dated his best friend's sister in high school.  What's-Her-Face, the trashy looking one he promised to take care of after the brother died. 

[kwnyc]

So I guess Linda WAS stalked & fingerprinted before she was OK'd to become a Reagan

[wknt3]

So I guess Linda WAS stalked & fingerprinted before she was OK'd to become a Reagan

 

Why do you make it sound like that is the toughest part of the process and not signing the contract agreeing to die a tragic early death after producing the next generation of Reagans and providing a few anecdotes of your saintliness that can be shared while sitting around the house in a sweater? I would think that would be the deal breaker.

[mojito]

Hmm....it would seem that Danny is in line to be the next Reagan widower...

[kwnyc]

Then Jamie better hurry up & get hitched, so there's a Reagan wife waiting in the bullpen!

[ComeWhatMay]

Not only do I like Linda, but I think Danny without Linda would not be a pretty picture. I think he would be quite literally at a loss with Jack & Sean. Not sure I want to see that quite honestly. That could get ugly & I'm not sure how ugly they want to go on this show, you know. A stable family unit front & center is something they may want to keep.

 

I suspect Jamie -- along with being my pick of being the future commissioner of his generation -- is the one who could see that fate befall him. I see a lot of Henry in Jamie's adaptability to the grey areas & Frank in his stoicism.

But then, I also kind of like having Jamie as the single one as not everyone -- not that they ever did really -- gets married these days.

 

Practically speaking, they may not want to pair everybody up & may go out of their way not to... Jamie especially. Down the road they could settle him without tying him down by bringing in a kid from a prior relationship (pick one that would mean something to viewers either now or in the future) -- dead mother bringing it about fits the Reagan bill -- & could set up the Jamie with Frank as Frank is now with Henry. Or, do a short term marriage a la Miami Vice with Sheena Easton -- with a surviving child. Selleck's Magnum had a daughter with his ex-wife as I recall, right?

I'm not saying go totally around the bend, but I think they should have some fun somewhere as it is TV.

[EtheltoTillie]

Didnt they recently show an episode with Danny and Linda reminiscing about ice skating when they were young teens? Weren't they dating?

[webruce]

@Comewhatmay From Yahoo Answers_ Beautiful French-Asian woman who was briefly married to Magnum in South Vietnam during the war. She was presumed dead in a Saigon bombing, but reappeared ten years later as the wife of a North Vietnamese Major General, Gen. Hue. They were both, apparently, anti-communist spies, working as double agents. Michelle was married to Gen. Hue before she met Magnum, but like her, he was incorrectly assumed to be dead. When she found out he was still alive, she faked her own death (for a variety of reasons) and returned to him. She briefly reunited with Magnum in 1981 ["Memories Are Forever"], became pregnant, and gave birth to his and her only child, a daughter name Lily Catherine. In 1986, fearing for Lily's safety, she was again briefly reunited with Magnum ["Little Girl Who"]. Magnum did not know of Lily's existance until this point in time, when she was five years old. Two years later, Michelle was tragically killed by a car bomb in 1988. ["Unfinished Business"]

[ComeWhatMay]

Thanks very much webruce. I was fuzzy on the details clearly. That's what I'm talking about when I say something more fun could happen with Jamie rather than just plopping him with his partner to be matchy-matchy. I mean you have the mob princess & the commissioner's son in his back story. When Noble took that swing at him in 'Collateral Damage' after learning Bianca went over to the other side, agreed to testify & took a new identity, I saw the groundwork laid. They have that in their wheelhouse already at least.
 

Didnt they recently show an episode with Danny and Linda reminiscing about ice skating when they were young teens? Weren't they dating?

Speaking of fuzzy on the details, Eddie was Hungarian when we met her & now per this episode she's suddenly Serbian? Eddie can be both, but they should say it outright. Danny & Linda -- were they high school sweethearts? -- "the pretty Italian girl in high school all the Irish boys fell in love with... the one I married" or as Linda said to Danny in another episode "you had more girlfriends than I had shoes when we met." Danny reads lots of randos pre-Linda, but in high school? I suppose Danny could have watched Linda from afar for a time, but why not just say so? Danny was in construction before he was a cop? That telemarketing thing? We know he was a Marine so that's consistent, but what of the timing in terms of his children's births?

 

I'm a writer -- although not for entertainment:) -- so this may bug me more than others, but they have a successful show in syndication with DVDs that sell where changing characters ages gets caught, etc. They do need to tighten that up a bit. It looks sloppy & unlike other shows where there seems to be trouble behind the scenes this one has established professionals who it seems are fond of working & like the pay. I don't expect the actors to catch this stuff, but the writers should backstop themselves, I think. A program's longevity is undercut every time you insult your audience & limit their investment in the show by getting sloppy with details. 

[Quof]

Well, they went to see Cider House Rules on their first date; what year was that?

[ComeWhatMay]

Well, they went to see Cider House Rules on their first date; what year was that?

 

Heh. I remember that movie myself -- I was fresh out of college when it came out. 1999 per a quick Internet search.

[mojito]

Why wouldn't Danny be chasing women while he's dating Linda? It was high school, after all. And well, we are talking about Danny.

[Crs97]

I find myself really bothered by the restorative justice story in many ways.  I thought it was ridiculous that the prisoner got to write to her out of the blue.  There is no way that is happening in real life.  Also, the fact that her fiancé wasn't with her throughout the process was stupid as well.  Finding out it is a real program just makes me mad because I think they twisted how the program is supposed to work to make it seem like one of those naive, bleeding-heart liberal follies that the Reagans always know will fail.  Thank God for Baker, who is now my favorite character for unabashedly telling her boss that people can change and he should fire her the moment she sounds like him . . . I mean stops believing that.

 

The prison scene was intense, but I wasn't moved by her speech.  Frankly, I believed him.  Maybe it was realistic of her to tell him to kill himself, but I would have been more affected if her speech had been along the lines of "I have to forgive you so that I can move on with my life, but I will actively work to make sure you never leave this prison.  If you are able to spend your time helping prisoners now, then that is what you should spend all your time doing.  Don't contact me again."  That speech (along with her fiancé sitting beside her) would square up with the smiling girl at her wedding the very next day.

[ComeWhatMay]

I find myself really bothered by the restorative justice story in many ways.  I thought it was ridiculous that the prisoner got to write to her out of the blue.  There is no way that is happening in real life.  Also, the fact that her fiancé wasn't with her throughout the process was stupid as well.  Finding out it is a real program just makes me mad because I think they twisted how the program is supposed to work to make it seem like one of those naive, bleeding-heart liberal follies that the Reagans always know will fail.  Thank God for Baker, who is now my favorite character for unabashedly telling her boss that people can change and he should fire her the moment she sounds like him . . . I mean stops believing that.

 

The prison scene was intense, but I wasn't moved by her speech.  Frankly, I believed him.  Maybe it was realistic of her to tell him to kill himself, but I would have been more affected if her speech had been along the lines of "I have to forgive you so that I can move on with my life, but I will actively work to make sure you never leave this prison.  If you are able to spend your time helping prisoners now, then that is what you should spend all your time doing.  Don't contact me again."  That speech (along with her fiancé sitting beside her) would square up with the smiling girl at her wedding the very next day.

Yes, that letter. Talk about a violation. Survivors opening their mail & finding something like that -- awful.

 

But the fiancé not being there made sense to me when I looked at the whole thing. Sarah went with Frank who is part of her traumatic past, while her fiancé-now-husband represents her future. Sarah may not have wanted her fiancé to see her then -- so full of vengeance & continuing hatred for the man who slaughtered her family. That sort of rage & anger can be offputting even to someone who loves you. I understood Sarah's emotions, but you are right that forgiving the man who killed her family isn't about giving him peace, but herself. Not all of us are capable of forgiving something like that even for ourselves or seeing what it would mean to us to do it & well, Sarah's continued hardness toward him made sense to me. Frank -- her supporter & champion -- & who said it was the worst crime scene of his career with the NYPD -- in lockstep wouldn't help Sarah see things any differently. Her smiling face the next day? I hate to say it, but I knew entirely how Sarah could seem so on top of the world & pleased with herself even the next day. I also know the years that follow would see the crash. Hate doesn't work longterm & you do have to let it go for your own sake.

God Bless Baker.

Unless he was held back many years -- it is Danny like mojito said -- Danny should not have been in high school in 1999 when that film came out. :) I was born in 1975 & graduated high school in 1994. Joe was born in 1977 & Danny is the oldest with Erin in between. They look to have been pretty much stairstep with everybody's baby save his best friend Joe, Jamie -- as a likely oops! -- later on...

[kwnyc]

If this is what Danny looked like in high school, would YOU have gone out with him? ;-)

[vera charles]

The internet never forgets. LOL

[webruce]

Jamie didn't think Eddie could handle being under cover. I know how bad it hit her to shoot the one guy a few episodes back. Maybe that is why he thought it?
I thought Tatiana may have been forced to help at first kidnap the girls. But Eddie did good and using her first name Edit, and some of her family history made it easier I think. Her clobbering the kidnapper with the toilet tank cover and then a 2nd clunk for good measure was cool.

I like Investigator Alex McBride, he works good with Erin.I think they would make a good couple. Her most of the time missing DA boss/bf isn't right for her.

Garrett must have been out of town. Liked Det. Baker having a little more to do.

I liked Henry having a female friend. I have been surprised he hasn't had buddies from the precinct or neighbors over for coffee sometimes. I thought at first maybe she would be after his money. Then when Erin had McBride check deep in her history then I figure she had to be bad, or Erin would not find anything and look bad. Silvia Hayden who's real name is Silvia Ann Burke, she had a warrant out for her in Florida.

Did like Frank going with Sarah Grant to meet Donald Berry the murderer of her family. I was surprised she had the guts to do it. It was odd he had found God but didn't want her forgiveness. Also him being able to send her a letter was strange. Maybe if it was read and approved by someone first. Was surprised future hubby was not involved. But if he wasn't around back when the incident happened, it would only be for emotional support. And that is what Frank was for. But Berry was going to help others, I hope that works. The wedding part was nice. Frank was so proud.

Edited March 28, 2015 by webruce

[zoey1996]

I will be at my table for one for liking Eddie. This show does not do well with female characters, but I like her. I might be biased because I like the actress Vanessa Ray. I do not care one way or another whether she and Jamie get together, but if they do I would rather them not be partners.

I also like the character Eddie.  I think she and Jamie are great as friends; I do not want to see them involved romantically.

My unpopular opinion is that I like the character Nicky.  She's not nearly as know-it-all obnoxious as some other teens I've seen portrayed on TV.  I wouldn't be bothered if we saw less of her when she goes to college next year, but for now, she's OK.

[kwnyc]

Nicky is actually LESS annoying than Stevie (who is older) on Madam Secretary. And she has the unpleasant job of being the only young female in the Reagan clan.

[ComeWhatMay]

I saw a rerun the other night where Nikki made some remark about jumping off a bridge to the boys when Linda was understandably apoplectic about Danny's arrest & the family's seeming lack of action. I said earlier I think Nikki's been indulged too much & I still do -- to me she doesn't know when to or ever see a reason to just keep her trap shut -- but I think zoey1996 & kwnyc are right that there are much worse portrayals of teenagers out there on TV -- & she is the only young female in the Reagan family. Erin was once in the same position & I think the writers show us a lot about how the character of Erin is the way she is in their portrayal of Nikki. Henry & Frank are unapologetically in Nikki's corner as staunch protectors same as they were in Erin's.

Assuming there is a next season as there's been no announcement as far as I know (no reason to think there won't be, right?), I will be interested to see how Nikki's time at college is portrayed & the kind of mates she chooses. It's always been funny to me how Erin's choices -- including & most notably Nikki's father Jack -- have been the opposite of what she knew at home (shark defense attorney) all the while expecting what she knew at home & then getting angry & disappointed when the men are not what she knew at home -- when they never were to start with... You do bear some culpability when you are looking at people to be something they are not & never were. Not sure Erin the character sees that or would with a father & grandfather like hers so its not surprising that her daughter would lack perspective on herself & come off to me as a know-it-all with no edit button. If Nikki does become a cop & the show lasts long enough, my nightmare would be Nikki riding with Eddie as her training officer. I won't even allow myself to ponder if Eddie joined the family dinner table on Sundays. :) 

[yeswedo]

Frank goes toe to toe with an investigative journalist who refuses to give up her source, despite the source admitting to committing murder.  Also, Danny is paired with a troubled teenager as part of an NYPD program aimed at influencing youth to make better decisions.

[ComeWhatMay]

They were doing so well, but alas it was back to dinner only for Jamie tonight. Too bad. Silver lining was the meal Estes made of what they gave him. Jamie's talk of telling his younger self to take risks & lament about that one woman... Rebecca? Getting older, looking around him, aging nephews & niece with a now distant broken engagement under his belt to a woman who the alumnae newsletter probably reveals is now married to some Oxford lawyer, you start to think in reverse. I'm a woman of an age & not married -- I know those thoughts can creep in & bring about "misty colored memories" about what should not be/not necessarily warranted until you see all that you do have. The job & long hours make it tough to find a partner who can handle it. See Sydney & her choice to bail returning his mother's ring. Recalling that awkward kiss with Eddie -- I can't help but think so much of the attraction came from Eddie being on the job/being able to understand & there. Will be interesting to see how they play that out as I suspect they mixed the tape there behind the scenes after the first part of the season.

Glad for Erin & Alex -- they broke the Danny monotony. Good performances by Bridget & James. The Reagan family is a tough crew to join & not just because of the background checks. :) Alex's dad killing his mom... It wouldn't happen in the Reagan universe, right? An ex like Jack Boyle could tell you it's tough to assimilate unless you adapt a certain way of being like Linda with Danny the vast majority of the time. Nicki -- I have been misspelling her name -- seems to identify as a Reagan almost entirely.

When you hook on with one of the kids, you take on the whole clan & it's almost like marrying a royal with the kids as I get the feeling they stay if you go like Jack. Quite something & not really an ideal even if the commitment to serve & protect is.

[Texasmom1970]

So glad we didn't have to see Jamie's annoying partner, but the downside hardly any Jamie!

[kwnyc]

I was totally expecting the girl to have been killed or something in lockup. (Though I suppose we are supposed to think Danny has a heart of gold for just scaring her).

[scrambled eggs]

I'm glad Alex is on this show. The depiction of minorities on this show, other than Baez, can be troubling. 

[CooperTV]

Lt. Carver is back! I was so glad to see her!

 

The angry reporter vs. Frank storyline was painted by the numbers. Yeah, whatever, you're unethical asshole who somehow wants to regain moral high ground. Why are we spending our time on you again?

 

Erin and Alex were the best. (And I want them to get married and live HEA!).

[yeswedo]

When a suspect voluntarily admits to killing a reality show celebrity chef in his own restaurant, Danny and Baez are convinced the suspect is taking the fall for someone.  Also, Frank faces a moral dilemma when a longtime friend, Sen. Ted McCreary, asks for Frank’s help to make a DUI go away, and investigative journalist Anne Farrell returns.

[CooperTV]

The only part I liked was the Frank and the senator part. Otherwise it was very mediocre.

[may flowers]

My favorite part of the show was when Danny and Erin were speaking, and they kept referring to "McCoy" and how the Choinski case had been dropped after McCoy resigned.  As a new viewer, I don't know if there is a McCoy in the Blue Bloods DA office, so I took it as a call back to another McCoy - Jack McCoy on Law & Order!

[kwnyc]

Yes...noticed that, too. It seems to be saying Blue Bloods exists in the same version of NYC as L&O.

[KDB]

They are referring to a different DA McCoy. Erin was seeing him for a while and then they clashed over a case where McCoy had acted unethically in Erin's opinion. 

[ComeWhatMay]

Thanks for the reminder KDB. I keep flashing back to L&O whenever I hear the name no matter what. I suppose the character's name could still be a shout out from the BB writers.

This episode felt much like filler/killing time until the finale. I take it no episode next week? Not much happened & very procedural, but I wasn't displeased by it as a one off as it was more spread about...

Did anyone notice anything off with Eddie in general? In the locker room dressing she seemed to have some issues with her uniform in the waist/pant area. Maybe it's nothing, but I thought it could be an anvil? Pregnant perhaps? That would be very season finale. For Jamie's sake in more ways than one, I hope it's not his -- that would frankly shock me based on what we've seen of late.

[Texasmom1970]

Did anyone notice anything off with Eddie in general? In the locker room dressing she seemed to have some issues with her uniform in the waist/pant area. Maybe it's nothing, but I thought it could be an anvil? Pregnant perhaps? That would be very season finale. For Jamie's sake in more ways than one, I hope it's not his -- that would frankly shock me based on what we've seen of late.

I asked the exact same thing a few episodes back. Her and Jamie were out in the park or something and she looked pregnant. I think it's just the wardrobe, hope there will be no baby crap storyline!

Edited April 12, 2015 by Texasmom1970

[CooperTV]

Did anyone notice anything off with Eddie in general? In the locker room dressing she seemed to have some issues with her uniform in the waist/pant area. Maybe it's nothing, but I thought it could be an anvil? Pregnant perhaps?

 

i thought the actress was pregnant in the middle of season but there's no info about that anywhere.

[mojito]

This episode reinforces my feeling that TV would be better if each show was limited to no more than a dozen shows per season. It seems like even the best shows just can't sustain good drama or humor for 22-episode seasons. 

[Quof]

1.  This episode was really boring.

 

2. I had been thinking Eddie was looking pregnant recently, but not always.  I'm sure the episodes are not shot in order, but in recent pictures, Vanessa Ray doesn't look pregnant. 

[ComeWhatMay]

I watch a lot of British TV & would agree that shorter seasons seem to help sustain quality. I would imagine everyone is tired at the twilight of a 22 episode season -- especially on a series that is five seasons in... It seems like the (two-part) finale will be more Season 3 than Season 4 in terms of tone & I'm glad -- the Green Card shenanigans Jamie & Eddie were relegated to in the last one did not thrill me & I found the whole thing stupid. I did like Dino's downfall that was foretold in the season premiere & foreshadowed throughout the season. Burning the uniform could reflect a change in allegiance. It would be something to see him pop up again somewhere down the line. Anyway, I hope they finish strong this year as this last episode was too much out of the procedural playbook for it to become a regular occurrence.
 

Thanks for the clarification on Eddie pregnant/not pregnant, all. I can't imagine the brass want Vanessa/Eddie looking pregnant if the character is not supposed to be & the actress is not. Or, that it would particularly thrill Vanessa either. With my build, I have to watch what I wear myself. Wardrobe pros should be on it about that stuff.

[mojito]

 

I watch a lot of British TV & would agree that shorter seasons seem to help sustain quality.

Also a lot (most?) cable shows have a limited season and you actually find yourself looking forward to their return. I just watched two seasons of "Rita" (Danish) and it's also around 8 episodes per season. The major networks can learn a few things from Showtime, HBO, and TNT, Netflix and other countries.

 

When you're carrying around 20 pounds of hardware, plus wearing a vest, it's hard to look svelte in a police uniform if you have a more curvy woman's figure. I'm guessing (hoping) that they now at least make their pants for women; it used to be female cops were wearing men's pants, which does not allow for narrower waists and wider hips. 

[yeswedo]

When NYPD Deputy Chief Donald Kent, a commanding officer of the gang division, and his wife are gunned down in an apparent gang hit, Frank orders all hands on deck to catch his friend’s killer.  Working the case, Danny and Baez go see Mario Hunt, a well-known member of a deadly gang, in the first of a two-part season finale.

[ComeWhatMay]

Well, this one kept me in it -- I'll say that... I thought everyone brought their A game in the time allotted to them.

This show does not get a lot of press & not everything leaks. If this did, it missed me. Assuming its renewed, I would be sorry to lose Amy -- I remember her from Another World & Third Watch -- but it would follow the regrettable & very unfortunate Reagan wife pattern if Linda was to actually die. It would certainly shake up the show & the effect on Danny & the kids along with the rest of the family would be compelling. I could see a lot of pointing fingers, blaming each other & themselves, anger & pain -- I didn't think they wanted to go that dark with Danny but maybe they do? I could see complacency/coasting in the last episode prior to this one & before this season.

I guess we will see next week.

I cannot get over how big the actors playing Jack & Sean are now. Sean especially this episode.

[KLovestoShop]

I would hope they wouldn't kill off Linda, because it could put Danny over the edge and make him an even bigger rogue cop.

This was an excellent episode, with all the actors really bringing it. This has become one of my must see shows, and I'm thrilled it's become a top 10 show in the ratings. Finally, someone realized that Friday nights aren't a death sentence for well written and acted shows. My only disappointment in this show was having the fabulous Dennis Haysbert as a one off. He old have made an excellent addition to this cast, on a permanent basis.

[Artsda]

That was a great episode and really liked the fade to black with the gun shots. Can't wait to see the season finale. If it continues to show Linda was shot it would be good story wise, especially since Danny was already blaming Erin for the case going the way it was.  

[CooperTV]

Frank, Danny and Erin were so hostile to each other for no reason, I wanted to yell at them to stop. I get Frank is upset but Danny is his son and he wants out, so what the hell, Frank? I don't know, maybe Baez herself should have handle this case because Danny was even more over-invested than usual. The victims were close friends of his parents, their son is pressuring him; he desperately wants to find the killer and Frank is stonewalling him didn't help matters any. I hope Linda is okay, otherwise Danny just will cut himself off from his father and start vigilante war.

[Quof]

Are there spoilers?   I expect next week will end in a cliffhanger. Is there are word on Amy Carlson leaving the show?

[betsyboo]

I'm spoiler tagging my first comments in case those of you who don't watch previews don't want to know what they showed.

 

TVLine had a finale spoiler that someone would be shot, but i NEVER thought it would be Linda, so i jumped when the two shots rang out over the credits. I was sure it was hallway cop coming back from pizza and shooting curtis from behind. But the scenes!! Danny is going to LOSE IT. He will never forgive Erin. Even if Linda is ok, it will be a very chilly Sunday dinner for weeks.......

 

I got angrier and angrier at Curtis with each interaction. These people are trying to help you! Your mother is moving you away to save you! LISTEN! (To be fair, i have zero experience with gangs and have no idea how hard it has to be to say no to them. But at least remove yourself from situations when you can help it!)

 

I thought Tom Selleck was wonderful. Also Garret's and Sid's faces when they went to tell him. All that emotion between the three of them with no words.

 

Where was Samuel L Jackson's wife? (I can never remember her name - La Tanya?) Why wasn't she running Danny and Baez's leads, etc.

 

I didn't like the convo between Danny and the Commish. Frank seemed almost *too* righteous, if that's the word. Danny told the truth - he wanted out. Frank has all kinds of other detectives he could have used that didn't have a relationship with the victim.

 

I, too, mourn the loss of Jobu. He had maybe 3 lines! Those 24 DVDs must not be selling very well if he's accepting cop serial guest spots.

[mtlchick]

For the life of me I ca't find it now but I could have sworn I saw a 

picture of Bridget in a hospital gown that a crew member posted. So I'm fairly sure Linda isn't the one that gets shot

[betsyboo]

For the life of me I ca't find it now but I could have sworn I saw a 

picture of Bridget in a hospital gown that a crew member posted. So I'm fairly sure Linda isn't the one that gets shot

But i thought the previews show Linda being wheeled on a stretcher with blood? oh, maybe that's Curtis's blood???

 

Posting the preview in the spoiler thread-

Edited April 25, 2015 by betsyboo

[buckboard]

Failing to see why so many people think this was a great episode or understanding why Frank was angry with Danny.  Danny is always operating outside the lines.  Frank wants everyone looking for the chief's killer, but he also doesn't want the arrest thrown out because of bad police work. 

 

Everything about this case is being intensely watched because of the prominence of the two victims.  The mayor's office, the DA's office, the media all want a conviction and are making sure the cops don't screw up.  Frank wants desperately to catch the perps, but he wants to be very sure Danny operates lawfully.  He is angry with his son, because Danny is so righteous  about circumventing the law to capture the guy that he doesn't want to listen to orders to operate legally. 

I would love for once to see a case lost because Danny was so full of himself that a criminal got away with a crime.

 

[TeapotDiva]

In terms of the dynamics between Frank & Danny, unfortunately this show has written itself into a corner.  Of course it's ridiculous that, in almost every episode, when there's a big case, Danny is the lead (or only) detective and Erin is the assigned representative from the D.A.'s office.  And the Commissioner plays a hands-on role, of course.  But would we watch the show if these roles were handled by guest stars?  As much as I scream at the TV, "Erin wouldn't be assigned to a case involving Jamie!", Bridget Moynahan is the one I want to watch.  (But, yeah, whatever happened to Danny's anger-management classes?!  If I were Frank, I might have thrown the shield at his face!)

[Quof]

Presumably, there are other big cases going on at the same time, handled by other detectives.  The show is about the Reagan family, not the NYPD as a whole.