Season 8 Discussion

[mtlchick]

Quote

Yup, you're both right. In S1 it was established that the birth order was Danny, Erin Joe, and Jamie.

Someone had remembered that Joe's tombstone was marked 1977 as his birth year, and that Erin had her 40th birthday in 2015, which means born in 1975.

1 hour ago, SCS said:

It's ridiculous that none of the cast or crew caught this error during the table read -- or worse, caught the error and didn't care.

Continuity? On this show? Pffft. :p 

 

2 hours ago, Blonde Gator said:

I know we've seen this woman before, but I can't recall from which episode.  Could you please clue me in, the episode last night was so vague on it

 

I had to jog my memory too, but it was from last season, when she blasted Frank at an event about her son's death.

https://cbspressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/releases/view?id=47318

[3 is enough]

Another sloppy episode.  The whole inmate situation was never resolved.  Why do the writers set up these storylines then just abandon them halfway through?

[wknt3]

So the Jamie plot was the best and most interesting part of this episode which is always a bad sign. Even worse is that is it was a Jamie and Eddie story and still far more watchable than the rest of the show. Perhaps because everything else came off like the script was written by an intern and they didn't bother with a second draft. The Frank plot was simply incoherent and boring and the Danny plot was so heavy handed and ridiculous it crossed over into self parody. I mean as it wasn't bad enough that they were doing Danny is the only one who can save the victim yet again and having it end with him disregarding procedure to save the day with an impossible shot past a human shield while ESU just looks on. It would have been terrible even if they didn't do the whole "she's a nurse whose cop husband died" after opening with another scene of his son acting out about his mom's death and how Danny can't manage alone. I mean Michael Bay would have said it lacked subtlety and realism and sent it back for a polish. Basically a wasted week all around except for Erin and Jamie. Even Len Cariou's three lines this week were a waste of time - he's a retired commissioner and doesn't understand anything about civil rights? I can't understand how anyone thought this meant whatever quality standards they have and allowed it to be shot and aired.

[bichonblitz]

I'm getting tired of the way Danny's sons are treating him. My mom died when I was 17. I would have never lashed out at my dad they way they do. They are acting like spoiled assholes. Pissed because Danny has to ask them what they want for breakfast instead of just knowing? Pissed because he's working his ass off and didn't put the basketball hoop up quickly enough? Asking him why he didn't die instead of Linda? These boys are old enough to learn to do things for themselves.  Seriously, when the mom dies first, the dad doesn't know what the fuck to do with himself for a while. Just stop it, show!

Edited November 12, 2017 by bichonblitz

[babs1226]

I've been reading the comments on FB about this episode, and I am surprised by how many people are complaining about the "liberal" agenda they claim the show is pushing.  I've been a loyal viewer since Season 1, episode 1, and it's my recollection that the show very frequently incorporates relevant social issues, and always shares points of view on all sides of issues.  It's really sad to me that people are threatening to stop watching a fictional show because some characters have an opinion they don't agree with.      

[Magnumfangirl]

3 hours ago, babs1226 said:

I've been reading the comments on FB about this episode, and I am surprised by how many people are complaining about the "liberal" agenda they claim the show is pushing.  I've been a loyal viewer since Season 1, episode 1, and it's my recollection that the show very frequently incorporates relevant social issues, and always shares points of view on all sides of issues.  It's really sad to me that people are threatening to stop watching a fictional show because some characters have an opinion they don't agree with.      

There's a lot of shows I don't watch because of political agendas.  Blue Bloods has done 3 episodes (that I can remember) since January with an illegal immigrant story.  They need to get off of this topic because this show is not going to sway public opinion.  I just wish they would get back to a little more of a crime drama format and scrap the politics for a while.  Politics is consuming every aspect of everything right now.  

Besides how did Jamie and Eddie know they were illegal?  It's supposedly NYPD policy not to ask about immigration status and I don't think the woman was going to volunteer that info to a couple of cops.  This why it comes across as a "political agenda" because there was no reason for Jamie and Eddie to look into the woman's background.  It was just written to give Jamie and Eddie another "bleeding heart" story and that's gotten boring.  So how about they do some crime prevention or catch some bad guys for a change?

[Sarah 103]

6 hours ago, babs1226 said:

I've been reading the comments on FB about this episode, and I am surprised by how many people are complaining about the "liberal" agenda they claim the show is pushing.

That's too funny. The show has been consistently conservative for multiple seasons. It's not a big thing, just part of the show's DNA the way Hill Street Blues was liberal. 

[gryphon]

Quote

The dead sister plot was dropped with no real resolution. Why did he do it?  

Since the same plot was used in a Law and Order SVU episode this season, I just took the same reason from that: he killed his little sister because she was annoying him by dancing in front of the tv. 

[mtlchick]

Quote

I've been reading the comments on FB about this episode, and I am surprised by how many people are complaining about the "liberal" agenda they claim the show is pushing. 

I read this is actually the top show for Republican viewers and has been one of the oldest skewing shows on broadcast TV for most of its run.  So it doesn't surprise me to read that.  Though I do get a kick when Whoopi Goldberg appears.  FB is up in arms.  I'm happy we get an actor who can go toe to toe with Selleck. 

 

22 hours ago, bichonblitz said:

They are acting like spoiled assholes. Pissed because Danny has to ask them what they want for breakfast instead of just knowing? Pissed because he's working his ass off and didn't put the basketball hoop up quickly enough?

For me, it all comes back to the premiere and how it was...mishandled isn't the right term but close to it.  We may never get full clarity of Amy's real reason why she left the show (I still feel she wanted more money, CBS said now, she decided to leave to see if she was of any value and CBS/producers called her bluff and killed her off.)  We also don't know when she made that final call so it felt they had to write something to explain her absence for Danny's sake, but all we got out of the boys is "WOOHOO! MAN CAVE!"  Now they're playing catch up with the sons' grief and anger and they're coming off as spoiled punks towards Danny, which isn't fair, especially since they are older teenagers now. 

[wknt3]

16 hours ago, babs1226 said:

I've been reading the comments on FB about this episode, and I am surprised by how many people are complaining about the "liberal" agenda they claim the show is pushing.  I've been a loyal viewer since Season 1, episode 1, and it's my recollection that the show very frequently incorporates relevant social issues, and always shares points of view on all sides of issues.  It's really sad to me that people are threatening to stop watching a fictional show because some characters have an opinion they don't agree with.      

I don't know if the complaints about a liberal agenda show more. Is it proof of how the writing has somehow managed to decline this year? Or proof that there are large numbers of American television viewers who have been so conditioned by all the talk of Hollywood liberal elites that they can't realize when a show is on their side?

29 minutes ago, mtlchick said:

We also don't know when she made that final call so it felt they had to write something to explain her absence for Danny's sake, but all we got out of the boys is "WOOHOO! MAN CAVE!"  Now they're playing catch up with the sons' grief and anger and they're coming off as spoiled punks towards Danny, which isn't fair, especially since they are older teenagers now. 

I think it's yet another example of poor writing. They've never been good at writing for younger characters or at doing more complex nuanced emotional material. And this really needs a subtlety that nobody involved can handle. Neither the Terraciano brothers or DW is capable of elevating poorly written dialogue the way Tom Selleck, Bridget Moynihan, Len Cariou, or most of the old pro recurring cast can and the writers aren't able to give them something a little more toned down and trust that the viewers will understand they are affected by grief and trying to deal with the situation. Hopefully they will feel they can move this to the background soon. Maybe Danny will have the big emotional breakdown they've been foreshadowing and they will decide the family can move on to acceptance all at once?

[highway61]

Sure, all the story lines had issues, but this episode had yet another classic 'Baker continues staring at the Commissioner as the door closes between them' shots! So powerful!

[VinceW]

On 11/12/2017 at 9:54 AM, bichonblitz said:

I'm getting tired of the way Danny's sons are treating him. My mom died when I was 17. I would have never lashed out at my dad they way they do. They are acting like spoiled assholes. Pissed because Danny has to ask them what they want for breakfast instead of just knowing? Pissed because he's working his ass off and didn't put the basketball hoop up quickly enough? Asking him why he didn't die instead of Linda? These boys are old enough to learn to do things for themselves.  Seriously, when the mom dies first, the dad doesn't know what the fuck to do with himself for a while. Just stop it, show!

So true. My mom passed away with 3 young children under 12 at home. My dad was devastated and he never recovered from the loss. Along the way, Dad forgot that he still had us 3 kids to raise.  Things got better when we got a little older and we learned how to support his loss. The writers putting forth the boys side of things in this idiotic way is just wrong.  At this point, I only hang on with the show now in order to follow Erin and her daughter Nicky.

Edited November 14, 2017 by VinceW

[papillon rouge]

One of the things that really annoys me is that Linda was in the Regan family for a very long time and I feel like only Danny and the boys are mourning her. A throw-away line from Erin, Pops, Frank... anybody about how much they miss her etc, would go a long way. It's almost like she never existed. I'm not expecting an empty chair at the table to honor her, but they really botched up this story regardless of how little time they had to prepare for the actress' exit. 

[SuzieQ]

17 hours ago, highway61 said:

Sure, all the story lines had issues, but this episode had yet another classic 'Baker continues staring at the Commissioner as the door closes between them' shots! So powerful!

This made me laugh so hard!

[MulletorHater]

On 11/11/2017 at 0:26 AM, SuzieQ said:

How many episodes before Danny and the nurse are dating?? Also, why would her husband be a cop also? That was just way too cheesy!

 

Right?!  Anvils were falling all over this episode.  Even some soap operas are more subtle than this.  First, the contrived dialogue and the obvious chemistry test.

I've already called it.  Danny will have a relationship and his new lady friend will start appearing at Sunday dinner.  Meanwhile, Jamie is relegated to being the bachelor uncle.

[wonderwoman]

17 minutes ago, MulletorHater said:

Even some soap operas are more subtle than this.  

Yes they are! Even though for many people the word "soap opera" are shorthand for cheesy, melodramatic and over-the-top, there are times when soaps have been subtle and nuanced, particularly in the genre's early years (pre Luke and Laura).

[wknt3]

Quote

Eddie's judgment is clouded by her past when she arrests a loathed acquaintance from college on questionable charges. Frank is hesitant to mar the spotless record of a member of the force, a decorated U.S. military veteran, who tested positive for marijuana.

[Magnumfangirl]

Worst. Episode. Ever.  Comically bad.

[mommalib]

Didn't like this episode at all. Eddie was insufferable and everything people hate about her was on display. I'm tired of Frank always getting his way  an be such a damn know it all. He's way to smug. And they handle the white supremacists stuff in a weak manner. There should have been much more outrage and disugust directed toward them.

[hookedontv]

I stopped watching this episode about 5 minutes in when Jamie and Eddie got back to the precinct and Jamie disagrees with her and she said "you got my back Reagan?" Ugh! Eddie is terrible, immature, and really just a bad partner. Someone make her go away. Why wasn't Eddie in the helicopter instead of Linda?

[mtlchick]

I think the only good takeaway is that we had a scene with only the 5 main leads.  That hasn't happened in ages.

 

Outside of that, oy that was painful to sit through.  Poorly thought out episode.

[wknt3]

11 hours ago, Magnumfangirl said:

Worst. Episode. Ever.  Comically bad.

Agree on the second part. Can't agree on the first as it's not even the worst episode of this season. Frank's plot was coherent this and the Danny story was just the usual nonsense instead of ridiculously over the top BS, so it was better than last week even if the Eddie, I mean Jamie C plot was much worse. Erin was still basically sidelined so that's wash.

 

8 hours ago, mommalib said:

Didn't like this episode at all. Eddie was insufferable and everything people hate about her was on display. I'm tired of Frank always getting his way  an be such a damn know it all. He's way to smug. And they handle the white supremacists stuff in a weak manner. There should have been much more outrage and disugust directed toward them.

I think the show's attitude to white supremacists and hate crimes was just what you expect from them. "Hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides,"

 

2 hours ago, mtlchick said:

I think the only good takeaway is that we had a scene with only the 5 main leads.  That hasn't happened in ages.

 

Outside of that, oy that was painful to sit through.  Poorly thought out episode.

I liked that scene too if only because it actually used Len Cariou well! Although the whole scene was pretty good - it was competently written and all really you need to do with this cast is give them something halfway decent and let them carry it the rest of the way. Which makes the failure of the rest of the episode even more inexcusable! The writing has never been good, but somehow it's rapidly gone down hill this season. I know they had to deal with Amy Carson leaving unexpectedly, but it's not like it's only Danny's stories or the Sunday dinners that are suffering...

[h8omb]

Legal marijuana, sexual assault, and white supremacists. Could this episode have been ripped from the headlines any harder?!

[TVFAN]

If this episode was supposed to make viewers sympathize with Eddie, it missed the mark for me.  What happened to her was horrible, BUT it did not justify her abuse of power.  She has sworn to defend and uphold the law, not to use it for her own ends.  She's the one who should be disciplined, not the officer who used marijuana in a jurisdiction where its use is lawful.  (Actually, her willingness to abuse her authority is grounds for dismissal.)

I understand that they try to pair the main characters with partners (nurses, lawyers, etc.) whose jobs allow them to become part of the storyline, but the pairing is clearly not working.  Why not find a nice journalist for Jamie?  She could pop up in many of the different storylines, and she could represent a different viewpoint.

[wonderwoman]

1 hour ago, wknt3 said:

I liked that scene too if only because it actually used Len Cariou well! 

Agreed! This was the first time that they actually sounded like a real family.

[Magnumfangirl]

4 hours ago, wknt3 said:

The writing has never been good

The writing used to be good.  They understood nuance and subtlety, but no more.  The writers have gotten lazy so they just slam the audience over the head with a sermon every week.  

[VinceW]

8 hours ago, mtlchick said:

I think the only good takeaway is that we had a scene with only the 5 main leads.  That hasn't happened in ages.

 

Outside of that, oy that was painful to sit through.  Poorly thought out episode.

The only thing missing was a sanctimonious Whoopi Goldberg appearance giving Frank a verbal beat down.

[wonderwoman]

4 hours ago, Magnumfangirl said:

The writing used to be good.  They understood nuance and subtlety...  

and when might that have been? i have always found the writing heavy-handed.

[SCS]

4 hours ago, VinceW said:

The only thing missing was a sanctimonious Whoopi Goldberg appearance giving Frank a verbal beat down.

Please no. Have we not suffered enough? :-D

I actually found the white-supremacists plot line intriguing in that it could have been an ongoing story arc. The idea that career cops can become so disillusioned by their jobs that they quit and join an extreme movement could have led to some fascinating episodes. And since it would have all landed at the Sunday chow table, I think Pops would have been the one who would have best understood the why behind it it.

[Sarah 103]

1 hour ago, SCS said:

I actually found the white-supremacists plot line intriguing in that it could have been an ongoing story arc. The idea that career cops can become so disillusioned by their jobs that they quit and join an extreme movement could have led to some fascinating episodes. And since it would have all landed at the Sunday chow table, I think Pops would have been the one who would have best understood the why behind it it.

I love this idea; it would have made a great season long story-arc if the series still did those. Question: Would you have it be someone in Danny's precinct or in Jamie's?

I actually think Frank would be the one who would have understood it best. (I'm bad at math/the show has continuity issues). Frank is the one who would have seen the worst of it. He was walking a beat during the 1970s, the era of gritty New York City and "Ford to City, Drop Dead." Not that he ever would go down that path, but he could understand why someone would. I think Henry would be appalled and opposed to it. Henry seems to be more about loyalty and a "you don't walk out your men/you tough it out" kind of guy. The topic/related topics would have made for some epic Sunday night dinners. 

Overall, I found the show tonally strange. Normally the show is really conservative, but for the first half hour or so it actually felt a little bit liberal. Also, I loved that Henry smoked pot at the jazz clubs back in the 1960s.    

Edited November 19, 2017 by Sarah 103

[Texasmom1970]

We get it what happened to Eddie was horrible. But she should be suspended at the least for her letting her personal feelings interfere with her upholding her oath. And her jabbing the guy while he was beat to  hell just made me dislike her character more, didn't think that was possible!

[SCS]

1 hour ago, Sarah 103 said:

I love this idea; it would have made a great season long story-arc if the series still did those. Question: Would you have it be someone in Danny's precinct or in Jamie's?

I actually think Frank would be the one who would have understood it best. (I'm bad at math/the show has continuity issues). Frank is the one who would have seen the worst of it. He was walking a beat during the 1970s, the era of gritty New York City and "Ford to City, Drop Dead." Not that he ever would go down that path, but he could understand why someone would. I think Henry would be appalled and opposed to it. Henry seems to be more about loyalty and a "you don't walk out your men/you tough it out" kind of guy. The topic/related topics would have made for some epic Sunday night dinners. 

Also, I loved that Henry smoked pot at the jazz clubs back in the 1960s.    

Well Danny would approach it with emotion vs Jamie with logic, so -- probably Danny's precinct since his Sunday dinner  rantings would be tempered by Jamie (and Erin, too) pointing out that the White Supremacists have rights, as distasteful as enforcing those rights might be. Plus, Baez might have actually been given something to do beyond reacting to Danny and giving him arch and knowing looks.

I see your point about Frank. The reason I say Henry is, in the past, he's gone on about how things were handled in his day and how cops can't perform effectively if they are constantly stymied by having to second guess their actions.

[Sarah 103]

On November 18, 2017 at 10:55 PM, SCS said:

Well Danny would approach it with emotion vs Jamie with logic, so -- probably Danny's precinct since his Sunday dinner  rantings would be tempered by Jamie (and Erin, too) pointing out that the White Supremacists have rights, as distasteful as enforcing those rights might be. 

That makes sense. Also, if Danny is going to be the one to find the dead body, it's going to have a greater emotional impact if it was someone that Danny knew and saw on a regular basis. 

On November 18, 2017 at 10:55 PM, SCS said:

I see your point about Frank. The reason I say Henry is, in the past, he's gone on about how things were handled in his day and how cops can't perform effectively if they are constantly stymied by having to second guess their actions.

True. So maybe Frank talks about how how much easier it is today and that what the people are patrol are facing is far easier than what he saw/head to deal with during the 1970s. That gives Henry a chance to say, not necessarily, and point out some out of the downsides to politically correct policing and cultural sensitivity. 

[webruce]

It does seem like they have hit on all the major buttons of controversy in today's American world.  Pot, make it legal or not, race relations and sexual improprieties. Now I agree Eddie went over board with the treatment of Skip Fuller. Yes the acts were terrible that he was part of. But being upset and using the law like that against him was the wrong way to handle it. Now I have seen (insert Reagan name here), go off the tracks to try and right a wrong in the past. Jamie and Erin's intervention I think was to much. But after Skip apologized and tried to defend the 2 girls in his bar, Eddie did go over board by hitting him in the possibly broken ribs that he pointed out to her. He even thought she set up the scene.

I was totally surprised about Henry admitting to smoking a little dope, doing  backstage Security in the Jazz clubs too. Frank saying he knew that all probably tried it. I today still wouldn't admit to my parents I tried it at a party. The adult only, "Eating Chinese" discussion was good and enlightening.  I to would have thought Henry would have had more problems with the "pot use by officer" story. But it is good that they surprise us. I was surprised Mayor Dutton was all for pot use. I did like her offering Chief Devin Jones a job. Also Jones thinking someone narked him out was interesting.  I liked the actor in both Supernatural and The Guardian. Here his role wasn't to big. But I feel it fair that he step back until the heat wears down and then resume duties. It was kinda funny but strange to that both Garrett and Sid made those remarks about his pot use.

I to agree that the ex cop Kyle Wentworth and his Real Samaritan group of anti everyone,at-least according to Duane Pitney, could be a longer story line to work with. But I think Danny tried to make it go away by just being in the way. But as gang leader Tyrell Green showed, since Danny didn't  stop the supremacist group unfortunately he did. Hopefully we see the NYPD figuring out it is Tyrell and putting them away for the murder. But the disillusioned Cop story would have been nice to develop. Baez does need more to do. I don't mind one episode where, Danny, Jamie or Erin are just back ground, But Baez seems to be to often.

[Sarah 103]

21 hours ago, webruce said:

I was totally surprised about Henry admitting to smoking a little dope, doing  backstage Security in the Jazz clubs too. Frank saying he knew that all probably tried it. I today still wouldn't admit to my parents I tried it at a party. The adult only, "Eating Chinese" discussion was good and enlightening.  I to would have thought Henry would have had more problems with the "pot use by officer" story. But it is good that they surprise us.

I didn't think Henry was doing security, I thought he he was just hanging out backstage when he wasn't on duty. I agree with you that it was a great surprise to find out a bit more about Henry's past. I can see why Henry would have been okay with what the officer did. Based on the scenario, it was pretty close to what Henry did back in the day. The biggest difference is that it was legal in Colorado when the officer ingested it. In both cases it was done off duty, the officer wasn't responding to a call while high, and he wasn't driving recklessly or putting someone else's life in danger. 

I don't think Danny, Erin, and Jamie told their father they smoked pot, but he knows that Danny was a bit of a club kid, and that based on when his kids were teenagers/growing up, it was a pretty safe bet that they had probably tried it at least once.

At first I had mixed feelings about the adults only dinner, but I decided I liked it and that nothing was lost by making it adults only.  

[wknt3]

Quote

As Danny and Baez join a narcotics task force to track down a drug supplier, Baez comes into contact with drugs and is soon fighting for her life from an accidental overdose. Also, Jamie and Eddie work to protect a rehabilitated sex offender whose neighbors are angry he lives in their apartment building; and Frank forms an unlikely alliance with Mayor Dutto.

[GustheCat]

Quote

 

I'm not sure why Baez, who had been in a coma for one week, still had on a ton of makeup in her hospital bed? Is that normal hospital procedure?

[wknt3]

18 hours ago, tvaddict44 said:

Nobody commenting on Dec. 1st episode?

I'm guessing it was because nobody had started the episode thread yet and there really wasn't much to say anyway. It looked good in comparison to some of the crap that preceded it, in that it was competently written, but otherwise it was pretty much the most formulaic, by the numbers episode imaginable. Jamie and Eddie get involved in a case raising social issues, squabble and make no difference in the end. Frank fights an evil politician, outmaneuvers them, and triumphs in the end after making a speech, Danny is a tough guy supercop who solves the case and puts away the arrogant bad guy while being a dick to other LEOs and being all tortured that someone he cares about got hurt because of his cowboy style, but in the end everyone forgives him because he's just that great. Erin consults with one of her brothers and Anthony is there too for some reason and even though they are far better actors than her brothers or their partners they are pretty much ignored except for this scene which has no impact on the plot and could be cut with no consequences. There is a family dinner which is pretty much the same as any family dinner scene. There was nothing new, nothing different, nothing that will have any lasting impact. We've pretty much covered everything in this episode already because Blue Bloods has done all this already. Many times.

[sabretooth]

I liked the little shoutout to the excellent skiing in Cattaraugus County NY (someone did their homework!), but this WNYer is going to nitpick DEA Agent lady's pronunciation of the county name. It's Catta-raw-gus, not Catta-rag-us. 

[mtlchick]

I felt it was a filler episode.   As @wknt3 said there was nothing new to add because it was...there.  Not terrible but nothing to write about. 

[Sarah 103]

On December 3, 2017 at 9:00 AM, wknt3 said:

Danny is a tough guy supercop who solves the case and puts away the arrogant bad guy while being a dick to other LEOs and being all tortured that someone he cares about got hurt because of his cowboy style, but in the end everyone forgives him because he's just that great.

I don't think what happened to Baez had anything to do with Danny's style. She touched something without gloves on, which may not have been the smartest thing, but it wasn't like Danny ordered her or bullied her into finding or touching something in the apartment. 

[wknt3]

Quote

Erin is conflicted when Jamie and Eddie ask her to help drop old charges against a man, Parker Mack, who just bravely rescued a woman from a local hostage situation. Also, Danny and Baez work a case involving car thieves and discover the leader is Victor Lugo, a mobster they've dealt with before, and Baker receives a job offer.

[Magnumfangirl]

Best episode of the season.  The dinner scene was stupid, but the rest of it was good.  

[wonderwoman]

Silly me. I was so excited when I read that Baker gets a job offer. But alas, Saint Francis, always the hero, had to save her from what a smart, savvy detective ought to have been able to figure out for herself. Of course, there is the possibility that the commissoner picks his staff from those he regards as dim bulbs, lest they cast a shadow on his halo or, horrors, seriously question his decision-making. 

[Sarah 103]

My favorite line from the episode came from Jamie. I think it was something like "I am not some magic criminal justice genie." Also, I loved seeing the way Jamie used the media to get what he wanted. I am convinced that someday he is going to be police commissioner. Do you think his counterpart to Garrett Moore is going to have an easy job or a hard job? 

[mtlchick]

I don't know if it was the best episode of the season, but certainly had some lighter moments which was sorely needed in a season full of weariness.

[wknt3]

On 12/10/2017 at 11:05 AM, Magnumfangirl said:

Best episode of the season.  The dinner scene was stupid, but the rest of it was good.  

 

9 hours ago, mtlchick said:

I don't know if it was the best episode of the season, but certainly had some lighter moments which was sorely needed in a season full of weariness.

I think it was the best of the season. although largely by default. Like last week it was blandly formulaic, but those lighter moments allowed the cast a chance to elevate the material and make it better than it had any right to be. It was nice seeing Frank turn to Henry for advice and the writers remembering that Henry is a former Commissioner who would have something savvy and insightful to say. And Danny's scene at the end was really fun. As usual there were some serious issues with the writing - as has been mentioned Baker shouldn't need Frank to figure out what is going on and it would have been more interesting if she wanted to take the job anyway to get back to doing police work. And it would have been nice to see some comment from someone about Danny seemed to be having a little fun again (unless there was a line I missed) and some nod to continuity. And like last week it still seemed like a bit of a filler episode that could have been written anytime in the last few years. They still need to promote Jamie, do something new with Frank ( perhaps a staff change or an extended contract negotiation where he honestly thinks both sides are being unreasonable or instead of fighting with an evil liberal mayor he has to deal with a mayor who is conservative and reflexively supports the police, but is completely incompetent at governing and jealous when Frank gets credit), and stop putting Erin on the back burner so much, but it's nice to know that they are still capable of giving us a decent hour of television.
 

[MissLucas]

So, Frank couldn't tell Baker that her former boss wanted to hire her as a hook into 1 PP because it would insult her fragile feelings? If she's as smart and tough as everybody insists she is she had that figured out already but decided getting away from St. Francis was well worth it. And if she hadn't then protecting her feelings is just paternalistic crap. Ah well, Baker is as cemented in her position as Jaimie - they should start a club.

Edited December 13, 2017 by MissLucas

[webruce]

Well I was surprised that Jamie and Eddie showed up so quick when Parker Mack was helping that girl out the window. I worried at first he was like a crazed ex bf who knew his girlfriend was with this guy and trying to get her back. They would find out that he had beat her or something. But I guess that would be a Law and Order:SVU case in NY. It seemed that Eddie had to at-first twist Jamie's arm to get him to try and help hero/ grand theft auto guy Mack. I thought Erin looked very good in the dark outfit at work. Then when Jamie got Mack off he couldn't tell Eddie he had helped him??

 I was confused at first about Detective Baker and her ex boss Captain Bullmans job offer, and who asked who?  But really wouldn't it be easy to ask Abigail if she asked Bullman, or he asked her? I do wish Frank would give his "Miss Moneypenny/ Girl Friday", more work. It was cute how Baker put it to Garrett and Sid.

Did like Baez and Danny helping trap Victor Lugo. The joking was funny, like the Doughnut Man and Defective Detective. But I am glad that they nailed him. I am glad that a couple of Danny's tricks don't always work. Baez wasn't sure about doing it. Lawyer Herbert Talbott somehow knew that Nicky Ferina hadn't squealed. I thought(and replayed it several times) that Talbott called Lugo,"Tony" when they were with Danny and Victor almost signed a confession. But maybe my hearing was wrong, didn't put on caption. Tony was one of Victor's Boys when Danny talked to him around the Aston Martin. Coincidence, or not that they have a Aston Martin, James Bond's car of choice in some movies, and Baker calling self "Miss Moneypenny", the secretary that every Bond has flirted with? Thought when Danny found Hector Alonzo's truck cam, and he said it was broke, I said "Call Abby(NCIS)". I did think Lugo was to easily duped. Twice almost making him confess and then going after Alonzo after Danny told he had talked. I either thought that it was Danny in disguised, or that Alonzo would get hurt more before Danny stopped Lugo. He has enough flunkies, send one of them after the trucker? Did like how Danny and Baez passed Lugo in the Dodge jail van, while eating a donut in his DB11. But Danny was reckless and thought he would get pulled over, lol.

Did like Henry giving Frank advice on the Baker situation. The family weighing in on the Mack subject at dinner was interesting. The different sides but still at end was united.

Edited December 15, 2017 by webruce
spelling repairs.

[MissLucas]

5 hours ago, webruce said:

 I was confused at first about Detective Baker and her ex boss Captain Pullmans job offer, and who asked who?  But really wouldn't it be easy to ask Abigail if she asked Bullman, or he asked her? I do wish Frank would give his "Miss Moneypenny/ Girl Friday", more work. It was cute how Baker put it to Garrett and Sid.

 

Bullman asked Baker. However he told Frank that Baker came to him - because we are supposed to think he was a dumb weasel i.e. his motives for asking Baker were shady and he did not want Frank to get suspicious. But since Baker had already told Frank that Bullman offered her the job Frank was on to him! And so it was established that Bullman had just offered the job to Baker as a hook to 1 PP yet Frank could not directly tell that to Baker (i.e. asking her about the details of the offer would end with that *cough* sound logical conclusion) because it would insult her - this was brought up twice:

Quote

Grandpa: But one that there's no way you can bring that up to her without insulting her to her core.

Baker: But there was no way of sharing your doubts without insulting the living crap out of me.

 

No, it makes no sense that smart Baker would not have thought about that possibility too but the show insists this to be the case. So chivalrous Frank treated her like crap and then put on the martyr cape he wears so well while she was throwing a well-behaved repressed hissy fit. Of course all ended well once she had it figured out in her weak womanly brain that he had just wanted to spare her feelings even if it meant she'd be angry with him for a while. You're supposed to go "awwww!" now.

Edited December 13, 2017 by MissLucas