Blue Bloods

We’ve caught up with and cleared off all the shows from previous, so at least I’m hoping to be able to watch this final season within a week of their air dates. We’ll see.

Life Sentence
Frank’s story – I really like Stacy Keach. He’s a terrific actor, and plays the Archbishop really well. This week, he brings Frank a confessed killer to arrest, but wants him to ensure he won’t be extradited to Ohio and face a possible death penalty. They go back and forth on this, at one point having Archbishop Kearnes declaring they are no longer friends. He does apologize for all of that later on, and Frank does make a deal so that the man will get life instead of death. It’s annoying to me that he had to call in favors to do that for someone he doesn’t even know. Since the man in question was willing to co-operate in the Ohio case, they probably would have taken the death penalty off the table anyway. So, the story didn’t impress me all that much.
Erin’s story – very dramatic with her facing possible disbarment. I loved how Jack swooped in to help save her. I like the two of them as a couple and I’d like to see them get remarried before the series ends. Don’t know why they brought in Debi Mazar for such a thankless role – talking tough, but being rather easily proved wrong. Erin makes the comment that Debi has no integrity, but later says she was just doing her job. Which is it? And, would Carlos Ramirez really have left the juror video evidence that he was blackmailing her?

Danny’s story – he and Baez investigates the murder of a young mother whose traumatized daughter Ameilia may have witnessed it. They find the killer is Amelia’s father – the same Victor Ramirez that Erin was trying - and he kidnaps Amelia from her grandmother. They are able to rescue Amelia, but sadly, sleazebag Victor gets away by helicopter at the end. I did like how Baez’s knowledge of Spanish helped save Amelia; she clearly shouted in Spanish for her to get away from Victor and she did.

Eddie’s story – Eddie takes care of Amelia until they find her grandmother. At the end, she realizes she really wants to be a mother and Jamie agrees with her.

Jamie’s story – Jamie’s car – which belonged to his brother Joe – is stolen from him. He teams up with Joe Hill to successfully find it. Then he gives the car to Joe. That was a beautiful moment that almost had me in tears. That was especially welcome after last season’s episode where the two resorted to fisticuffs.

The dinner was nice, though does everyone have to be so mean to Jack? Irish Alzheimer’s, as Frank says.

Mixed episode overall, but still good. I will really miss this show when it’s gone.

I watched ^this, the first new episode, tonight. I'm happy this show is back, too bad it's not going to last long.

Since I couldn't fast forward, I saw a commercial for NCIS: Origins (TV Series 2024– ). It makes me wonder if any of the potential Blue Bloods' "Franchise Extensions" are going to be prequels.

I watched S14.E12 ∙ "Without Fear or Favor" today. I agree the scene between Erin and her boss, as well as the dinner scene where they did Henry's wake while he was still alive, were highlights

I just watched S14.E13, "Bad to Worse". I agree that Danny and Baez's case ended on a sad note, as Grady Simms was clearly unable to take care of himself. The episode's title was very appropriate description of this situation.

I also enjoyed the Henry and Erin story. In particular, I thought Steven R. Schirripa made the most of the brief scene between Anthony and Henry in the diner. But I agree that the character of Don Mathers should have been fired from the force long ago.

Finally, I wish the final scene between the Mayor Chase and the NYFD Chief Veronica Radley after Frank left had not ended so quickly and ambiguously. I'm sure we're meant to think that they took Frank's words to heart and apologized to each other, and Radley got to keep her job. Still, I would have liked to have seen more. That's sometime a problem when they cram four different plotlines into one episode, one or more of them is not fully developed.

Bad to Worse (11/1)

Danny and Baez – Really oddball case here. Body found in abandoned storage locker. Owner is mentally disturbed, but in a non-violent way. Other bodies turn up in other lockers, but the DNA matches his mother. She killed them because they complained about her son’s behavior. Final scene with the man-child begging to see his mother was really heart-wrenching to watch.

Frank – This time Frank tries to de-escalate a feud between the mayor and the Fire Chief played by Mira Sorvino. Some bad behavior on both sides, but Mayor Chase not attending the funeral of a fallen firefighter was a huge mistake! Looks like Frank does succeed in the end; we’re not really sure. But I doubt they’d bring in Mira Sorvino for just a single episode.

Erin and Henry – I rather suspected the case would turn out as it did – with Henry testifying against the defense. But it was all rather ludicrous. No defense attorney would have put Henry on the stand without being sure first that he was going to give testimony helpful to the defense.

Eddie and Badillo – They arrest a climate protestor, only to have him released by a retired cop pretending he was still active. He needed the protestor out of jail so he could donate his kidney to his daughter, who is also his girlfriend. (Seems he could have gone through proper channels and I’m sure they would have released him.) I do like how Badillo used reverse psychology on the guy to get him to change his mind about not donating his kidney. He also shows a lot of respect for Eddie at the end. The retired cop and protester may face charges later on, but the daughter is fine and that’s what matters. And no judge or jury would throw the book at either of them.

Offbeat episode, but still enjoyable.

I've now seen S14.E14 "New York Minute". Danny explained his motivation in the scene at Joe's favorite bar. He's considers his job it's own reward, and he didn't want Joe to have to "share the spotlight" with him.

My Parents love the show. So they are kinda bummed. I've watched it a few times in passing. Hopefully the Cast and Crew find other projects.