Blue Bloods (TV series)

Blue Bloods
Genre	Police procedural Drama
Created by	Robin Green Mitchell Burgess
Starring	Donnie Wahlberg Bridget Moynahan Will Estes Len Cariou Tom Selleck Amy Carlson Sami Gayle
Opening theme	"Reagan's Theme" by Rob Simonsen
Composer(s)	Rob Simonsen (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4) Mark Snow
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	5
No. of episodes	97 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Leonard Goldberg Michael Cuesta Mitchell Burgess Robin Green
Producer(s)	Fred Keller Jane Raab David Barrett
Editor(s)	Charles McClelland
Location(s)	New York City Manhattan Brooklyn Staten Island Queens The Bronx
Cinematography	Craig Dibona, ASC
Camera setup	multiple
Running time	45 minutes
Production company(s)	Panda Productions Paw In Your Face Productions CBS Productions (season 1–2) CBS Television Studios (season 3–)
Distributor	CBS Television Distribution
Broadcast
Original channel	CBS
Picture format	1080i (16:9 HDTV)
Audio format	Dolby Digital 5.1
Original run	September 24, 2010 (2010-09-24) – present
External links
Website

Blue Bloods is an American police procedural drama series shown on CBS in the United States and Canada. The series is filmed on location in New York City with occasional references to nearby suburbs.^[1] The show premiered on September 24, 2010,^[2] with episodes airing on Fridays following CSI: NY before being moved to Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time and 9:00 p.m. Central and Mountain time for a four week tryout. After four weeks, it returned to its original Friday 10:00 p.m. Eastern timeslot, and has remained there ever since.

On March 13, 2014, CBS renewed Blue Bloods for a fifth season,^[3] which premiered on September 26, 2014.^[4]

Overview

The series follows the Irish-American Reagan family of police officers with the New York City Police Department (NYPD). Francis "Frank" Reagan (Tom Selleck) is the Police Commissioner. He was a U.S. Marine Corps officer and a Vietnam veteran before he joined the NYPD. He is a widower whose son Joe died in the line of duty, leaving him three remaining adult children—Danny, Erin, and Jamie.

Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) is a top NYPD detective, holding the rank of Detective First Grade, but is sometimes hard-nosed and does not always go by the book. Danny is also a Marine veteran, having served in the Iraq War. Danny's partner at the beginning of the series is Detective First Grade Jackie Curatola (Jennifer Esposito); however, Kate Lansing (Megan Ketch) became an interim partner early in Season 3. By Episode 13 of the show's third season, Danny Reagan obtains another interim partner, Candice McElroy^[5] (Megan Boone). As of Season 3, Episode 17, Danny's full-time partner is Detective Maria Baez (Marisa Ramirez).

Erin (Bridget Moynahan) is an assistant district attorney in Manhattan who prosecutes many of the criminals Danny arrests. She is promoted to Deputy Trial Bureau Chief in the show's third season.

Jamie (Will Estes), Frank's youngest child, is a graduate of Harvard Law School and is a decorated officer on the police force after graduating from the police academy in the pilot episode. He was formerly partnered with Officer Vinny Cruz until Cruz's death at the end of season three. He is currently partnered with Officer Eddie Janko (Vanessa Ray).

Henry (Len Cariou) is Frank's father, former NYPD officer and also a former NYPD police commissioner, now retired. Henry served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. Henry often provides advice to his son, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Both Henry's and Frank's wives are deceased. Erin is divorced (her ex-husband, Jack Boyle, has appeared in some episodes) and has one teenage daughter, Nicky (Sami Gayle), who lives with her. Danny is married to Linda (Amy Carlson), an ER nurse. They have two sons, Jack and Seán.

The show is well known for its family dinner scenes, during which family members discuss their day, current cases, or controversies depicted in each episode. The kids often have meaty or moral issue questions which the various adults answer, sometimes with differing viewpoints. The conversation may also include family members ribbing each other, and Henry or Frank dispensing wise advice. Sometimes the conversation breaks down in acrimony due to differing feelings or perspectives between family members on emotional issues, but the family always remains loving and united.

Frank's middle son, Joseph, was an NYPD police detective who died in the line of duty in events that pre-date the series. Joe was involved with the

A running thread through the first season is Jamie's picking up Joe's investigation. The FBI tried to recruit Jamie, but he instead conducted his own covert investigation into Joe's death. Joe's murderers try to kill Jamie by tampering with the brakes on his car, but fail. After the failed hit, Jamie informs Frank, Danny, and grandfather Henry about the results of his informal investigation.

Along with his prosecutor sister Erin, the Reagan family joins together and completes Joe's Blue Templar investigation. After gathering sufficient evidence to obtain arrest warrants, Frank leads a team of police officers, including Danny and Jamie, to execute the warrant. They arrest the corrupt cops while they are having a covert meeting to divide stolen drug money. The group's leader, a detective named Sonny Malevsky (Michael T. Weiss), admits to killing Joe Reagan. After his confession, Malevsky commits suicide with his service pistol.

Jamie's field training officer is Sergeant Anthony Renzulli (Nicholas Turturro), who is tough but fair with Jamie and thinks Jamie has what it takes to be a great cop.^[6] Jamie was engaged to Sydney (Dylan Moore), a fellow Harvard graduate, who was initially happy for his growing success as a cop, but gradually became upset when realizing the dangers of it. She officially broke off their engagement after Jamie became obsessed with investigating Joe's murder, realizing she can't handle the stress of knowing the risks he takes.

Episodes

Cast and characters

Main cast

• Tom Selleck as Francis "Frank" Reagan, the Police Commissioner of New York City and widowed father of Danny, Erin, and Jamie. His second son, Joe, was killed in the line of duty on May 15, 2009 (15 months before the beginning of the series). Frank was a Marine officer during the Vietnam War and often serves as the moral center of the family. He has an indifferent attitude towards politics, often taking on the mayor and numerous reporters who misinterpret his actions. He tries hard not to judge people, and tends to purse his lips together when hearing bad news or the horrific details of an ongoing case. His wife Mary died September 14, 2005. The death of his wife, son, mother and the thousands who perished on 9/11--he was working in the North Tower when the South Tower collapsed--weigh heavily on him, and the person who is best at lifting his spirits is his father, who often talks to him late at night when he cannot sleep. Frank is a devout Catholic and has good relationships with his local church and his city's archdiocese, to whom he talks about personal and police matters. Frank lives in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn along with his father.
• Donnie Wahlberg as Detective 1st Grade Daniel "Danny" Reagan. On the job for over 10 years as of season 1, episode 1 ("Pilot"), Danny took a leave of absence from the force to serve two tours in Fallujah as a Marine. He is happily married with two sons and lives with his family in Staten Island. He is old-school; his hotheadedness and harsh methods of detective work sometimes get him in trouble, which his father worries about. When asked if his son "crosses the line" and violates procedure from time to time, Frank answered, "I think he walks on the line" (season 4, episode 19, "Secret Arrangements"). Danny is hard on other policemen and detectives when he feels they are unprofessional or not doing their duty to its utmost. He is currently assigned to the Detective Squad of the 54th Precinct, and partnered with Det. Maria Baez. His previous partners include Det. Jackie Curatola, Det. Kate Lansing, and Det. Candice McElroy. He is a recipient of the US Flag Bar, World Trade Center Bar, NYPD Combat Cross, and NYPD Meritorious Police Duty award.
• Bridget Moynahan as Erin Reagan, Assistant District Attorney and single mother. She is divorced from Jack Boyle, a criminal defense attorney, and in season 3, episode 3 ("Old Wounds"), she finally changes her name back from Erin Reagan-Boyle to just Erin Reagan. Erin is almost raped and killed at the end of season 1, episode 9 ("Re-Do"), though Frank saves her life by shooting her attacker dead. She is mostly by-the-book in matters of criminal justice, often to the annoyance of Danny and her grandfather. As of season 2, episode 9 ("Moonlighting"), she is 36 years old, but in season 3, episode 17 ("Protest Too Much"), it is mentioned that she recently celebrated her 40th birthday.^[12] In "Working Girls" (season 2, episode 20), Erin is offered the position of Deputy Mayor of Operations by Mayor Poole, but she turned him down. In "Ends and Means" (season 3, episode 20) Erin is promoted from Senior Counsel to Deputy Bureau Chief of the Trial Bureau. In season 4, episode 3 ("To Serve and Protect"), Erin is taken hostage and shot in the arm at the courthouse. She is saved by Danny after he says a coded message, "Please, don't hurt my family," after which she dropped to the ground and Danny shot her assailant. It is revealed that their father taught them this when they were young, as a plan in case one of them was ever held at gunpoint. In the season 4 finale, she filed a complaint against her boss, Bureau Chief Harris, upon learning she had abused her power. In Season 5, it is mentioned that she graduated from Columbia Law School.
• Will Estes as Jamison "Jamie" Reagan, a younger police officer and recent Harvard Law graduate. Like his father, he is mostly silent on his political beliefs. He was the one who continued Joe Reagan's investigation into the Blue Templar in Season 1. In Season 2, he takes advantage of a chance opportunity to go undercover in the Sanfino crime family. He is stationed at the 12th Precinct, and is partnered with Sgt. Anthony Renzulli in Seasons 1 and 2, Officer Vinny Cruz in Season 3, and Officer Eddie Janko since season 4. In the Season 4, he begins to express concerns because both his father and brother had made detective by that point in their careers (Frank in three years, Danny in three and a half), while he is still a patrol officer. He is a recipient of the US Flag Bar, NYPD Exceptional Merit award, and NYPD Firearms Proficiency Bar.
• Len Cariou as Henry Reagan, retired Police Commissioner, father of Frank (grandfather of Danny, Erin, and Jamie; great-grandfather of Nikki, Sean, and Jack). His childhood during the 1920s and 1930s was hard due to his father, Charles, an Irish immigrant, World War I veteran and former police officer,'s alcoholism and inability to hold a job. Henry was a Marine in World War II and Korea, and joined the NYPD in 1952. Like his grandson Danny, Henry is socially conservative and hates the political correctness of modern law and order. His wife of 46 years Betty died December 2, 2001. It is later revealed that Henry and Betty had another son, Peter Christopher, who died of leukemia at the age of 18 months over a year before Frank was born. Among the awards and decorations worn on his uniform include the US Flag Bar, World Trade Center Bar, NYPD Medal of Honor, NYPD Combat Cross, NYPD Meritorious Police Duty award, NYPD Excellent Police Duty award, NYPD Unit Citation Bar, NYPD Award of Commendation, NYPD Firearms Proficiency Bar, and NYPD Award of Merit. Cariou, separated in age from Selleck by only six years, wears make-up and a dental prosthetic to appear older.
• Amy Carlson as Linda Reagan, wife of Danny and mother of their two sons. She loves her husband and the Reagan family, but at times Danny's obsessive attitude toward collaring criminals makes her wonder whether he views his job as a higher priority than his family. In seasons 1 and 2, she was a stay-at-home mom, but she returns to her nursing job at St. Vincent's Medical Center in season 3. Beginning in season 5, Carlson is listed among the main cast in the opening credits sequence.
• Sami Gayle as Nicole "Nicky" Reagan-Boyle, Erin's daughter who aspires to become a cop like the rest of her family. As of season 3, episode 3 ("Old Wounds") she is 16 years old. In season 5, she is a high school senior preparing for college, and has committed to attend Columbia University, her mother's alma mater. She is a very curious young girl and is not afraid to question her uncle Danny and great-grandfather about police matters, often challenging their old school conservatism. In the pilot episode, Nicki is portrayed by actress Marlene Lawston. Beginning in season 5, Gayle is listed among the main cast in the opening credits sequence.

Also starring

• Nicholas Turturro as Sgt. Anthony Renzulli, Jamie's first partner and Training Officer. He was also the Training Officer for Jamie's late brother Joe. Renzulli knows the beat of his precinct very well and often offers Jamie good advice when he needs it. He believes Jamie will make a great cop, and often pokes fun at him for abandoning a lucrative law career. Starting Season 3, Episode 1, he moves to an apparent desk job managing the patrolmen of the 12th Precinct. He is a recipient of the US Flag Bar, World Trade Center Bar, and NYPD Meritorious Police Duty award.
• Jennifer Esposito as Detective 1st Grade Jackie Curatola (episodes 4 through 51), Danny's previous partner. Esposito's character is divorced and is regularly the recipient of passes or ogling from her uniformed colleagues and perps alike, much to her annoyance. The character takes a leave of absence from the precinct after the events of "Nightmares" (Season 3, Episode 7), claiming she needs a break from the stress of her job. In actuality, CBS placed Esposito on medical leave under disputed circumstances after executives at the TV network had learned Esposito's doctor advised the actress to lessen her workload in order to help her cope with her celiac disease.^[13]
• Marisa Ramirez as Detective Maria Baez (recurring Season 3, also starring Season 4-), Danny's partner as of Season 3, Episode 17. Before joining the 54th Precinct, Baez spent three years with the NYPD's Joint Bank Robbery Task Force until it was disbanded in 2011.
• Vanessa Ray as Officer Edit ("Eddie") Janko (Season 4 - present), a rookie officer and Jamie's current partner. As of Season 5, Episode 1, Eddie's probationary period has ended and she is a full-fledged police officer. She is of Hungarian descent. Feisty and strongly opinionated, she is very passionate when it comes to her job. Her father was a financial advisor before his company was revealed to be involved in a Ponzi scheme, ruining a lot of good people, and he is serving a prison sentence. There has been significant romantic tension between Eddie and Jamie since the middle of season 4, the two even sharing a kiss, but Jamie has chosen not to act on his feelings after learning he would lose Eddie as a partner and not wanting to risk ruining their friendship.

Recurring cast

• Brian Roland as Richard, assistant to Erin Reagan (Season 2-present).
• Bruce Altman as Mayor Frank Russo (Season 1).
• Noelle Beck as Sue Connors, Frank's Deputy Press Secretary (Season 1).
• Megan Boone as Detective Candice "Mac" McElroy, Danny's interim partner (Season 3, episodes 13–16, "Inside Jobs" through "Quid Pro Quo").
• Robert Clohessy as Sgt. Gormley, Special Assistant to the Commissioner (effectively Chief of Department), who acts as the Commissioner's liaison to the rank and file. Formerly the supervisor of Danny and the other detectives at the 54th Precinct.
• Ato Essandoh as Reverend Darnell Potter, a loud-mouth preacher who feels it is his duty to protect those of color (particularly those in his neighborhood) from the "brutality" and racial profiling of the NYPD. In "Excessive Force" (season 5, episode 4), Potter is nearly arrested by Commissioner Reagan for witness tampering, but Frank lets him off with a warning in order for him to save face with his congregation.
• Abigail Hawk as Detective 1st Grade Abigail Baker of the Police Commissioner's (Detective) Squad, Frank's primary aide. In "Manhattan Queens" (season 4, episode 14), Baker was harassed by Suffolk County Police Department Deputy Chief Sam DeLuca, who had a romantic interest in her. In the same episode it is revealed that she is from Ocean Bay Park and her parents still live there. She is a recipient of the following awards and decorations: US Flag Bar, World Trade Center Bar, NYPD Meritorious Police Duty award, and NYPD Excellent Police Duty award.
• Peter Hermann as Jack Boyle, a high-priced defense attorney and Erin's ex-husband (Season 3 – present). When Danny was framed for possession of narcotics in "Framed" (season 3, episode 12), Henry hired Jack to represent him. In Season 4, he and Erin briefly got back together, although it didn't last.
• Deputy Commissioner of Public Information, who becomes Frank's de facto chief of staff. Before becoming Frank's DCPI, Garrett was a reporter.
• Megan Ketch as Danny's partner, Detective Kate Lansing (Season 3, episodes 7–12, "Nightmares" through "Framed"). She transferred back to Internal Affairs after the arrest of Captain Derek Elwood (Nestor Serrano), who framed Danny for possession of narcotics in order to prevent him from discovering his gambling problem.
• Holt McCallany as District Attorney Robert McCoy (Seasons 4 and 5). A defense attorney and a love interest of Erin's. He was introduced as an okay Assistant District Attorney who left to join private practice. Erin broke it off with him after he was appointed interim District Attorney, saying she can't sleep with her boss.
• Dylan Moore as Sydney Davenport, brief fiancée of Jamie (Season 1).
• Amy Morton as Trial Bureau Chief Amanda Harris (Seasons 3 and 4), Erin's boss after she is promoted to Deputy Trial Bureau Chief. Harris is apparently fired after the events of the season 4 finale, when Erin says she has filed a formal complaint amidst overwhelming evidence that Amanda abused her power.
• Bebe Neuwirth as Kelly Peterson, Inspector General of the NYPD (Season 4). She is a former member of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office in New Jersey. In the season 4 finale, Peterson tells Frank Reagan about her intent to resign, after finding that she doesn't have enough "professional animosity" toward the NYPD due to becoming too close to Frank.
• David Ramsey as Mayor Carter Poole, Mayor Russo's successor (Season 2 – present). He and Frank butt heads on occasion, but the two have a mutual respect for each other. In "Parenthood" (season 2, episode 14), it is mentioned that he attended Yale University. In "Working Girls" (season 2, episode 20), he offered Erin a job as his Deputy Mayor of Operations, but she turned him down. In "This Way Out" (season 3, episode 23), Mayor Poole is shot during a town hall meeting by a mentally-challenged teenager who was tricked by a member of the Los Lourdes gang operating out of the Bitterman housing projects, which has left him paralyzed and using a wheelchair.
• LaTanya Richardson as Lt. Dee Ann Carver, Danny's strict, by-the-book boss (Season 5). She is put in charge of Danny, Maria, and the other detectives at the 54th precinct after Sgt. Gormley takes a job in the Commissioner's office.
• Andrea Roth as Kelly Davidson, a reporter who dated Frank (Season 1).
• Sebastian Sozzi as Officer Vincent "Vinny" Cruz, Jamie's partner who grew up in the Bitterman housing projects neighborhood of New York City (Season 3). He is a recipient of the NYPD Meritorious Police Duty award and the NYPD Excellent Police Duty award. Officer Cruz is shot dead by gang members in "The Bitter End" (season 3, episode 22). Cruz was posthumously promoted to Detective First Grade.
• Andrew Terraciano as Sean Reagan, Danny and Linda's younger son.
• Tony Terraciano as Jack Reagan, Danny and Linda's older son.
• NYPD Medal of Honor, NYPD Medal for Valor, NYPD Commendation or Commendation—Integrity award, two NYPD Meritorious Police Duty awards, NYPD Excellent Police Duty award, and NYPD Unit Citation Bar. Dino turns over his badge in the season 4 finale after being caught on video committing lewd acts with an escort, and lying about it.

Production

Selleck said that he was drawn to the project because of the strong pilot script and that he was concerned about becoming involved in an ongoing series because he did not want to compromise his commitment to the Jesse Stone television movies.^[14] Beginning January 19, 2011, Blue Bloods was moved to Wednesdays at 10 p.m. for a four-week tryout.^[15] In February 2011, the series returned to its Friday night time slot due to the series premiere of Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior. In the UK, the show helped launch Sky Atlantic by premiering on Tuesday, February 1, 2011, at 10:30 p.m.^[16] In Australia, the show premiered in February 2011 in a primetime Wednesday slot on Network TEN, then from February 2013 for season two was moved from the network's primary SD channel to its HD channel one alongside White Collar, then on August 26, 2013, the show moved back to the primary SD channel on Mondays for season three. In New Zealand, the show premieres on July 13, 2013 on TV3 replacing CSI: NY in a primetime Saturday slot after Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

On October 20, 2012, CBS announced that Jennifer Esposito was being dropped from the series, with her character, Detective Curatola, being placed on indefinite leave of absence.^[17] Esposito and CBS had been at odds over her limited availability for work after the actress was diagnosed with Celiac disease. She had missed a week after collapsing on set earlier in the season. According to Esposito, CBS challenged her request for a reduced work schedule, and further, kept her from finding work elsewhere.^[17] In a press release from CBS, the network said that Esposito had "informed us that she is only available to work on a very limited part-time schedule. As a result, she's unable to perform the demands of her role and we regretfully had to put her character on a leave of absence."^[17] Curatola's last appearance was in the third season episode "Nightmares".

According to TV by the Numbers, by committing to a third season of Blue Bloods, CBS is all but guaranteed to commit to a fourth season.^[18] This is because as a CBS Television Studios production, CBS has a financial incentive to produce at least the minimum number of episodes needed for stripped syndication.^[18] On March 27, 2013, CBS made it official by renewing Blue Bloods for a fourth season to begin in the fall of 2013.^[19]

Blue Bloods was renewed for a fifth season on March 13, 2014.^[20][21]

Broadcast

In Australia the series premiered on Network Ten's primary channel on February 2, 2011.^[22] Due to poor ratings of the first season, Ten moved the series to its HD channel One, which premiered the second season on October 31, 2011.^[23] Due to decreased viewership of Ten's primary channel, season three moved back from August 26, 2013,^[24] and season four returned on March 17, 2014.^[25]

In New Zealand the series premiered on TV3 on July 13, 2013.^[26]

The series premiered on Sky Atlantic in the UK on February 1, 2011,^[27] with season two returning on October 4, 2011,^[27] season three on December 13, 2012,^[27] and season four on November 28, 2013.^[28]

Reception

Reviewers have praised the series' on-location shooting.^[29] The New York Daily News praised Selleck's performance as Frank Reagan,^[29] while also praising the family dinner scene for discussion of morally complex issues.^[29]

The Daily News drew comparisons between Selleck's characters Jesse Stone and Frank Reagan, saying that both Reagan and Stone are moral, principled men of few words.^[29] In Entertainment Weekly's annual Fall TV Preview, Ken Tucker named Blue Bloods as one of the "5 Best New Shows" of 2010.^[30]

Ratings

The pilot episode garnered 15.246 million viewers because of the Live + 7 days after with viewings from DVRs. Without the DVR adding to the live viewing the show's debut episode garnered a total of 13.02 million viewers.^[31]

Overall, the ratings have been steady for the series, after the pilot episode. The lowest viewer total of 9.77 million occurred in the second episode of the third season, and is to date the only episode that had fewer than 10 million viewers. The highest (non-pilot) numbers of 12.73 million occurred in the sixth episode of the second season.^[32][33] The second season finale on May 11, 2012 was watched by 10.73 million viewers and received a 1.2/4 ratings/share among adults ages 18–49.^[34]

In January 2013, CBS announced via press release that Blue Bloods was the first scripted Friday series in 10 years to average at least 13 million viewers, gaining eight percent more viewers than the previous year. The second season of CSI in 2001 had 14.78 million viewers, while the fourth season of Law & Order: SVU in 2003 had 14.92 million.^[35]

References