Among TV procedurals, Blue Bloods was decidedly unique. Rather than focusing on a set of coworkers toiling away while fighting crime, the show focused on a complete family of police officers who were utterly dedicated to protecting their city. They served tirelessly and sacrificed everything for their work — save for their regular family dinners, of course. The show’s early cancellation meant that season 14 would be its last. A spin-off, Boston Blue, was quickly greenlit, and that show will follow Donnie Wahlberg’s Detective Danny Reagan as he begins his journey in a brand new city.
While Boston Blue will likely be interesting, the Reagan family was the biggest draw of the show. Every single member of the family was compelling and had a dedicated storyline of their own. They each had individual careers, motivations, and ambitions. Tom Selleck’s Frank Reagan was the most notable of those stars, but other members of the family certainly stood out. Among them was Bridget Moynahan’s Erin Reagan, who became a prosecuting attorney, who was never afraid to tackle controversial subjects. Unfortunately, one of Erin’s most touching storylines was hindered by a seemingly minor production mistake.
Bad To Worse Was a Brilliant Episode
It Provided Insight Into Many Characters’ Stories
In Blue Bloods, season 14, episode 13, “Bad To Worse”, the show offered some insight into a vast swathe of characters’ stories. There were only six episodes scheduled to come after, as episode 18, “End of Tour” would serve as the series finale. With so little time left after such a long run, most shows would focus on pushing the overall narrative forward. Uninterested in mere plot progression alone, Blue Bloods elected to direct attention to its characters instead. In doing so, it dedicates time to nearly every member of the Reagan family.
“Bad To Worse” features several storylines that all take place at once. Frank is left to put out emotional fires after Mayor Peter Chase (Dylan Walsh) neglects to attend the funeral of a firefighter. Danny and Maria Baez (Marisa Ramirez) investigate a brutal crime involving a human skeleton. Eddie (Vanessa Ray) even has to handle a complicated ethical conundrum as she attempts to process a criminal organ donor. All of these stories do feel larger-than-life, as Blue Bloods tended to, but Erin’s story was especially interesting. She planned to prosecute a crooked cop, only to find that Henry (Len Cariou) planned to aid the officer. Unfortunately, that genuinely compelling story was not executed perfectly.
Erin’s Subplot Made No Sense
She Could Not Have Seen Frank
Erin’s subplot had potential, but the actual execution left much to the imagination. The entire concept saw Erin attempting to prosecute a former officer who put his neighbor in an illegal chokehold. Henry planned to testify about the chokehold, and Erin assumed that he was defending the suspect. She was extremely offended, even going so far as to insult him over it. Because her relative was testifying, she was also forced to step down as the prosecutor, making it an especially sad story for Blue Bloods. Yet, when Henry did go to the stand, he had another plan entirely. Henry testified against the former police officer, insisting that Frank always found the chokehold repugnant. He argued that this was dangerous and entirely unnecessary. Erin was shocked at his testimony, especially given their earlier argument.
Erin is not the only skilled lawyer in the world, and “Bad To Worse” pretends otherwise.
The plot itself proved that Erin still had much to learn about Henry, but one minor issue made it somewhat baffling. After all, Erin was unable to object to any testimony, but she still elected to attend the trial. When she did, she attempted to signal for the prosecutor to object. Luckily, the lawyer somehow managed to understand Erin’s objection despite not even looking at her. It made the scene feel contrived, especially since the lawyer should have been competent enough to know when to object. Erin is not the only skilled lawyer in the world, and “Bad To Worse” pretends otherwise.
Erin’s Bizarre Subplot Was Confusing
Bad To Worse Is Still a Great Episode
Mistakes like this are always concerning, as dozens of people on set could have pointed out that the prosecutor was not even looking at Erin. It is possible that this could be an editing issue, but it is still confusing either way. Even the narrative potential was not especially engaging, since the lawyer easily should have been able to object without Erin’s involvement. She may be extremely skilled, but objections are something that every lawyer should be comfortable with. If the show truly wanted to make Erin’s skills more self-evident, then it could have done so by having her craft a creative argument. This was simply nothing more than a mild attempt to make Erin look better without spending too much time on her actual work.
Even if the error hurt the scene, however, the episode was still entertaining. Frank’s political balancing acts are always fascinating, and the organ donor storyline added a much-needed mystery element to the episode. Even Erin’s story was engaging, as these things would happen in the Reagan family. With so many people involved in law enforcement, they will inevitably clash as their responsibilities contradict each other. It is always interesting to see how their roles get in the way of their family bonds, even as Frank works diligently to ensure that there is some separation.
The Rest of the Season Was Practically Flawless
Thankfully, Erin’s Story Did Not Hurt the Rest of the Show
Every show will have occasional mistakes. Game of Thrones famously featured a coffee cup in one scene, and Braveheart (1995) even included a car. Against gaffes of that magnitude, it is difficult to see the Blue Bloods error as anything but a lighthearted mistake. Blue Bloods has never been a perfect show, and it never necessarily tried to be. At its core, the show is about nothing more than one large family, a tight-knit group of officers, and New York City itself. Errors are notable, but they do not detract from those themes.
Every character still has individual stories and arcs to wrestle with.
Blue Bloods’ final season was a touching end to a show that has gripped the hearts of viewers since it first premiered in 2010. The final episode focused on wrapping nearly every storyline into a neat bow, but “Bad To Worse” was a clever way to showcase that problems will keep coming. Every character still has individual stories and arcs to wrestle with, and they will continue to clash as the years go by. Even if audiences can no longer see Erin’s diligent belief in following procedure, Henry’s honest stubbornness, and Frank’s political maneuvering, they can rest assured that the Reagan family is still giving their all to New York, even if there are a few gaffes along the way.