Yep, Blue Bloods‘ Danny Reagan is full-on, non-covertly dating again, coming up on the six-year anniversary of wife Linda’s tragic death. But will newly retired Detective Laura Acosta prove to be his endgame, or just a first stepping stone toward his true romantic destiny?
Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) and Linda (played back in the day by Amy Carlson) had been married for some 20 years and had two sons together, so it was entirely understandable that Danny needed time to recover from her sudden death (in a famously off-screen, between-seasons medevac helicopter crash). And while there have been flirtatious-ish moments been him and a few women in recent years, and even though the likes of psychic Maggie Gibson have nudged him to get back on the proverbial horse, Danny had never acknowledged that he’s actively looking for new love.
Until, that is, the Jan. 20, 2023, episode, in which Danny’s barely-stealthy attempt to help a former colleague get a full disability pension upon her retirement was revealed to be rooted not in any guilt he felt for her on-the-job injury, but something more. Taking advice from his widowed father, Danny later met up with Detective Laura Acosta at a bar, to deliver the news that her full disability pension had been approved — and to assure her that she will still get to “see him” even though she is retiring. And sure enough, at Sunday dinner, Erin and Eddie were quick to deduce that a dapper Danny had plans for afterwards, leading him to share that he did have a dinner date planned — with Laura Acosta.
Blue Bloods fans, though, have opinions, judging by the hundreds of comments on our recap of Laura’s introduction. Is she “the one,” or had Danny already met his next, very special someone, but simply has yet to act on it? Review our list of candidates for Danny to get serious with, then vote for your pick in our poll below!
Maggie Gibson the Psychic
I mean, has anyone else compelled tough guy Danny to slap on some shades and sing karaoke? In Callie Thorne‘s multiple appearances over four seasons, Maggie has not only gotten Danny to channel his inner New Kid and to buy what she is selling as a psychic, but there’s an undeniable, deep, mature connection between the two.
Faith Madson the Nurse
As Danny worked to protect Faith (played by Candy‘s Jessie Mueller) from her violent ex-boyfriend back in Season 8, some fans came to feel a connection between the two had formed. Faith, however, has been MIA for several seasons since. “Out of sight, out of mind”? Or could it be a case of, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”?
Maria Baez the Detective
Not that “Daez” fans needed further nudging, having come to ‘ship the partners in crimesolving over the past 10 years, but a squad room exchange from last season, in which they complimented each other’s undercover outfits. — he had “swag,” she looked “amazing” — sure sent the would-be couple’s cheerleaders into overdrive. Should this longtime professional partnership take it to a new, personal level? Or would that be too akin to Jamie and Eddie?
Megan Carson the M.E.
Leigh Ann Larkin has made a half-dozen appearances since Season 9 as the sassy medical examiner — including, perhaps most memorably, a Season 10 episode in which Danny gleaned that Megan had gotten wrapped up in some sordid business and paid her an “off the record” house call to offer counsel. (Even Baez had to comment at one point, “Oh, come on, Danny. You two have been flirting for the better part of a year now!”) Megan hasn’t been seen in more than two seasons, though. Is it time for her to resurface, in a meaningful way (not involving a corpse)?
Laura Acosta the Retired Detective
Viewers didn’t meet Detective Acosta (played by Orange Is the New Black‘s Jessica Pimentel) until midway through Season 13 — but she apparently had made quite an impression on Danny years ago, when they worked together. “Laura was there for me, as a friend and a fellow detective, when Linda died,” Danny would tell his Dad during the Jan. 20 episode. But Frank suspected that Danny saw potential for Laura to be more than a “friend,” and he encouraged his son not to follow in his and Henry’s own footsteps as widowers, and let new love happen.
Jekaterina Petronovsla, a Russian sleeper agent who had plastic surgery to look like the late Linda Reagan, in a mission to convince Danny his wife had “survived” and then infiltrate the U.S. intelligence community on a municipal level
No, we have not yet met this mysterious doppelgänger who would surely make widower Danny do a double-take.
And yes, I totally made this one up.
Or did I…?