As Blue Bloods is heading to its grand finale, it’s time to revisit a subplot that ended in an anticlimactic manner in Season 13. In the Season 12 finale, Assistant District Attorney Erin Reagan (Bridget Moynahan) announced her plan to run for the office of District Attorney for New York County to her police officer family. The potential campaign became a major subplot throughout Season 13, as Erin attempted to navigate the political minefield in pursuing the role. It seemed like a natural choice and progression for the character.
Unfortunately, the Season 13 finale, “Forgive Us Our Trespasses,” saw Erin throw in the towel when she chose not to run for District Attorney after all. Blue Bloods missed a major opportunity in not having Erin Reagan follow through with her decision, which felt out-of-character and counterintuitive for the show, especially now that it’s winding down to its eventual conclusion. There must be a stronger resolution for Erin Regan before Blue Bloods ends with the second half of Season 14 later this fall.
Why Erin Reagan’s Decision Hurts ‘Blue Bloods’
When Erin announced her decision to run for District Attorney in Season 12, it seemed like she had already thought long and hard about the idea. Obviously, Erin is not a natural politician, but as the bureau chief of the Trial Bureau in the District Attorney’s Office, she does understand how to navigate the legal bureaucracy. Not only that, her father, New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck), gave her his private support to run for the position in the Season 13 episode, “First Blush.”
That episode cemented Erin’s moving forward with her choice to run for New York District Attorney. Therefore, it was emotionally deflating to experience so much build-up to the DA election, only to eventually see Erin change her mind and opt out of the District Attorney race. It felt like the writers gave the audience a giant bait-and-switch. Although Erin’s decision that she accomplishes more in her current role is understandable, why does she believe she could not do more and affect greater change in the District Attorney’s office? Her logic effectively makes no sense and appears like a safe decision that was made so as not to alter the show’s status quo for the final season.
It’s not as if Blue Bloods has avoided making big changes in the past. Status quo changes, both small and great, have been occurring for years. Vanessa Ray joined the cast as Edit Janko, who would go on to marry Jamie Reagan (Will Estes) and become a permanent cast member. Joe Hill (Will Hochman) was later revealed as the long-lost son of the dead Joseph Reagan, and he became a recurring cast member in future seasons of the show, starting in Season 10. In Season 7, Danny Reagan’s (Donnie Wahlberg) wife Linda (Amy Carlson) was murdered, ending her role in the series. The show has seen Jamie move up the ranks as well, eventually getting promoted to sergeant and taking a role in the Field Intelligence Unit. Comparatively, Erin seeking a higher legal office would showcase a natural progression of her character arc throughout the long-running series.
Erin Reagan Is Destined for Higher Office on ‘Blue Bloods’
Ever since the first season of Blue Bloods, Erin Reagan appeared destined for a higher role or office, such as District Attorney. In fact, that role would only seem like a stopgap on the route to an even higher office, such as a Congressional representative or state senator. Erin has always had the legal pragmatism that is desired in a District Attorney. She possesses a strong sense of justice in putting dangerous criminals behind bars and demonstrates compassion for victims and their families, as well as less dangerous felons seeking a fresh start.
Fortunately, there is still time for the writers of Blue Bloods to resolve the situation and find a way for Erin to somehow take the role of District Attorney. This could still occur through a time skip before the finale, or perhaps an event that will obligate her to take the office. For Blue Bloods to end without ever seeing Erin Reagan ascend from her current role, be it the District Attorney’s office, the mayor’s office, or the Chief Justice, would be an absolute travesty. Erin has always been destined for more, and the aforementioned ending would bring her character arc full circle. An equally strong emotional ending for Frank Reagan would be his resignation from his post as Police Commissioner, handing it over to his successor, knowing the office would be in good hands. He can walk out of his role with his head up high and the respect of his officers. If the show doesn’t pull these moments off for the eventual series finale, it will likely leave a bad taste in the mouths of longtime viewers.
What Is the Future of ‘Blue Bloods’?
Blue Bloods recently wrapped up the first half of its abbreviated fourteenth season in May with a midseason finale. The good news is that the series will return with another half-season later this fall on CBS. Season 14.5 will consist of eight episodes, as confirmed by Tom Selleck during a recent interview with Country Living. That’s good news, since Episode 10 of Season 14, “The Heart of a Saturday Night,” did not have the proper emotional resonance or impact of a season finale, let alone a series finale.
Additionally, while Season 14 appears to be the final season of the show on CBS, Paramount and CBS Entertainment plan to continue the franchise in the near future. As reported by Deadline, Paramount Pictures CEO Brian Robbins revealed during Paramount Global’s annual shareholder meeting that a “franchise extension” is planned for Blue Bloods. It remains to be seen whether that means a new season exclusive to Paramount’s streaming service, Paramount+, a new series spin-off, an episodic continuation, or some other type of event. Therefore, there is still time for the show’s creatives to devise an appropriate and well-deserved emotional resolution to Erin Reagan’s character arc.
