Fans got a lot of what they were hoping for during the series finale of “Blue Bloods.” Jamie (Will Estes) and Eddie Reagan (Vanessa Ray) announce that they’re expecting, and Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) finally asks Maria Baez (Marisa Ramirez) out on a date after a loving speech from his grandpa Henry (Len Cariou) about moving on and developing a life outside of the job. This in spite of the fact that producers insisted Season 14 wouldn’t include a Danny and Baez romance at all. Even Erin Reagan (Bridget Moynahan) decided to remarry her ex-husband Jack Boyle (Peter Hermann) — albeit off-camera and after a quick reunion during Episode 17. All of the Reagan grandchildren return for a climactic dinner which features the entire family. And Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) remains unretired, continuing to be a formidable part of the force. There’s a lot to like, but one choice rang as disappointing — the decision to kill off Luis Badillo (Ian Quinlan).
While it definitely strikes at Eddie’s heart and deepens the stakes, it’s undoubtedly the easiest choice the show could have made, narratively speaking. In fact, it’s almost cowardly that they didn’t kill off a character that’s closer to the Reagans, like Anthony Abetemarco (Steve Schirripa) or even one of the show’s tertiary Reagans like Joe Hill (Will Hochman). Of course, it’s easy to understand why they didn’t go there — killing off someone close to the Reagans but not too close serves its purpose. But just imagine the devastation the whole clan would have had to cope with if the writers had been bold enough to trim the Reagan family tree. When you consider the storyline possibilities left unexplored by such a gap in thought, it really does feel like a missed opportunity.
Here’s who the show should have killed off instead
It was always going to be difficult to wrap up such a beloved show in a satisfying manner, and many viewers are of the opinion that the “Blue Bloods” series finale failed in several ways. Just imagine how impactful the last episode of “Blue Bloods” would have been had one of the core Reagan clan been killed off. Sure, it would have been painful to watch, but it would have also made for gripping TV. They’ve arguably all finally gotten closure regarding Joe’s death at this point, so another death in the family could have exposed some fascinating things crawling under the skin of America’s favorite policing family. An unexpected death would have been way more interesting than the marginal plot twists the Reagans were given to act out.
It’s all a moot point now, but imagine a world where Frank’s kids have to go on without him. Frank going out in the final episode would have been iconic — in fact, some fans even predicted that this would be the case. However, “Blue Bloods” has always been a bit of a comfort food drama, so it was never likely that the writers would get that daring in their storytelling — what is arguably the show’s most devastating death, that of Danny’s wife Linda (Amy Carlson), happened offscreen between seasons. Still, it’s an interesting untaken pathway that might have helped them build into a potential “Blue Bloods” spin-off. Showrunner Kevin Wade has played down the idea of a new show in the same universe, but Paramount Global co-CEO Brian Robbins has previously insisted that the franchise will live on. If that happens, here are five “Blue Bloods” characters who could lead a spin-off series.
