đ Family, Faith And A Finale: Why Fans Loved The TV Series âBlue Bloodsâ đ
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(ANALYSIS) For the popular CBS drama âBlue Bloods,â the âEnd of Tourâ â as the final episode is dubbed â brings an emotional farewell.
After 14 seasons and nearly 300 episodes, the series about a multigenerational family of New York City cops reaches its conclusion Friday night.
âThe Reagan family races to stop deadly mayhem in the city when the gangs of New York unite to demand amnesty for the release of their imprisoned members and those awaiting trial,â teases a summary of the finale.
Fans of the show â and Iâve seen all 292 episodes so far, so count me among them â hate to see it end.
âNot sure how many times I have watched it through from start to finish,â said Trent Wheeler, an American missionary in Panama. âBest show in decades.â
Mike âPawdadâ Sublett, who lives in Texas, calls âBlue Bloodsâ his âvery favorite show.â It âteaches all the right stuff,â Sublett said.
Another big fan, Virginia resident Juanita Wheeler, said: âWe enjoyed the focus on morality and always trying to do the right thing, which wasnât always the easiest thing.â
Why all the high praise for what is â at its core â a formulaic drama about police and politics in the big city?
To be sure, âBlue Bloodsâ shares certain similarities with gritty crime series such as âLaw & Orderâ and âFBI,â both of which I also enjoy, by the way.
But two big f-words â family and faith â take the story of the Reagans to a higher level.
For those unfamiliar with it, âBlue Bloodsâ features Tom Selleck as Frank Reagan, an Irish American widower who serves as the New York City police commissioner and lost one son, Detective Joe Reagan, in the line of duty.
Other main characters include Detective Danny Reagan, played by New Kids on the Block founding member Donnie Wahlberg. Danny is Frankâs oldest son and a widower himself after losing his wife, Linda Reagan (actress Amy Carlson). At the beginning of Season 8, the show explained Carlsonâs departure by saying that Linda died in a helicopter crash ordered by a cartel member.
Will Estes stars as Sgt. Jamie Reagan, Frankâs other surviving son. Bridget Moynahan stars as prosecutor Erin Reagan, Frankâs daughter. And Len Cariou stars as Henry Reagan, Frankâs father and the retired police commissioner.
A variety of other Reagan colleagues and family members play major roles in the fast-paced series, including:
⢠Vanessa Ray as Officer Eddie Janko-Reagan, Jamieâs wife and Frankâs daughter-in-law.
⢠Maria Ramirez as Detective Maria Baez, Dannyâs partner.
⢠Steve Schirripa as Detective Anthony Abetemarco, an investigator for Erin in the district attorneyâs office.
Even after listing all those names, Iâm leaving out important characters.
Each 43-minute episode typically involves at least three concurrent, unrelated storylines.
But a hallmark of âBlue Bloodsâ is that the Reagans â in every episode â make it a point to gather together as an extended family for Sunday dinner.
Sometimes, all the Reagans are getting along as they sit down to eat. Other times, theyâre feuding. But always, they refuse to let conflicts or busyness disrupt their familial bond.
Frequently, the dinner scene contains a prayer â a traditional Catholic one, given that the Reagans are Mass-attending people of faith.
âTheir faith is one of the best parts of their family,â said Teresa Kerr Lewis, an Oklahoman.
Thatâs not to suggest that âBlue Bloodsâ is preachy.
Itâs generally not.
In his nuanced (read: not cookie cutter) approach to his Catholic faith, Commissioner Frank Reagan reminds me of President Jed Barlet, Martin Sheenâs character on NBCâs âThe West Wingâ from 1999 to 2006.
And like âThe Waltonsâ â the long-running CBS drama (1972 to 1981) that portrayed a close-knit family in the Great Depression era â âBlue Bloodsâ delves into controversial religious topics, from clergy sexual abuse to the Catholic leadershipâs position on same-sex issues.
Stacy Keach has appeared in nearly a dozen âBlue Bloodsâ episodes as Cardinal Kevin Kearns. The fictional archbishop of New York enjoys both a confidant level of friendship with Frank Reagan and a sometimes contentious relationship with the commissioner over matters such as the church hierarchyâs opposition to the death penalty.
Whether related to faith or not, the Reagans face a constant barrage of personal trials, moral questions and ethical dilemmas. They donât always choose the right path. But they learn from mistakes and rely on each other.
âThe writers put them in some morally tense situations but always find a plausible way for them to remain true to their core beliefs,â said Danny Dodd, a preacher in Arkansas. âItâs refreshing.â
And sadly, now the successful series is ending â for reasons that donât seem entirely clear.
Cue a million tears for âBlue Bloods.â And please donât donât share any spoilers.
Inside The Godbeat
Next Friday, look for one of my favorite Weekend Plug-in columns of the year.
Weâll feature links to the best religion journalism of 2024, as selected by individual Godbeat writers.
And in two weeks, weâll highlight the yearâs best content at Religion Unplugged.
In case you missed it, check out last yearâs best religion journalism and top Religion Unplugged stories.
The Final Plug
In the 2024 presidential election, many Christian voters split along racial lines.
On a recent reporting trip to Southern California, I talked to members of a predominantly Black congregation about Donald Trumpâs win.
Happy Friday, everyone! Enjoy the weekend.
Bobby Ross Jr. writes the Weekend Plug-in column for Religion Unplugged and serves as editor-in-chief of The Christian Chronicle. A former religion writer for The Associated Press and The Oklahoman, Ross has reported from all 50 states and 18 nations. He has covered religion since 1999.