Warning: This article contains spoilers for Blue Bloods season 14, episode 16.
Blue Bloodsseason 14, episode 16, entitled “Gray Areas,” sets up Frank’s (Tom Selleck) final storyline with a comment he makes to Mayor Chase (Dylan Walsh). Many of thebest episodes ofBlue Bloodsinclude Frank butting heads with the mayor over policies that he feels hurt the NYPD. In “Gray Areas,” the issue is that Chase wants the governor to call in the National Guard to handle an increase in violent crime rather than relying solely on the NYPD, which Frank feels is an insult to his officers.
The disagreement begins when Sergeant Russo (Tom Degnan) tells his partner to tend to a victim while he arrests five guys who were beating up a civilian. Predictably, Russo takes a beating; however, afterward, he appears by the mayor’s side at a press conference about the need for reinforcements to combat violent crime.Blue Bloods' Reagan familyencourages Frank to fight this, but Frank realizes he needs a different approach to heal division. While he gets the mayor to back off the National Guard idea,Frank can’t stop Chase from hiring Russo for a position that will cause trouble.
Frank Warned The Mayor About Russo In Blue Bloods Season 14, Episode 16
Frank realizes that Russo is a large part of the problem. He doesn’t know that Russo dismissed a cop who was willing to back him up during the incident, but he’s aware that this officer is prone to impulsive decisions that cause trouble. Therefore, after the press conference, he suggests that Chase more thoroughly vet the “poster boy” for this campaign to involve the National Guard, but that only triggers Chase’s defensive behavior. Furthermore, trying to confront Russo about his support of the mayor only leads to Russo quitting his job.
1 Frank Reagan Line In Blue Bloods Season 14, Episode 15 Argues Its Best Spinoff Option
This one line from Frank Reagan summarizes why this Blue Bloods spinoff idea would be more successful than any other suggested premise.
Russo’s poor behavior on the job stems from his quick temper and poor impulse control, butFrank does not realize the extent of the problem until near the end of “Gray Areas,” when he learns that Chase hired Russo as a private security officer after Russo quit the force rather than face Frank’s continued disapproval.Chase denies that the new job is a quid pro quo, nor will he listen to Frank’s concerns. Thus, it seems that after leaving the NYPD, Russo is partially responsible for the mayor’s safety, which could play into Frank’s final mission.
Frank’s Blue Bloods Final Story Likely Involves Him Protecting The Mayor From Russo
Russo Is More Incompetent Than Actively Harmful, But That Won’t Make A Difference
Frank’s final storyline will involve a mission to protect Mayor Chase, and it’s likely that Russo will be part of this.Russo is not malicious, but he is incompetent and opportunistic. He refuses backup during the incident that leads to his injuries and then blames the NYPD being overwhelmed by high crime rates for it, demonstrating that his loyalties lie with whomever he thinks will give him more of what he wants.Frank’s history with Russo also demonstrates that Russo is a poor fit for a security detail,making it likely that Russo will hurt the mayor rather than help him.
The mayor inBlue Bloodsseason 1 is also named Russo, but he does not appear to be related to this erratic police officer.
There are numerous possibilities as to how this appointment can go wrong. Russo is easily riled up and seeks revenge against enemies, as evidenced by Frank’s statement that six months ago, Russo was “itching for a fight with a guy 20 years older and 40 pounds fatter because you blamed him for your lack of advancement.” This tendency could lead him to do less than stellar work as a security guard if he feels slighted by the mayor. He also might not work well with others on the security detail or be persuaded by others to turn against the mayor.
What Frank’s Final Blue Bloods Story Could Mean For His Ending
This Could Push Frank To Consider Retirement Or Otherwise Change Him
Frank’s final mission will wrap up hisBlue Bloodsstoryline. So far, there is little information abouteachBlue Bloodscharacter’s fate, and Frank’s is especially murky because Selleck has denied that Frank will retire at the end of the series (viaTV Insider). Retirement seems like the most logical option; but if it is off the table, the show will need to explore other possibilities, such as Frank cutting back on his professional duties or preparing to retire later as the series draws to a close.
Chase has always seen Frank as a thorn in his side, but Frank will be there when he needs him most.
Frank’s final mission inBlue Bloodswill likely alter his relationship with Mayor Chase.Chase has always seen Frank as a thorn in his side, but Frank will be therewhen Chase needs him most. It’s likely that the series will end with a positive change in the relationship between the two men. If Frank and Chase begin to see each other as allies, that would wrap up the story of Frank’s difficulty getting along with any mayor who has been part of the series since it began, leading to a satisfying ending for these two characters.
Blue Bloods
Cast
Blue Bloods is a television drama series that follows the Reagan family, a family of law enforcement officers in New York City. Led by Police Commissioner Frank Reagan, the series explores familial and professional dynamics as they navigate police work and politics, guided by their patriarch, the former Chief, Henry Reagan.
