Reviewer Rating: 4.8/5.0
4.8
The closer “Blue Bloods” gets to its finale, the more frustrating the show’s hiatus becomes.
Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 16 accomplished the impossible: It took on controversial, potentially divisive issues and did so in a way that didn’t feel hard-line.
As always, these issues are seen through the lens of people who love each other and want to do the right thing. The characters have their opinions, but the audience is free to form their own.
Frank needs to fight the mayor again, but must find a different way
On the surface, Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 16 tells a story that has been told many times in the police procedural.
Frank always clashed with mayors who didn’t respect the NYPD or consider its needs when formulating policies.
This time feels different, and not just because Blue Bloods is coming to an end.
In addition to affecting morale in the police department, the mayor’s proposed policies have far-reaching consequences.
Asking the governor to send in the National Guard means the mayor is declaring a state of emergency, and I’m not sure how that will affect other freedoms in New York City.
Furthermore, the possibility that a National Guard officer might overstep his authority in a way that Frank does not have the authority to do does not seem like a good idea. What would happen if National Guard and NYPD officers clashed over how to handle a situation?
Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 16 doesn’t delve into these other issues, other than Frank calling the proposal “the mayor’s security state.”
However, those concerns appear to be part of his calculus on the idea, while other members of his dream team are more concerned about whether using the National Guard will be effective.
Despite Frank’s political differences with his team and the mayor, this story isn’t about that.
As always, Frank does what he thinks is right, no matter what anyone else (including the mayor) thinks.
This time, however, he realizes that his usual approach has led to an endless cycle of news that breathlessly reports on controversies, further dividing the city.
Frank is listening to the accusations from the mayor, who refuses to admit that it was a mistake to go around the New York City Police Commissioner before enacting new anti-crime policies.
Frank: We could have worked together to find a solution.
Chase: You don’t work with anyone. When they do what you want, you corner them and call it collaboration.
I don’t like Mayor Chase because he’s so selfish and puts his hurt feelings first over whether Frank has a point.
He personally doesn’t think Frank will be his yes man and is frustrated by Frank’s popularity (which comes from his integrity) making it impossible for him to fire him and replace him with someone who will enforce the mayor’s agenda rather than the NYPD’s agenda replace him.
I thought the mayor was talking about himself when he said Frank forced people to agree with him instead of sincerely cooperating, but Frank seemed to take this statement to heart.
His new plan basically makes sense. He submitted a written proposal to the mayor to have the NYPD increase its ability to patrol subways and other dangerous areas so that the National Guard would not need to be called in.
Interestingly, this is the second time recently that Frank has been accused of blackmailing them, and he’s the last person to do such a thing.
This says a lot about how other people go about their business. oops!
Jamie and Eddie deal with Blue Bloods’ ridiculous rules Season 14 Episode 16
Jamie and Eddie spent so much time together in the final season that I’ll do my best to tell their storylines.
Badillo was stupid for smoking marijuana outside a police charity event, but hiding out in rehab wasn’t the right thing to do.
There is no suggestion he has an addiction problem, and if Badillo were gone, it would take up space from those who need it.
Captain McNichols is usually a by-the-book lady, so what is she doing suggesting that Badillo escape the consequences of violating department policy by going to rehab unnecessarily?
Regardless, Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 16 did a great job of building suspense around Badillo.
His disappearance, his mother’s fears, and the long trek through the Staten Island Boy Scout camp all portend a horrific fate, at least for those of us who watch too much “Law & Order.”
Luckily, it’s all a diversion as Badillo is secretly taking his late partner’s children on a fishing trip.
I agreed with him that there was no need to cut the trip short because his superiors wanted him to do a drug test on a few joints.
Badillo’s poor judgment when he smoked weed in front of a police charity was visible to any police officer who felt a certain way about the incident or about him, but he had his own priorities after the fact.
The kids come first, period.
Erin again handles a potentially sensitive issue well
I appreciated Chris’ storyline in Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 16 because it showed how complex issues like racial bias can be.
Both parties may act out of bias.
Chris: You know how this works. Once you’re in the system, the system follows you. You paint all people like me with the same brush.
Chris thinks prosecutors viewed him as a criminal because he was a black kid who grew up around gangs, and prosecutors may actually have some unconscious bias.
Many shows play into the biases of law enforcement, but never touching on the idea that bias is expected is not always accurate.
That said, I’m not sure there’s anything unintelligible about Chris’ statement that, as a teenager, he was responsible for spying on the group so they wouldn’t bother his family.
Haven’t Erin and Anthony worked on organized crime cases before? Have they never heard of gangs demanding something in exchange for protection?
As soon as Chris was arrested, I assumed the woman in second place was going to frame him so he wouldn’t win the mock trial contest and get a job at the DA’s office, and that’s exactly what happened.
Not too much effort should be put into figuring out this is a possible line of investigation rather than focusing on what Chris allegedly didn’t tell them.
Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 16 Danny’s Case Is the Most Uninteresting
It’s not that convincing that the boxer was murdered for refusing to compete, but the case is almost irrelevant.
Danny and Baez had a great time together, and I found myself laughing at many of their lines, especially when Baez knew nothing about combat and found the whole thing strange.
It was bizarre for a boxer’s opponent to use himself as bait without confirming to police what he was going to do.
You’d think they’d do something more than have Danny and Baez do this in the audience!
Over to you, blue blood fanatics.
What did you think of Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 16? How sad are you that there are only two episodes left of this beautiful series?
Vote in our polls, rank the episodes, and voice your thoughts in the comments.
Blue Bloods airs Fridays at 10/9c on CBS and Saturdays on Paramount+. The series finale will air on December 13, 2024.
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