10 Saddest Blue Bloods Episodes That Broke Fans’ Hearts, Ranked (continue)
5. “Unfinished Business” Reopened A Closed Case (Season 4, Episode 13)
“Unfinished Business” wove a storyline of problematic police and their practices into Blue Bloods for the season. With Frank reopening a case that was closed, he may allow a convicted serial killer to be released. However, the most moving part of the episode came from the case Danny was working on.
As a veteran, Danny was significantly impacted by the suicide of a fellow veteran, but also as a father, as the veteran he was trying to help had a son. As with many of the emotional cases on the show, this one developed Danny’s character as a father and explained a good deal of his past. This episode had an excellent portrayal of PTSD and how it can irreparably change the lives of Army veterans and their families, through a turbulent case that also affected Danny himself, landing it in the middle of the list.
4. “Pain Killers” Tested The Bond Between Baez and Danny (Season 8, Episode 9)
“Pain Killers” capitalized on the emotional start to season 8 of Blue Bloods, with Detective Baez narrowly surviving an accidental drug overdose. The possibility of the loss of a beloved main character stirs something in viewers, which was the case in “Pain Killers.” The episode expanded on the grief that Danny was feeling from losing Linda in the helicopter accident, so losing his best friend and partner would break him.
Seeing Danny cry next to Baez’s bed and begging her to survive was a heartbreaking moment as it showed how close they had gotten as partners. With Danny going through so much in one season, it was hard for viewers to see him experience the potential loss of another person he loved. The episode also touched on child abuse and its perpetrators, and how murky the system can be regarding sensitive topics like these.
3. “Partners” Put Baez and Her Loss in The Spotlight (Season 5, Episode 1)
Police procedurals often use the cliché of involving family members in the main characters’ cases, where they become a victim or an informant. Season 5 of Blue Bloods did this but made the episode emotional. Javier is introduced in an earlier episode as Detective Maria Baez’s protective older brother, who, after being down on his luck and getting sober, works as an informant.
When the brother and sister reconnect, Javier is killed by taking a bullet intended for Maria in a heartbreaking moment. Baez feels guilty as she felt she could’ve done more for Javier in the past but wouldn’t get the chance after he died. This was one of the few times fans saw Baez affected by loss and not one of the Reagans, and her survivor’s guilt was something that was incredibly real and relatable. THe inner world of a cop is always colored by their job, which came through in the loss in this episode.
2. “The Blue Templar” Saw Justice for Joe Reagan (Season 1, Episode 22)
The best police procedurals include a case that started off the show and is solved in a later episode. This was the case with “The Blue Templar,” as the episode gave fans more information about Joe Reagan’s death and gave closure to the rest of the Reagans. This case was not just another cold one — the personal connection of the family made it the most sorrowful, but also the most important case.
Joe’s death was the primary catalyst of the show, so seeing the people who murdered him be brought to justice was emotional for fans, as they saw the Reagans finally feel they let Joe’s memory rest in peace. Much of the episode has a bitter-sweet feeling as they are happy to have caught the people responsible for Joe’s death but are sad he wasn’t there to see the case he was working on come to a close.
1. “The Thin Blue Line” Had One Of The Most Calamitous Plots (Season 7, Episode 22)
“The Thin Blue Line” started one of the most devastating storylines in Blue Bloods. This episode is the first meeting of Danny and a dangerous drug cartel that puts a hit on him and his family. As the finale of season 7, it seems that another Reagan may be killed due to their involvement with law enforcement. While this does happen, it wasn’t who fans expected, which provided the ultimate shock factor. Linda died in a helicopter crash between “The Thin Blue Line” and season 8’s premiere.
Fans were shocked because the death was unexpected, and they never saw the crash happen. Later in season 9, it is revealed that the cartel was after and Danny tampered with the helicopter, causing the crash. This made episode 22 of season 7 much more emotional in retrospect, as Danny blamed himself for the crash, knowing that his wife would still be alive if he hadn’t been on the case. As one of the most shocking series’ deaths, “The Thin Blue Line” ranks as the most heartbreaking episode of Blue Bloods to date.
