10 Best Characters In Blue Bloods
Blue Bloods has featured many compelling characters over its fourteen-year history. The Tom Selleck-led police and family drama has a large cast, with eleven characters who appear regularly and more recurring characters. The Reagan family itself consists of three generations of people who appear at the iconic Blue Bloods family dinner every week. At least three or four of those characters have significant storylines in any given episode. Additionally, most of the characters have people they work with regularly, such as Erin’s lead investigator or Frank’s Dream Team.
While many long-running dramas experience cast turnover, Blue Bloods’ cast has remained remarkably stable. By season 4, Jamie and Danny had gotten new partners. Meanwhile, Amy Carlson chose not to continue playing Linda after season 7, but most of the main cast has been with the series since its first episode. Blue Bloods has only has a few episodes left, but all of the main cast members are expected to appear. As it nears the end, it’s time to look back on the show and determine who Blue Blood’s all-time best characters are.
10. Bugs
Derek Gaines
Danny has worked with a lot of civilians over the years, but Bugs is one of the most endearing. This minor character is a confidential informant of Danny’s who often works as a street vendor. Many of his scenes are more lighthearted, with him not understanding certain things or how criminal enterprises work. However, he was elevated above the typical minor character role when his brother died during a case that Bugs was helping Danny with.
Bugs’ confrontation with Danny was an extremely emotional scene that added depth to his character.
Bugs was hurt and angry about his brother’s death. He blamed Danny for it, claiming that the Raegan detective was just using him and his brother with no regard for their safety or lives. Bugs’ confrontation with Danny was an extremely emotional scene that added depth to his character. Scenes like this one make it easy to understand why he is a fan favorite despite how much of a thorn he tends to be on Danny’s side.
9. Erin Reagan
Bridget Moynahan
Frank’s only daughter is a tough-as-nails ADA who often butts heads with her father. As the only girl in a house full of boys, she has to learn to advocate for herself early and has no problem standing up to anybody. She clashes with Frank regularly over policy issues and is not afraid to tell her brothers where they can stick to their requests for special treatment. Danny especially needs to hear this a lot, as he is constantly on Erin’s case about prosecuting his suspects or not letting them out on bail.
Although Erin can come off as judgmental or stubborn, her heart is always in the right place. Justice is important to her, and she takes it hard if she learns she mistakenly prosecuted an innocent person or a defendant was treated unfairly in a case that she was in charge of. Erin’s dedication to her values is similar to Frank’s, which is why they fight so much. The two of them are equally stubborn and convinced they’re right about everything, which leads them into constant conflict with each other.
8. Anthony Abetemarco
Steve Schrippa
It’s hard not to like Anthony in Blue Bloods. Erin’s lead investigator is a proud Brooklynite who calls it like he sees it and is willing to do whatever it takes to get a case closed. Anthony and Erin have such a strong working relationship that they seem more like a married couple. At times his reactions, especially when Jack is in the picture, suggest that his feelings for Erin run deeper than he admits.
Anthony’s loyalty and willingness to stand up to Erin earns him an honorary spot on the Reagan family tree regardless of whether she ever returns his feelings. However, he dislikes how tight Blue Bloods’ lead family is because they can come off as self-aggrandizing. Anthony’s most entertaining episodes are ones where he’s forced to work with Danny, however. The two of them can’t stand each other and waste a lot of time bickering and throwing insults, but ultimately get the job done.
7. Danny Reagan
Donnie Wahlberg
Danny has been the heart of Blue Bloods for fourteen years. He’s a homicide detective who often gives Frank headaches because his impulsive, hotheaded behavior breaks police protocol. That said, he also closes more cases than anyone else and, more importantly, is a beloved member of the family. One of the most touching Blue Bloods moments was when the family helped set up Danny’s new house after Linda died. demonstrating their commitment to him during one of the most difficult times of his life.
Danny has been a widower for six years, and much speculation revolves around whether he will find new love before the end of the series. He initially wasn’t interested, highlighting his loyalty to Linda and his grief over her death. Recently, however, he has realized that he has been holding himself back because he is afraid of losing someone else he loves again. Because of this, he may admit to feelings for his partner, Maria Baez, before the series ends.
Not only is Danny one of the characters most associated with Blue Bloods, but actor Danny Wahlberg is extremely passionate about the show he loves. Wahlberg has been one of the most vocal voices in favor of the series continuing, even joining a fan-led movement to save Blue Bloods and recently suggesting that the Reagan family’s story is not over despite the series’ cancelation.
6. Linda Reagan
Amy Carlson
Linda’s off-screen death at the beginning of Blue Bloods season 8 rocked Danny’s world and demonstrated why she was such an important and beloved character. She balanced Danny perfectly, often calming him down when he was lashing out impulsively. She was a steady influence who made sure their boys were brought up correctly. She also had a ton of courage and didn’t let violence or threats deter her from having a happy life with Danny and her kids.
Outside of being a wife and mother in Blue Bloods, Linda was an ER nurse who was dedicated to patient care and refused to let anything get in the way of that. She died in a helicopter crash while working for the hospital, which was the only kind of death that would have been acceptable to her. Linda frequently had to stand up to unruly patients or deal with crime on the job. On various occasions, she was shot or mugged while at the hospital, but kept going back to work anyway, even though Danny thought it was too dangerous.
5. Nicky Boyle-Reagan
Sami Gayle
Erin’s headstrong daughter hasn’t been part of the regular cast since the end of season 10, but one of the things Blue Bloods needs to do before the series ends is bring her back. Nicky provided a counterpoint to the rest of the family’s opinions, which was both entertaining and important. Although nobody agreed with her more liberal point of view, her connection to the family meant far more to them than political differences. This type of inclusivity is rare on TV, where people who have a different point of view than the writers or main characters are often demonized.
Nicky grew from an impulsive teenager to a thoughtful young woman who moved away to pursue her dream job at a liberal think tank. She had a brief cameo at a family dinner when Erin decided to run for Manhattan District Attorney, but has not had a real story since she left. Given this, it would be interesting to catch up with her and learn what her life is like now and how she’s changed since her move to San Francisco in Blue Bloods’ final episodes.
4. Abigail Baker
Abigail Hawk
Abigail Baker has been a member of Frank’s Dream Team from the beginning, but she didn’t always have a big part. For many years of Blue Bloods, her main function was to take care of Frank’s schedule and let him know when a visitor had arrived at 1 Police Plaza. However, Abigail has also become a close confidante. She is willing to tell Frank when she thinks he’s making the wrong policy decision, and she’s one of the voices in the room he most respects and relies on.
Abigail’s courage and willingness to stand up to Frank make her a strong candidate to replace him as the police commissioner when Blue Bloods ends, should the series wrap up with Frank leaving his post. Aside from that, she is also someone that the younger Reagans can turn to for advice when they don’t want to involve Frank in a personal or political dilemma, making her one of the most valuable characters in the series.
3. Henry Reagan
Len Cariou
Henry Reagan has mostly been wasted in Blue Bloods season 14, which is a shame. He is the patriarch of the family, but in recent Blue Bloods episodes, he has only been featured in the family dinner scenes, where he makes wisecracks or gives advice. Henry is a compelling character who served as Commissioner of Police many years ago and isn’t entirely on board with the changes he’s seen in policing since his retirement.
Henry misses active police work and occasionally helps out with a case in Blue Bloods. In one instance, Eddie discovered that he was acting as a vigilante who subdued robbers before the police could get to the scene. He also is not entirely comfortable getting older, and sometimes butts heads with Jamie for treating him as if he is mentally feeble. This was the case when Jamie was concerned about Henry giving an interview to a podcaster who was biased against law enforcement.
2. Jamie Reagan
Will Estes
Frank’s youngest son is also the most sensitive. Jamie was originally a beat cop who gave up his plan to become a lawyer to join the police force after his older brother, Joe, was killed in the line of duty. During the first season of Blue Bloods, Jamie focused on learning the truth about how and why Joe died. Afterward, he remained on the beat for several more years despite pressure from his family to become a detective.
As a beat cop, Jamie was especially gifted at helping de-escalate situations in which suspects had mental health conditions that were influencing them to be uncooperative or disruptive. He enjoyed helping such people even when it got him in trouble for not obeying his commanding officer’s instructions. However, he and Frank nearly had a falling out over Jamie’s refusal to take the Sergeant’s exam. Eventually, he decided to listen to his father, which was disappointing because he wasn’t nearly as interesting as a commanding officer.
1. Frank Reagan
Tom Selleck
There would be no Blue Bloods without Tom Selleck’s Frank Reagan. Frank’s conflicting roles as the Commissioner of Police and the father of two active duty cops is baked into the series’ premise. Over the years, Frank has shown himself to be a complicated man who sometimes is too stubborn for his own good. He tries his best to live by his own moral code but sometimes comes across as grumpy or intolerant. However, Frank’s integrity has made him popular enough that five different mayors have kept him on despite his being a thorn in their sides.
Frank is also a grieving father and husband. His wife and son both passed away before Blue Bloods began. However, the losses greatly influence him and his decisions, especially Joe’s death. In recent years, he’s tried to establish a relationship with the grandson he never knew, which has been difficult because of Joe Hill’s reluctance to be part of the family he never met as a child.
