As Blue Bloods heads toward its epic finale, it’s time to revisit a subplot that ended on a cliffhanger in Season 13. In the Season 12 finale, Assistant District Attorney Erin Reagan (Bridget Moynahan) announced her plans to run for District Attorney for the County of New York to her police family. The potential campaign became a major subplot throughout Season 13, as Erin navigated a political minefield to pursue the role. It seemed like a natural choice and progression for the character.
Unfortunately, the Season 13 finale, “Forgive Us Our Trespasses,” saw Erin throw in the towel when she decided not to run for District Attorney. Blue Bloods missed a huge opportunity by not letting Erin Reagan make her decision, which felt out of character and counterintuitive for the show, especially as the show neared its finale. There needs to be a stronger resolution for Erin Regan before Blue Bloods ends with the second half of Season 14 later this fall.
When Erin announced her decision to run for District Attorney in Season 12, it seemed like she had thought long and hard about the idea. Clearly, Erin isn’t a natural politician, but as the chief of the Trial Bureau in the District Attorney’s Office, she knows how to navigate the legal bourgeoisie. Not only that, but her father, New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck), endorsed her for the position in the Season 13 episode “First Blush.”
That episode solidified Erin’s decision to move forward with her choice to run for New York District Attorney. It was therefore disheartening to go through so much preparation for the District Attorney election, only to see Erin change her mind and opt out of the District Attorney race in the end. It seems like the writers have given the audience a giant lie. While Erin’s decision to achieve more in her current role is understandable, why does she believe she can’t do more and make bigger changes in the District Attorney’s office? Her logic doesn’t really make any sense and seems like a safe decision made to not shake up the status quo of the show in the final season.
It’s not that Blue Bloods has shied away from making big changes in the past. Changes to the status quo, whether small or large, have been happening for years. Vanessa Ray joined the cast as Edit Janko, who would marry Jamie Reagan (Will Estes) and become a permanent member of the cast. Joe Hill (Will Hochman) was later revealed to be the long-lost son of the deceased Joseph Reagan, and he became a regular member of the cast in the show’s subsequent seasons, starting with Season 10. In Season 7, Danny Reagan’s (Donnie Wahlberg) wife Linda (Amy Carlson) was murdered, ending her role on the series. The show also saw Jamie rise through the ranks, eventually being promoted to sergeant and taking on a role in the Field Intelligence Unit. By comparison, Erin’s quest for a higher-ranking law office would represent a natural progression for her character throughout the long-running series.
Since the first season of Blue Bloods, Erin Reagan has seemed destined for a higher-ranking role or position, such as District Attorney. In reality, that role only seems like a stopgap on the way to even higher office, such as Congressional representative or state senator. Erin has always had the legal pragmatism one would expect from a District Attorney. She possesses a strong sense of justice in putting dangerous criminals behind bars and shows compassion for victims and their families, as well as less dangerous criminals looking for a fresh start.
Fortunately, there is still time for the Blue Bloods writers to address the situation and find a way for Erin to somehow take on the role of District Attorney. This could still happen through a period of time before the finale, or perhaps an event that forces her to take the position. It would be a complete mockery for Blue Bloods to end without ever seeing Erin Reagan advance from her current role, whether it be the District Attorney’s office, the Mayor’s office, or the Chief Justice’s office. Erin was always destined for more, and the aforementioned ending would bring her character arc back to where it started. An equally powerful emotional ending for Frank Reagan would be for him to step down as Police Commissioner, handing the reins to his successor, knowing that the office will be in good hands. He could leave his role with his head held high and respected by his fellow officers. If the show fails to deliver these moments for its series finale, it will likely leave a lasting impression on longtime viewers. May m
