For years, the most captivating romantic slow burn on network television was between NYPD Detective Danny Reagan and his partner, Detective Maria Baez. Over more than a decade on Blue Bloods, the chemistry between Donnie Wahlberg and Marisa Ramirez was undeniable, yet the relationship remained strictly professional, even after Danny was widowed. The original series finale gave fans a glimmer of hope: Danny finally asked Baez out for pizza.
The premiere of the spin-off, Boston Blue, didn’t waste any time. In the first three minutes, the show delivered the ultimate fan service: Danny and Baez are a committed romantic couple. We see the two of them getting out of bed in a domestic scene that was a year in the making, confirming that the “pizza date” led to a full-blown romance. It was a sweet, generous gift to the loyal Blue Bloods audience, validating the long-held belief that these two belonged together.
However, the joy of this confirmation is already tempered by a looming threat, one hinted at by Baez herself. Marisa Ramirez’s recent comments about the relationship’s future on Boston Blue have introduced an element of fan anxiety—and a likely roadmap for the writers.
The Challenge of the Long-Distance Love
The core problem, of course, is the premise of the spin-off itself. Danny Reagan has relocated to Boston to be close to his son, Sean (Mika Amonsen), a new BPD rookie officer recovering from a serious injury. Danny has taken a temporary position with the Boston Police Department, partnering with Detective Lena Silver (Sonequa Martin-Green). Baez, meanwhile, remains in New York, where she works and raises her daughter, Elena.
Their relationship is now defined by the 200-plus miles separating the two cities. When speaking about this new long-distance dynamic, Marisa Ramirez didn’t mince words about the precarious nature of the relationship.
“You should always worry about long distance. You never know what’s gonna happen. Always worry.”
This quote, while said with a playful tone, strikes at the heart of the dramatic conflict. A functional, happy, long-distance relationship between two busy detectives—one in New York, one in Boston—doesn’t offer much in the way of prime-time drama. The show’s very structure seems to be pulling them apart, and the creative team now faces a difficult narrative choice.
Why ‘Worry’ Is the Writers’ New Weapon
Ramirez’s comments highlight a classic trope in television writing: happy couples are often boring couples. She acknowledged this, noting that while she loves seeing the characters together, watching two people perfectly content doesn’t make for compelling TV.
“That being said, Ramirez also said it’s ‘not fun’ watching a happy couple and that it’s more fun to watch ‘turmoil in relationships.’“
This is the reason for the fan worry. The writers of Boston Blue have three main ways to handle the Danny-Baez relationship, and none of them point to smooth sailing:
1. The Breakup via Distance
The most obvious path is to allow the long-distance relationship to organically fail. The logistics alone provide ample opportunity for conflict: missed calls, canceled plans, and the emotional toll of separation. Danny is deeply invested in his new life in Boston, working alongside the new law enforcement family, the Silvers. Baez has her own life and career in New York. The separation, combined with the new pressures of Danny’s life, could easily lead to an amicable but heartbreaking split, freeing Danny up for future romantic storylines in Boston.
2. The New Partner-New Romance Trap
The introduction of Detective Lena Silver as Danny’s new partner is immediately reminiscent of his history with Baez. The pilot episode of Boston Blue wastes no time establishing a strong, professional rapport between Danny and Silver—complete with the snappy, slightly adversarial banter that defined Danny’s most enduring partnerships.
The risk is obvious: the familiar formula dictates that the working relationship with Silver could, and likely will, develop a romantic subtext of its own. If Baez remains a distant figure, appearing only through brief video calls or occasional guest spots, the emotional center of Danny’s day-to-day life will inevitably shift to his new, present partner. This creates the exact “turmoil” Ramirez referenced, potentially leading to a love triangle that would shatter the long-awaited Danny-Baez payoff.
3. The Grand Relocation
The final, and most fan-friendly, option would be for the writers to lean into the romance and eventually have Baez move to Boston. Ramirez even teased this possibility, stating that Baez and her daughter “could move to Boston no problem.” This would reunite the couple, allow Ramirez to become a series regular, and offer a truly unique spin-off hook: not one Reagan, but an entire Blue Bloods transplant.
However, showrunners have confirmed that Baez is only a recurring character for now. A move of this magnitude would require a major creative commitment from the network, suggesting that the initial plan is to explore the “worry” first.
A Sweet, But Necessary, Uncertainty
The decision to confirm the Danny and Baez romance in the Boston Blue premiere was a sweet and generous nod to the fans. It gave closure to one of the biggest unanswered questions of the Blue Bloods finale.
However, television thrives on conflict. The writers cannot allow Danny and Baez to simply enjoy a perfect, stress-free long-distance relationship while Danny and Lena Silver are chasing murderers every week. Marisa Ramirez’s knowing comments about the need for “turmoil” serve as a meta-narrative warning. The romance is real, but its future is unstable by design.
For now, fans should cherish the domestic scenes and guest appearances we get. But we must also prepare for the possibility that the long-distance love is a necessary narrative step—a way to both satisfy the old fanbase and clear the emotional deck for the new drama unfolding in the streets and homes of Boston. The “worry” is officially a feature, not a bug, and that anxiety is precisely what will keep us tuning in.
