Critic’s Rating: 5 / 5.0
5
Seven episodes out from the series finale, Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 11 gave us everything that makes the series’ cancelation so painful.
Danny, Baez, Eddie, and Erin all got tangled up in a case where the stakes couldn’t be higher, Frank dealt with a compelling clash between his friend’s desires and his personal values, and Jamie learned a lesson in letting go after someone stole the car that was once his brother’s.
By the time the ending credits rolled, we’d shared another few laughs with the Reagans at one of their family dinners, all too keenly aware that there aren’t many more of those left.
(Courtesy of CBS)
Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 11 Took The Unusual Step Of Tying Several Cases Together
With the exception of the final showdown between Frank and Sonny Malevsky during Blue Bloods Season 1, I can’t think of a time when most of the family worked together on one case.
The Malevsky case was purposeful, too, as Frank and Danny knew that Sonny had killed Joe and threatened Jamie, so they took matters into their own hands.
This was different. Erin, Danny, and Eddie each were working their own case, only to discover that all roads led back to Carlos Ramirez when they hit literal dead ends.
Of the three, Eddie’s was the most compelling.
The TV trope of a cop adopting an orphaned child found at the crime scene has gotten old, but Eddie’s story took it in a new direction.
Amelia was only ever going to be hers temporarily, but taking care of her for a few days sparked Eddie’s desire to have children.
(Courtesy of CBS)
I’m thrilled about that, although it breaks my heart that we won’t get to experience much of Jamie and Eddie raising their child unless it’s in a not-yet-developed Blue Bloods spinoff.
I’d bet almost anything these two have been thinking about starting a family for a while, even though they’ve never talked about it before Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 11.
Jamie quickly supported Eddie’s desire to be a mother and suggested they start tonight, yet the scene didn’t feel rushed at all.
They had to have had other conversations about this off-screen.
(Courtesy of CBS)
Eddie’s Interactions With Amelia On Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 11 Were Amazing
Eddie had a tough job ahead of her after she and Badillo found Amelia hiding at the scene of her mother’s murder.
The child was so traumatized she didn’t speak and communicated with Eddie through non-verbal cues like sitting up or nodding.
On top of that, Eddie dealt with a detective who was in a rush to question the child and who felt a need to call her a bitch when she wouldn’t let him.
The way Eddie stood up for Amelia would have made Law & Order: SVU‘s Olivia Benson proud.
(Courtesy of CBS)
It’s always challenging to depict serious mental health issues well, especially in kids.
The young actress playing Amelia on Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 11 did a terrific job playing a child who was so upset by the violence she’d witnessed that she didn’t speak.
I teared up when Amelia thanked Eddie. It was the first and only time she spoke during the entire episode.
I wondered what she was thinking after her father took her hostage. She knew he killed her mother, so she had to be scared, but she bravely escaped him and ran to the cops.
In a perfect world, that kid would get a lot of therapy.
Sadly, in real life, lots of kids like that fall through the cracks, but Blue Bloods has seven episodes left to give us a happier update than that.
(Courtesy of CBS)
I’m not sure that this is the end of Ramirez’s reign of terror. He flew away in his helicopter, which means he could cause more trouble later.
Danny: Where were you between the hours of 6 and 8 this morning?
Ramirez: At home. I was picking out my clothes for court so I could look good for your sister.
With a limited number of episodes left, hopefully, there isn’t room for a sequel to his troublemaking. I’ve had more than enough of him.
Erin’s Dilemma Was The Hardest To Believe
I loved the high-stakes story about Erin possibly getting disbarred based on a lie, though it was hard to believe that the judge and Queens DA just took the woman’s word for it that Erin suddenly decided to pressure jurors to do what she wanted.
Not only is Erin’s record impeccable but she’s helped take down corrupt DAs before. The theory that this was some personal vendetta against a drug cartel leader was laughable.
(CBS / 2023 CBS Broadcasting )
There was no real proof that Erin had done anything wrong except the juror’s word for it, but the Queens DA was so determined to take her down that she decided that flimsy claim was an airtight case and never considered whether the juror was a reliable source.
Erin: Maybe you’re just biased against me and my family.
Romano: I intend to be as impartial as possible, but maybe that’s not good for you cause I’m no Reagan.
Anthony: Yeah, that really sounds impartial.
She was so one-sided that I thought the plot twist was going to be that she was also on Ramirez’s payroll.
Debi Mazur played the hard-nosed DA perfectly, but I hope she goes back to Queens and has no reason to return.
Erin’s story seemed like a vehicle to move her and Jack back toward each other and stop the will-they-won’t-they nonsense that’s been going on the last few seasons.
(Courtesy of CBS)
In the past, I’ve preferred her with Anthony, but it would be too much to ask for that to happen AND for Danny and Baez to get together on top of Jamie and Eddie having a baby.
We’re getting one of those before the series ends, judging from how this is going so far, so I won’t get greedy.
Besides, Jack is a lot more like the kind of person I don’t mind Erin hanging out with than he has been in the past.
If they can find forgiveness and reconcile before the series ends, good for them.
(CBS / 2023 CBS Broadcasting)
Jamie’s Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 11 Story Was About Letting Go
Jamie’s story was the one that got to me the most.
Since the beginning of the series, Joe Reagan’s needless death has hung over the entire Reagan family, and Jamie has taken it harder than anyone except maybe Frank.
His car being stolen felt like all his memories of Joe being taken from him, so giving it to Joe Hill in the end meant a lot.
I don’t know if this story would have hit me the same way if Blue Bloods weren’t ending soon.
Henry’s advice about letting go of material things felt like a meta-commentary to the audience about letting go of the show once it’s over.
This story was also about Jamie and Joe finally making peace with each other.
(CBS/Screenshot)
Although Jamie told Eddie he hoped he didn’t regret letting Joe help him find the car, the two talked like family instead of sworn enemies.
Jamie giving Joe the car and Joe’s more relaxed attitude showed that something had shifted between the two of them.
Joe also came to the Reagan family dinner instead of making an excuse to stay away. As Blue Bloods wraps up, he’s finding his place in the family, which is heartwarming.
The Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 11 Family Dinner Made It Clear The Series Is Almost Over… But Please Tell Me Henry Will Survive
(Courtesy of CBS)
I’m still concerned that Blue Bloods has a plan to kill Henry off before the series ends. God, I hope I’m wrong.
His throwaway line about when Jack can expect forgiveness felt like foreshadowing even though it was played off as a joke.
Jack: I’m wondering what the statute of limitations is in this family.
Frank: In regards to what?
Jack: How long will I be held responsible for mistakes I made in my early 20s? Or am I just hated in perpetuity?
Henry: Til I die.
I don’t want to lose Henry any more than I want to lose Blue Bloods from the schedule.
His death would make the ending too hard to bear, so hopefully, I’m reading more into it than is really there.
(CBS / 2023 CBS Broadcasting)
Frank’s Story Demonstrated The Other Reason I Love This Show
Blue Bloods isn’t any more afraid to address political issues than any other show, but it does it in a superior way.
It’s refreshing that Blue Bloods lets characters have their points of view without encouraging the audience to agree or disagree.
Frank’s feelings on the death penalty were a perfect example.
Still, there was room in the story for Frank to make it clear that he supports the death penalty, which, surprisingly, Erin did not.
That difference of opinion was only two lines of dialogue, which then moved on to the bigger question of whether Frank should listen to Kearns or whether he should enforce the law as written even if it meant a man might die.
(CBS / Best Screengrab Possible )
The story wasn’t really about whether the death penalty was right or wrong.
It was about whether Archbishop Kearns was right to pressure Frank to try to stop a violent criminal from being executed in another state.
But Frank’s conversation with Erin was just enough to get the audience thinking about whether they agree with Frank or Erin and why.
That kind of evenhanded discussion of issues is yet another thing I will miss about Blue Bloods after it ends.
Seven more episodes, Blue Bloods fanatics. That’s all we have left.
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The final season of Blue Bloods airs on CBS on Fridays at 10/9c until December and on Paramount+ on Saturdays.
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