DVD Review: Fans Will Appreciate The Familiar Formula Featuring Family, Feuds, And Forbearance In “Blue Bloods: The Tenth Season”

“Blue Bloods” is a drama about a multi-generational family of cops dedicated to New York City law enforcement. Frank Reagan is the New York Police Commissioner and heads both the police force and the Reagan brood.

For regular viewers of “Blue Bloods” starring Donnie Walhberg, Bridget Moynahan, Will Estes, Len Cariou, and of course, Tom Selleck as New York Police Commissioner Frank Reagan, Season Ten will feel like another generous helping of comfort food. Beyond that, however, the decade-old show still manages to successfully blend timely street-level law enforcement issues with the inner workings of government at the highest levels, while at the same time never neglecting the family that anchors the series.

Plot recaps are unnecessary, as each episode lays out largely self-contained. Scheming crooks, corrupt civil servants, cornered witnesses, and conniving lawyers are all on full display. The congenial cast remains eminently watchable, full of verve and vitality throughout. The character arcs carry on uninterrupted, with children and adults literally growing up or growing old before our eyes and which – as with previous long-running shows – may constitute one of the more interesting aspects of the show’s evolution.

Playing an increasingly prominent role is Vanessa Ray as Eddie Janko (Reagan), Jamie’s wife and previous police partner. She finds herself a Reagan by marriage, not by birth, sharing important similarities and differences with the storied family, used to good effect in several episodes. Eddie’s husband, Jamie Reagan, recently promoted to sergeant, finds more ethical dilemmas than ever before as he tries to navigate the law, internal police politics, and real-life practical considerations.

Now-Detective Abigail Baker (Abigail Hawk) serves as Police Commissioner Reagan’s right-hand woman, stern, yet empathetic with a chilly charm. She often says more with a momentary glance than other actors do with dozens of lines of dialog.

Dylan Walsh as New York City Mayor Pete Chase plays against type – a new mayor apparently seeking to reform the city’s political apparatus, though hardly an innocent himself. In his Machiavellian conversations, he invariably seems to know what the other party is thinking, whether it’s Police Commissioner Reagan or Assistant District Attorney Erin Reagan. Seems there’s always a Reagan involved at no matter what level. Speaking of which, there are times when this Irish-American First Family of Law Enforcement feels a bit inbred – a few too many Reagans running the city’s crime investigation units. To be fair, a few episodes, including the season finale, call the issue to account. Further, in a recent interview, Donnie Wahlberg suggests that more outsiders should take part in a centerpiece of the production – the Reagan Sunday evening dinner table. Though the family discussions are consistently lively, a few fresh faces wouldn’t hurt.

Issues surrounding police solidarity and equal protection for citizens regularly bubble to the surface, though production obviously occurred before the Black Lives Matter movement and the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. When filming resumes, the screenwriters will certainly incorporate these themes into the narrative.

Marisa Ramirez as Danny Reagan’s partner clocks in with another strong, familiar presence. She provides a measured counterpoint against Danny’s sometimes more excitable tendencies. One unexpected twist that turns out to be quite moving and likely to feature more prominently in seasons ahead occurs when Frank Reagan discovers that his deceased elder son was an unknowing father. Frank’s grandson appears in the form of a decorated detective working the Firearms Investigation Unit going by the name of Joe Hill (Will Hochman). More to come on that score, no doubt.

The Friday night CBS television series remains one of the most popular in its timeslot. Always a pleasure to watch, “Blue Bloods: The Tenth Season,” as with the previous nine, rarely disappoints for even a moment. A much anticipated Season Eleven should be just around the corner, depending on how and when production gets underway in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Now available on DVD