Blue Bloods Boss Explains Series Finale’s Big Death, and Why [Spoiler] Wasn’t at Final Family Dinner
The following contains spoilers from the Dec. 13 series finale of CBS’ Blue Bloods, now streaming on Paramount+.
TVLine readers have thus far given the Blue Bloods series finale a very impressive average grade of “A-.” But if there is one bone that some have to pick with the ending, it has to do with one more chair that could have been pulled up to the final family dinner.
More from TVLine
Joining patriarchs Frank and Henry for the extra-crowded, milestone repast were Erin with ex/new husband Jack and their daughter Nicky… Danny with both sons, Sean and Jack… Joe Hill… and parents-to-be Jamie and Eddie.
Some fans, though, contend that since Danny had just (and finally!) asked longtime partner Maria out on a date, she, too, should have been a part of Sunday dinner.
Blue Bloods showrunner Kevin Wade, though, says that the idea of adding in Baez “didn’t really come to the forefront” when plotting out the family/cop drama’s grand finale.
“[A]t the end of their last scene together, there was a a hint of a whiff of a promise that they were going to leave that squad [room] and go off to dinner and end up at one or the other’s house, yes,” Wade told our sister site Deadline. “But it felt like a big leap, with only two minutes left, after 14 years, to introduce them [as a couple] like that at the dinner” — and exactly as happened with Jamie and Eddie in the Season 8 finale.
“It felt like we had plenty of tarmac” to get to that point (albeit off-screen with the series ended), Wade said, so to formally couple them up at Sunday dinner just a few scenes later was “too fast.”
WHY BADILLO DIED — AND A REAGAN DIDN’T
Wade also spoke to Deadline about the choice of series-ending death, in Eddie’s partner Luis Badillo, who was a victim of a series of violent gang shootings that set the finale in motion.
Had the creatives considered felling one of the Reagans’ own, instead?
In a word, no.
“I thought the audience would have hated it, to be honest with you,” Wade explained. “It’s Friday night-at-10 o’clock entertainment” and “I don’t think [viewers] wanted a dead Henry or a dead Frank.”
That said, someone had to go in order to give the big win, in which every Reagan was involved, extra weight.
For the Reagans over 14 seasons, “every victory had to come with a personal loss or defeat,” Wade recounted. “So for all of them to have to attend the funeral of Eddie’s partner gave us that dimension.”
Got lingering questions about Joe Pickett, or want scoop on any other TV show ? Shoot an email to [email protected], and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line!
Best of TVLine
Sign up for TVLine's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.