05×04 Excessive Force

Having looked at Jamie’s feelings in Partners it’s now time to skip forward a couple of episodes to see how Eddie’s feelings were revealed.

When Danny is charged with using excessive force, Frank must decide whether to stand up for his son or for the reputation of his police force. Meanwhile, Jamie hits it off with a beautiful doctor after bringing a homeless man into the hospital, and Eddie can’t hide her jealousy, on BLUE BLOODS

CBS Press Release

Initial Thoughts

These are my thoughts on the fourth episode of season 5. Much of it is my interpretation of what is not said and may exist purely in my imagination. If you agree or disagree please let me know as I’d still love to hear from you regardless, I just ask that you’re polite, it’d be great to debate ideas and see what interesting theories emerge.

After highlighting Jamie’s emotional attachment to Eddie, it was time to make it clear that Eddie felt the same. Erin pointed out that it was Eddie’s assertive personality that attracted Jamie. This time Eddie’s habit of encouraging Jamie to do something has an unexpected consequence for her, as she’s forced to acknowledge that she’s unsettled when Jamie spends time with another woman (but don’t call it jealousy). As they take another step on their journey, confirming that there’s something between them, even if it’s undefined at this stage.

Scene by scene breakdown

Ticketing a Ferrari

A bit of a filler scene, even if it sets up the reason for them meeting Dr Lambchop, but it does establish that everything is normal between Jamie and Eddie with no sign of the tension that will emerge later on. The character moment is one that shows that although they both love cars, Jamie seems to be more interested in American, while Eddie has a love for European models. (Also that it doesn’t matter how Jamie feels about something it doesn’t stop him from doing his job)

Hello Dr Lambchop

The obvious reason for Eddie to suggest Jamie bat his “baby blues”, despite not having blue eyes, is that there’s no equivalent for other eye colours, but it’s fun to consider other possible reasons. Is Eddie trying to prove her lack of interest in Jamie, as if to show she hasn’t noticed what colour his eyes are? It also makes me think of a line from Elton John’s Your Song, “I’ve forgotten if they’re green or they’re blue…, what I really mean, Your’s are the sweetest eyes I’ve ever seen”. It may be that I’m viewing this through a romantic lens but it just seems to spring to mind. (Unless the actor is wearing contact lenses then I’m going to assume that the character’s eyes colour are going to be the same as the actor’s)

There’s a sign that Eddie’s invested in what’s happening as she’s watching from the moment Jamie approaches Dr Bennet, aka Dr Lambchop, and even leaves the prisoner so she can move to keep an eye on them. Eddie seems to become uncertain once she sees the doctor writing on Jamie’s hand.

Making a Call

A little verbal dance that refers back to the kiss in Secret Arrangements. The way that Jamie talks it makes it seem like he has a harder time separating feelings and work unless it’s packed away in a box and he avoids thinking about it… Eddie’s very dismissive of it being anything more than a one-time thing, but as was shown in Partners Jamie does feel something more although he’s been actively ignoring it.

Eddie’s not so blasé when she finds out that Jamie has moved faster than she expected. It’s not necessarily that she prefers the idea of Jamie remaining single, but maybe she’s more comfortable if she feels like she’s having to encourage him to take an interest (like with the courier in season 4’s Insult to Injury and Maribel in season 6’s Blast From the Past).

Different Partner

Despite having only switched partners a short time before in Forgive and Forget, Jamie is so concerned by the fact they’re about to be split up that he doesn’t even wait until he’s finished changing to find out what’s going on. Eddie’s still playing it off as nothing, although using the romantic saying of “absence makes the heart grow fonder” doesn’t really help, but Jamie seems visibly upset that she’s looking for another partner. Their partnership is that important to him and he doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardise it.

Jamie does challenge Eddie’s reasons, and as we learn later Eddie avoids the truth so she can accuse Jamie of jumping to conclusions. So we end with Eddie angry and Jamie downbeat. There are times when Eddie will lash out at Jamie to protect herself, and this is very similar to season 7’s The One That Got Away.

It’s Undefined

Jamie’s the one taking the step forward and trying to describe the current nature of their relationship, which makes Eddie brave enough to say she might have been a little bit jealous and admit that she did request a different partner because she needed some distance. They agree not to call it jealousy probably because that would mean admitting that their feelings go deep enough to justify it.

Jamie does end by basically asking for permission to meet Dr Lambchop, and even though Eddie says it’s not necessary, the impression that’s given over the next few seasons is that Jamie will only go out with someone when Eddie pushes him to do it… Here Eddie sends him off with smiles, but the smile disappears as soon as he’s out of sight.

Final Thoughts

As Partners really focused on Jamie, it’s this episode that marks the beginning of their complicated dance, where they know they are romantically interested in each other but don’t want to act on it. It was rare that Eddie was shown to be jealous, but that was mainly because Eddie was shown to be dating more regularly than Jamie, so there weren’t many occasions where it could be on display – but Eddie clearly did feel it based on what she said in season 7’s Personal Business.

Eddie is generally far more outgoing than Jamie, but what this episode shows is that Eddie isn’t necessarily sharing any more of herself than Jamie is. If Jamie is a turtle/tortoise hiding inside his shell then Eddie is a porcupine getting spikey to keep people at bay. Eddie sometimes says things to provide a barrier and protect herself, while Jamie is more likely to remain quiet. While it was being confirmed in Partners that Jamie has feelings for Eddie there had been a question mark left regarding the extent of Eddie’s feelings for Jamie. This episode removes that uncertainty, even if it takes some time for Eddie to admit it. But while Jamie had Renzulli, Erin and even Danny to point out to him what they could see, Eddie only has Jamie to pass comment – not exactly an objective viewpoint and so it’s slightly understandable that she’s unwilling to admit it straight away. There’s also a difference in how they react when it’s suggested that they have feelings for the other; while Jamie plays dumb and then seemingly chooses to prioritise their work relationship, Eddie initially pulls away from the work-based relationship, but that ensures that they both acknowledge that there is something between them. They may return to the status quo, but it’s with a better understanding of what they’re currently thinking and feeling.