11×15 The End

Shockwaves ripple through the Reagan family when Danny discovers that their newest family member, Joe Hill (Will Hochman), is working undercover for the ATF to bring down a gunrunning organization, in the first part of the two-hour 11^th season finale of BLUE BLOODS

CBS Press Release

Initial Thoughts

This is part one of my thoughts on the final episodes of season 11. 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. Part two is available here.

This episode moved at pace to establish the set-up and who knew what while at the same time providing insight into Joe and his friend Ty. It was full of action moments, and these were kept meaningful by being built on the foundation of what it means to be a family and the role each member takes. It was successful in moving the narrative along while including callbacks to the first season. It’s absorbing and enjoyable as a rip-roaring tale with some heart, but don’t think about the details too closely. The callbacks don’t necessarily align with what happened in season 1, so it rewards viewers for being a long-term fan, but it’s best to sit back and enjoy the ride without paying too close attention to what’s said. After all, it’s an accepted fact that this isn’t a show that believes in maintaining continuity.

Scene by Scene Breakdown

These posts are limited to the scenes featuring Jamie and Eddie; this still allows them to cover the storyline in depth without becoming too lengthy. At a later date, there may be a bonus post to cover some of the areas that haven’t been included this time.

In case you want to remind yourself of any of the scenes, click on the headings for a link to the relevant clips on YouTube.

Sisters in Law

This scene provides Eddie’s only work-related involvement in the story; beyond this, she’s only present as a member of the family. Unfortunately. she’s only here to facilitate the infodump. With the story’s structure, it’s not easy to see where else she could have played a part without feeling shoehorned in, but this feels like the bare minimum.

The big question raised is how does the Dodgy Detective Felix know that Eddie is a Reagan? Upon meeting Erin, he says, “Another Reagan”, and Eddie explains that Erin is her sister-in-law, so when did Eddie say she is a Reagan? Is there a deleted scene that shows them meeting and why this was revealed? Also, when he meets Danny for the first time, he knows that Eddie is Danny’s sister-in-law rather than his wife. Was this intended as a clue that Felix wasn’t to be trusted or just a helpful explanation for new viewers?

Concerned Call

There’s no doubt Frank called Jamie as soon as Danny left his office. It’s not clear how long the family have now known Joe; this assignment has been for six months, but how much time is supposed to have passed since Family Secrets? Jamie and Joe have developed a strong bond, even if it has been under exceptional circumstances.

Truth Between Brothers

Jamie is going straight to the source to work out what might be going on. Understandably there’s a lot of tension between the brothers, but Joe’s safety takes priority over bruised egos.

Ironic that the situation arose because Max was careless when disposing of one of his victims and left an invite for whoever found the body. It doesn’t seem to match up with the calm and collected appearance he presented during the massacre at the start of the episode. As an assassin who listens to classical music, the impression is that he’s meticulous in his work.

A ‘Brotherly’ Test

The Chevelle had to be part of the test. It’s one of the most tangible connections to the Blue Templar storyline; it belonged to Joe, and the Blue Templar tried to use it to kill Jamie. It also follows the rule Jamie says should be used for undercover work, to stick as closely to the truth as you can because it’s easier to remember. Considering Jamie’s at the precinct and simply ducks into a room to take the call, they’re so lucky that no one happens to choose that moment to approach him and call him “Sarge”. Such a brief exchange, but it provides so much tension.

Following The Puzzle Palace, this is the second episode Kevin Riley has written where characters have the surname of Riley. Of course, Jamie’s undercover name is Jimmy, providing a callback to his season 2 storyline.

1PP Briefing

Jamie provides a formal report on the incident, completely removing any emotion from how high the stakes were; there’s no sign that Jamie had listened to someone pointing a gun at his nephew. Is this just Jamie maintaining his professionalism, or is he protecting Frank? The situation was resolved, so there’s no need to tell him that his grandson had been threatened. (Can’t help but think of Jamie’s comment in Family Secrets when he was worried about Frank getting hurt)

Reagan Family Dinner

From the start, there’s a sense of tension, with Frank and Jamie exchanging meaningful looks. It seems slightly ironic that Eddie’s commenting on almost preferring it when they argue, considering the argument at family dinner in Fallen Heroes was about trust and keeping secrets.

It’s not unusual for Eddie to react that way when Jamie has been unable to tell her something. While Eddie complained about Jamie keeping secrets in Righting Wrongs, Frank wouldn’t even tell Erin that Jamie was assigned the Lowe case. Just like Frank hadn’t told Erin or Henry about Jamie continuing to work undercover during season 2. Jamie has always apologised to Eddie when he’s unable to share something with her, but Frank highlights the other side of it. Jamie not being allowed to share it with Eddie was an additional weight for him to carry, on top of the stress of worrying about Joe. Jamie may have shared some of it with Frank, but as previously mentioned, he may also have been trying to protect his dad from his own worst thoughts.

The description of how the undercover assignment started raises more questions; was Joe contacted by the ATF within days of him putting in for a leave of absence from the NYPD, and were they interested in him because of his profile as a hero cop? (This setup complicates the plot hole created when it became public knowledge that Joe was a Reagan) Do we assume that Frank only signed off on the assignment on the basis that Jamie would act as Joe’s NYPD handler?

A Need to Change

Eddie’s history with Armin drives a lot of how she sees things, and although the Reagans overcome all their disagreements, it’s important not to become complacent. Also, it’s an acknowledgement that Jamie has been carrying a burden for so many months, which he no longer has to bear alone. It’s a sign of Eddie’s growing confidence within the family, even though this is a private conversation, as it’s a recognition by Eddie that the Reagans are far from perfect. Just because they’ve traditionally handled something in a particular way, it doesn’t mean that’s the way that Jamie and Eddie will deal with issues within their family.

This scene ends so strangely, the writer of this episode had said that Jamie and Eddie would kiss before the end of the season. With the positioning and how they’re moving together with the seemingly sudden cut, it feels like it was due to continue for longer than it does and would have included that kiss.

Auto Safety Check

Whether it’s a sign that things have been difficult for some time or just that there have been limited options for meets, but despite Ty’s jokes, he seems a little suspicious about the number of garage visits Joe has made. There’s no subtlety to Ty’s test of Jamie’s cover; luckily, Jamie’s love of cars comes in handy for this piece of undercover work. Also, the reference to the Hemi engine feels like another link back to The Blue Templar storyline, as Sonny’s car had a Hemi.

Brothers United

Jamie’s explanation is so in keeping with what we know of him as a person; that inability to relinquish responsibility for events he had no control over (such as in the Fog of War), and explains a lot about his actions in Fallen Heroes. But it’s so sad to see that Jaime continues to feel some form of guilt of not being in a position to help his brother all those years ago, even though Jamie sacrificed so much in finding the people responsible for Joe’s death – it played a part in his separation from Sydney and nearly led to his own death. It was Jamie’s investigation that caused Sonny Malevsky to show his hand. Yet Jamie still feels he has a debt to pay. 

One problem with the explanation is the suggestion that Jamie was still taking classes at Harvard in May 2009, so when is he supposed to have graduated from Law School? Either he took a long study break, or they’re stretching the age difference between Jamie and the rest of his siblings even though Frank said his eldest was 9 when Jamie was a baby (and it also seems to contradict his class of 2007 ID card in Hold Outs). It doesn’t feel that Jamie had to still be at law school when Joe died rather than practising corporate law, which would be equally distant from the life the rest of the family led. It feels a little like the slip up in In the Name of the Father, where Frank said he was already the Police Commissioner when Joe Reagan joined the NYPD.

Jamie asking Danny for help makes this a significant scene in that typically, the writers have Jamie so locked inside his head that they use another character to explain his actions. It’s so much more meaningful when Jamie is allowed to speak for himself. Of course, this is also a case of the right piece of information being shared at the right time.

Following But Failing

A great shout for Spark’s Deli and the reference to heroes is likely to be a nod to Joe’s heroic actions in In the Name of the Father as that was where Joe saved the little girl. The use of the St Jude medallion in that final shot is so powerful and raises the question of who is in the car without being as obvious as saying the name.

There’s no sense that Jamie and Danny are working as Sergeant and Detective; instead, they’re working more like partners. Jamie’s quick response to a breakdown in surveillance is so reminiscent of how he reacts in season 5’s Bad Company.

Do we assume the bullet holes in the side of the car are supposed to be from someone shooting at the vehicle until the fuel tank exploded and set the thing on fire? (Those bullet holes seem unnecessarily high if that was what they were supposed to be for) It adds to the visual effect making the situation look particularly scary, but does it add up with what seems to have happened?

Final Thoughts

I may have picked a few holes in the episode, but it works well at getting to the heart of the Reagans and telling a compelling story.

Eddie’s involvement in the episode was reminiscent of how Jamie took part in past episodes like The Art of War, show up in an early scene only to reappear later on. Not sure why Eddie was present in the first scene beyond starting a running theme of how many Reagans are in law enforcement. It’s a tight script, so there are no noticeable gaps where Eddie could have more involvement, but hopefully, they’ll find ways to create more overall balance in season 12. However, although there was only a brief amount of time for some focus on Jamie and Eddie’s relationship, they did squeeze in vital insight into their dynamic.

Something that would be interesting to see them revisit in season 12 – no way would Eddie accept the idea that Jamie has to carry the burden alone when he’s dealing with something he can’t share. Especially with the expectation that he will be moving further up the ladder. They are a team, so it’s easy to imagine Eddie deciding they need a system where she can support even if she doesn’t know the details. It would be equally helpful if her career leads to her being in a position where Eddie finds herself in a similar situation. Also, Eddie would be pushing Jamie not to hold on to his feelings of responsibility alone as it can add even more pressure to an already difficult situation, and it would be nice to see them working towards what they see as their future.

Thoughts on Justifies the Means are available here.