Introduction
Blue Bloods, a police procedural drama series, has earned a prominent place in the hearts of millions of fans since its debut in 2010. The show is famous for its remarkable cast and compelling storytelling, with Tom Selleck as the headliner as NYC Police Commissioner Frank Reagan. The series involves a New York City family with a long history of generations in law enforcement. The show’s purpose is to highlight their personal and professional lives. In this article, we will explore how many seasons of Blue Blood it ran along with other intriguing facts.
Overview of All Seasons
Blue Bloods follows the Reagans, a multigenerational family of cops from New York City’s most respected law enforcement agencies. The family patriarch, Frank Reagan, serves as police commissioner, alongside his eldest son Danny. The two regularly work together to solve high-profile criminal cases throughout the city.
Blue Bloods has a total of ten seasons, consisting of 218 episodes. Throughout its run, Blue Bloods had a consistent following and interest from audiences, which explains why it gained immense popularity and became a pop culture phenomenon.
Season 1 gave viewers an introduction to the Reagan family and their work in law enforcement. Frictions and tensions between family members are explored, with the family’s patriarch attempting to navigate his children’s professional and personal matters. Season 2 follows the Reagan family on several cases while opening up old cases involving police corruption.
As of the first two seasons, the series had gained strong momentum. Season three saw the family deal with political intrigue. This same level of intrigue was continued in season 4, with an added emphasis on family battles. Season 5 was more focused on Jamie, who decides to join Frank’s department after working undercover.
Season 6, on the other hand, had several situations focused on victims of domestic violence. The seventh season features many current events-based storylines. It addressed the Black Lives Matter movement and the upcoming presidential election campaign. The eighth season, like the third, tackles political matters and other social issues. And season nine was about family affairs and several cases.
Season 10 has a total of 19 episodes. It is the most recent season and is considered one of the best. In this season, the audience saw the introduction of Jamie Reagan’s new partner, Eddie Janko, and their subsequent engagement.
Ranking the Seasons
Ranking the seasons of Blue Bloods is subjective, mainly because each season has its unique moments and themes. However, die-hard fans of the show have their rankings.
Season 7 is regrettably ranked as the worst season by most fans, primarily because of the Black Lives Matter storyline. Season 5 falls in second-last place as some fans believed it lost focus, attempting to develop too many storylines simultaneously.
Season 4 has also been knocked down by other fans, owing to its disregard for continuity when Danny was no longer married once the season began. Season 1 takes fourth place, with several fans being spellbound by the world-building in the series.
Season 9, on the other hand, brought new family dynamics and battles, with the viewership enjoying a satisfying reunion, earning it third place.
Season 2, the season that opened up police corruption, is highly-rated, coming in second. Season 10, the most recent season, is considered the best by the majority of fans, with the show delivering on its ten-year promise. It tackles several diverse situations while also balancing the family’s dynamics.
Analysis of Overall Success
Given Blue Bloods’ long run of ten seasons, it is safe to say that it was a massive success throughout its run. Although ratings lowered in the latter seasons, the NYPD family drama series still gathered substantial views, with dedicated fans craving a continuation.
The first season was a ratings hit, with the show garnering over 12 million viewers on average. As the show continued, it wavered during the fifth season, with some die-hard fans stating that the series was becoming too predictable.
Despite a crash in its ratings throughout the fifth season, the show was renewed for a sixth and seventh season due to its tremendous following and popularity.
One interesting fact is that Blue Bloods’ popularity boosted tourism in New York by showcasing the city’s landmarks throughout its ten-year run.
Character-Driven Breakdown
Blue Bloods has a vast cast, whose characters develop over time to show the different sides of the law enforcement world.
The first season showcased Frank Reagan, a police commissioner with a strong moral compass, and his family. Second season concentrated on Danny Reagan, investigating different cases while simultaneously dealing with stress and emotional trauma.
Season three put Jamie Reagan in the spotlight, allowing viewers to see his development as a uniformed cop in the city. And season four witnessed Erin Reagan’s journey through the political waters as an ADA.
Eddie and Jamie’s relationship grows through season five, and she is eventually promoted in season six. In season seven, fans witnessed the Reagan family navigate the politics of a presidential election season, with Frank’s position being at risk at the end.
Season eight follows the aftermath of the US presidential elections, and Danny and Baez investigate several cases, among other plotlines. Finally, season nine witnesses the Reagan family gather together to bury Linda (Danny’s wife).
All in all, Blue Bloods’ character-driven storyline sets it apart from other police procedural dramas. It has a brilliant cast to complement the well-crafted series.
Conclusion
Blue Bloods’ ten-season run proves the popularity of the family-based police procedural drama. It has received critical acclaim and a massive following, becoming one of the industry’s best shows.
We highlighted some of the many reasons for Blue Bloods’ long life, including the well-crafted character-driven storylines, its consistently-well defined cinematography, the show’s excellent cast, and the real-world events tackled.
At present, there is no news about the potential renewal of Blue Bloods for another season. However, with its steady following, one could assume that anything is possible for this legendary series.
References:
- https://screenrant.com/blue-bloods-worst-seasons-according-to-imdb-rankings/
- https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2564286/what-to-watch-on-tv-this-week-the-good-doctor-blue-bloods-and-more
- https://www.tvguide.