This article contains SPOILERS for theBlue Bloodsseries finale.Blue Bloodsstar Tom Selleck candidly reacts to Frank’s fate in the show’s final episode. After a run of 14 seasons as the central character of Frank Reagan, Selleck and the rest of thecast have officially signed off from the long-running CBS procedural. Despite howtheBlue Bloodsfinalemight have seen Frank walk away from his job, especially with how events play out, it ultimately goes in a different and arguably more emotional direction to provide a sense of closure.
In a post-finale interview withVariety, Selleck reflected on how Frank didn’t quit his job as the NYPD’s Commissioner. Even though theMagnum P.I.legend acknowledges that Frank actually hated the job, especially the responsibility and the weight of it, he explains thatFrank couldn’t quit because it was important for him to carry that responsibility with the grace that he tried to impart on his familydespite his personal feelings. Selleck’s full quote is below:
I don’t know. I was never confronted with it. I think there’s a story there. I know that he hated the job. He hated the responsibility, the weight on the shoulders. He didn’t want it. He didn’t audition for it when it originally came up. So, it would have been interesting. He couldn’t quit. I think he would have to get himself fired. One thing he was blessed or cursed with was this hyperactive sense of responsibility that he tried to implant on everybody at that dinner table.
What Selleck’s Comments Reveal About Frank’s Fate
One Scene Clarified Frank’s Thoughts About The Job
The finale, fittingly titled “End of Tour,” is written by longtime executive producer Kevin Wade and Siobhan Byrne O’Connor. Alex Zakrzewski directed the episode, which begins with the Mayor of New York getting shot as part of a larger plot by gang members. As he’s hospitalized, Mayor Peter Chase (Dylan Walsh) givesFrank the greenlight to completely spearhead the investigationinto what happened. Despite the severity of the situation, there’s actually a bit of levity in this development as Frank tries to figure out what he can and can’t do.
Considering the truth of what Selleck says, this final investigation might have concluded with Frank accepting that he doesn’t want to be a part of the job anymore. The finale could have easily steered into the idea that Frank was dissuaded by what happened, choosing to embrace retirement and spending the time that he has left with his family. Butin a single scene,Blue Bloodsjustifies taking a different pathand leans on its history to do so.
Blue Bloods' Finale Is So Understated & That’s Perfect
Blue Bloods' series finale was quieter than expected, yet the understated ending worked perfectly to wrap up the iconic police family drama.
One of the core scenes in theBlue Bloodsseries finale involves Frank talking to the imprisoned father of the gang member who shot Mayor Chase. Played with wonderful stillness by Oscar nominee Edward James Olmos, the father is not sold on the idea of ratting out his son to the cops. It’s a difficult conversation that only begins to unfurl when Frank painfully shares his own experience. That is about the one thing that seems to get through to Olmos' character.
Olmos was nominated for an Oscar for his lead performance in 1989’sStand and Deliver.
It’s when Frank talks about losing his son to the police that the dynamic between prisoner and negotiator seems to shift. It’s not when Frank threatens to extend the father’s time behind bars. It’s not even when Frank threatens the prisoner’s life. It’s when Frank confesses that his own son was killed by the police and how he would give everything to have his son alive, even if that meant he was behind bars. He would visit him as often as he could, making the most of it, and it would have been better than dealing with the immense loss.
Frank is referring to his son Joseph Conor Reagan, who is only ever seen in photos.
It is ultimately Frank’s sincere admission that helps close the case, leading toone last Reagan family dinner. Reading through Selleck’s comments, it could be that the character realized in that moment that he could do a great deal in the job that others wouldn’t be able to, and that, on its own, is enough of a reason to keep going.
Our Take On Frank’s Finale Fate
It Works Well
With no clarity on aBlue Bloodsspinoff, although rumors persist, the finale settles on a solid final scene. The Reagans are gathered around a table, ready to eat, and Frank seems at peace. He may hate the job, but he’s also proud of it and the role it has played in uniting his loved ones. Combined with the opportunity to do good, perhaps Frank feels the responsibility is worth it.
Debi Mazar
DA Evaline Romano
It’s a scene that allows for one last look at the Reagan family, while also bringing together a lot oftheBlue Bloodscastfor a warm farewell to the series as it is currently known. Frank quitting might have represented a game-changing ending, which other shows might have tried, but it likely would’ve muddied the perfect simplicity that makes the last episode so satisfying.
Blue Bloods
Cast
Blue Bloods is a television drama series that follows the Reagan family, a family of law enforcement officers in New York City. Led by Police Commissioner Frank Reagan, the series explores familial and professional dynamics as they navigate police work and politics, guided by their patriarch, the former Chief, Henry Reagan.
