Since 2010, Blue Bloods – Crime Scene New York has followed the Reagan family, who ensure law and order at all levels of law enforcement in New York. The mixture of crime series and family drama got a fairly stable cast after ten years surprising increase. At the end of season 10, mixed Joe Hill (Will Hochman) the Reagans – a previously unknown family member.
I expected a lot from season 11, but even three years later, Blue Bloods has it Far too little made of the figure. The current 14th season is the last of the series and finally has to treat Joe Hill the way we fans deserve.
Blue Bloods first sweeps Joe Hill under the rug and then uses him as a joker
After the Prodigal Son reveal, I was excited for Season 11. This new Joe Hill was suddenly part of one of New York’s most famous families. At the same time, the Reagans around Frank (Tom Selleck) and Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) got a kind of second chance with a deceased family member: Joe Hill is the son of the late Joe Reagan.
CBS
Joe Hill goes undercover in the season 11 finale of Blue Bloods
But After just two episodes, the Joe story was over and he didn’t show up again until the end of the season: The season 11 finale revealed out of nowhere that Joe has been undercover for months – with his uncle Jamie (Will Estes) as a police contact. This twist felt cheap because there were no hints beforehand. When the two of them developed this kind of trust is also left to our imagination.
Blue Bloods initially set exactly the right course for Joe Hill. Not only did Joe suddenly have a new extended family, he also found himself in his father’s shadow. The Reagans never tired of emphasizing how similar he was. That asked great expectations for the new Reagan. He had to inherit from someone he didn’t even know. Whether that pleased him or burdened him remained completely unclear.
Joe Hill’s emotional development as he approaches the rest of the Reagans was unfortunately left out – a game night and a handful of family dinners in season 11 are a bit small. For example, how did Joe Hill suddenly trust his uncle so much? Did the two of them get to know each other better on a joyride in Joe’s father’s 1971 Chevrolet? Nobody knows.
CBS
We Want More of This: Joe at the family dinner in Blue Bloods
And what about his grandfather Frank? When they first met, the two harmonized wonderfully. But after the promising beginning, it was over. Joe’s most emotional moment when he breaks away from Frank “I love you, grandfather” said goodbye, seemed completely artificial.
Joe Hill will never be made into a real Reagan
Seasons 12 and 13 provided at least a few interactions between Joe and the Reagans. Joe solved two cases with his aunt and then went bowling with her. He also went with his Uncle Jamie to search for Danny, who had disappeared.
To my delight, he had the most interaction with his grandfather, Frank Reagan. Joe as the prodigal son and Frank as the father Joe never had formed by far the most interesting dynamic. The emotional climax was the 9th episode of the 13th season, when an unknown person damaged Joe Reagan’s gravestone. After a few arguments, the most honest conversations took place here. So everything is good and Joe Hill is now part of the family? It’s not that easy.
CBS
Joe Hill visits his father’s grave in Blue Bloods
One episode later the matter is completely forgotten. Joe goes into hiding again and the Reagans carry on as before. Instead of building on the episodes and creating an overarching storyline for Joe, we only ever see individual fragments. He was never part of the Reagans’ everyday life and remained almost unmentioned apart from his appearances.
This was particularly clear at the end of season 13, where even Nicky (Sami Gayle) and Jack Reagan (Tony Terraciano) returned to the family dinner after a long absence. It would have been the perfect opportunity Long overdue meeting between the three cousins to catch up. But here too, Joe was conspicuous by his absence in the script and at the family table.
This even prompted fans to start a petition to bring him back for season 14.
Season 14 is Joe Hill’s last chance to get the spotlight he deserves
We follow the Reagan family for one last season. After that it’s over, even if the stars and fans of Blue Bloods want to carry on. Judging by his treatment so far, it is unlikely that Joe Hill will suddenly play a larger role – especially since part of the 14th season has already run.
There’s still time for him for the final episodes of the series to write an overarching story arc. Joe Hill deserves to be a real part of the family in the end. When the Reagans get together for one last family dinner in the season finale, he belongs at the table too. At least that’s what he deserves.