Blue Bloods

The new shows this fall have almost all been hugely disappointing, starting with the new "Law and Order: LA" which proves that the concept of the show is starting to get old, "The Event" is yet another bunch of twists and turns that will end in the middle of nowhere sooner or later and the hugely anticipated "Hawaii-Five-O" started out strong, but has now taken a turn for the worse, although it's still among the better new shows, which frankly isn't saying much.

"Blue Bloods", on the other hand, really stands out as a gritty and quite realistic police drama, made by the producers of the hugely successful and dearly missed "The Sopranos". Now, we get to see inside the daily lives of a family whose job is to solve crimes, instead of committing them, and thanks to an ensemble of gifted actors, it's quite interesting to see their interactions, both personally and professionally.

Frank Reagan is the chief of police in New York City, a man deeply respected by his family and the people he works with. His oldest son Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) is a homicide detective with a reputation for not doing things by the book, and in the first episode already he sticks someones head in a toilet to get the location of a missing girl out of him. While people admire as someone who gets the job done, he has alienated several people over the years through his views and methods, including his sister Erin (Bridget Moynahan). She is a district attorney, and since Danny often uses unorthodox and even illegal methods to arrest criminals, she has a hard time with convicting them, causing them to argue quite frequently. Jamie (Will Estes) is their youngest brother, and after finishing law school, suddenly decides to become a police officer, much to the dismay of his fiancé. Although still a rookie, he is approached by a secret society called the Blue Templars, who wish to hire him to investigate the death of his brother, who was a cop himself and was shot while investigating a case.

The show comes up with an interesting concept,showing us the interaction of these four family members while investigating crimes and how they often clash in their believes and principles. Donnie Wahlberg's character Danny is probably the most interesting one of the bunch, mainly because it's hinted at that he was in Iraq, and that his tendency to loose patience with the people he arrests is rooted in something he experienced there. It's good to have Tom Selleck back on TV, who is a better actor now than ever, and since I already liked him in the Jesse Stones movies, it's great that I get to see him every week now.

You can watch Blue Bloods every Friday at 10 on CBS, and since it's one of the most successful shows that have ever aired in the time slot, it looks like it stands a very high chance of surviving for more than a season, which will be an achievement not shared by too many of the new shows, I'm sure.

My sister and I watch and discuss this series every Friday. We absolutely love the family dinners. So incredibly nice to see a family that all love and respect each other. Although challenges to their faith are often brought up - usually from questioning by the two sons. They make it clear that keeping faith takes work.

I am not Catholic -- but I still very much appreciate their efforts. (Although I admit their attempts to depict other religions positively - is a hard go for them!)

I'm looking forward to what script changes may be made - with the appointment of Bratton, our new police commissioner.

(St. Vincent's Hospital is still open in this drama - ah, if only it were so.)

I watch many different police dramas from dark Scandanavian ones like The Bridge to British ones like Broadchurch, Line of Duty etc. I was not sure I would enjoy Blue Bloods as I do not watch many Amercian shows. However being an original Magum fan and Tom Shelleck was pinned on my wall I had to give a a go. I have been binge watching now for a few weeks to get caught up. Extremely happy that I did. I love the cast and the "family" is what sets it apart from the rest. You will not be disappointed.

Blue Bloods is currently my favorite TV program. The casting is great, story lines are very interesting, but what I really enjoy is every episode presents a dilemma where both sides are presented and mulled over.

Direction makes a movie or TV show. It can make or break a story line and Blue Bloods continues to please. It astounds me that a series of rotating directors are tied to these episodes, including actors such as Donnie Wahlberg, with rarely a low point in the episode list.

I do so much appreciate a movie or TV show where the good guys are really good guys and they win as often as possible.

The Sunday dinners are a high point of the show.

It would please me if this series goes on for 15 seasons. I would be truly bummed if this series was cut short. I'm sure there are enough story lines in New York City to keep this show alive and interesting for a very long time.

I've always been a Tom Selleck fan, from his earliest TV performances. He brings class, sophistication and integrity to his performances. The rest of the cast for Blue Bloods meshes well with the high standards set here. It is refreshing to see characters who are not afraid to admit they make mistakes, who often question what is done and why. It is also very refreshing to see an ensemble with a strong sense of faith and goodness.

Please continue the practice of saying a blessing before meals - this helps to set the tone of the characters and helps viewers to understand the strength that a strong Irish Catholic family has - all of the members of the Reagan family are strong and they have the courage and faith to stand up for what is right. This comes from their traditions and their beliefs.

In my humble opinion, this is one of the best dramas on television today and I would not be embarrassed to have my grandchildren watch it with me. Can't say that for most of the programming on prime time these days.