Blue Bloods

Well, I have to say, I really enjoyed the pilot episode of Blue Bloods. It has a great cast, some good writing, and the cinematography is wonderful. Blue Bloods is definitely the best of all the new cop shows premiered this season.

I will have to agree with the originality gripe I read on another review. The show would do well without it. Making it about the family more than the crimes is the key winner here. No need to muck it up with conspiracies. However, it has been introduced and we'll have to ride it out.

If you are looking for a new show to watch, I highly recommend Blue Bloods. Nice job.

It's not a bad show at all but the reviews I'm reading here make this to be the greatest TV of all time and it's not remotely.

It's an NYPD Blue for today with characters not as interesting as that show. The characters, all played by capable actors, are the same characters that every police procedural show has. There is nothing original about anything here. The episodes even start out exactly like NYPD blue did, various quick shots of New York - then the story starts.

Selleck is always good but the "voice of reason" character gets a little grating after a while. Donnie Walberg is a good actor but the "plays by his own rules" cop is beyond a cliche.

My problem with the show outside the basic, standard police procedural show which is all this is, is the bad exposition in every episode. They treat the audience like they're stupid. By "bad exposition" I mean where two characters are explaining something that they clearly already know and would never utter outloud like they do but are doing it for the benefit of the audience watching. "You were my partner for three years a few years back, can you watch my back?" Or "must be hard knowing your brother was killed in the line of duty" (girlfriend says to her boyfriend graduating the police academy in front of his family - something no one would actually say like that in that situation in a million years). This stuff happens every episode.

And then the grandfather - yeah, completely pointless character to reminiscent of Frasier. Adds nothing to the show. I keep trying to work out the ages every time he's on screen - I would assume Seleck is playing 65, the father has to be 85 but looks 75. I would guess the oldest son who passed was 45.

Every episode has them having dinner together and sometimes the dialog can get cringy or boring.

Overall, it's a show I don't mind watching while I'm on the treadmill - don't think I'd watch it on regular TV. But it's been on for 14 years so clearly it is doing well.

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.)

Imho, it's a toss up between Tom and Donnie for the best character. But if you enjoy Tom as a soft spoken "top cop" you need to find, and watch, the "Jesse Stone" series. All 9 of them:

Jesse Stone: Stone Cold (2005) Jesse Stone: Night Passage (2006)

• a prequel to Stone Cold

Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise (2006) Jesse Stone: Sea Change (2007) Jesse Stone: Thin Ice (2009) Jesse Stone: No Remorse (2010) Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost (2011) Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt (2012) Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise (2015)

Tom Selleck plays the Chief of Police in a sleepy coastal town called Paradise, Massachusetts.

But they have crime. Murder, Drugs, Domestic violence... you name it - they got it.

All the while, the Chief, who insists that people call him just "Jesse," deals with it, and a new divorce from the woman hw still loves, and a severe drinking problem all at the sam time.

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.