Inside the Reagan Family: The Real Stories Behind Blue Bloods’ Success

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The Reagan Family Tree In Blue Bloods Explained

The Reagan family is central to Blue Bloods, which helps explain the series’ popularity as it gets ready to wrap up its fourteenth and final season. Although the Tom Selleck-led series is primarily a police procedural, it sets itself apart by focusing on this family of cops, who support one another during difficult times. The most iconic part of the series is the Blue Bloods family dinner, which is part of every episode and cements the series’ legacy of focusing on family values.

The Reagan family consists of four generations, most of whom are cops, with one character serving as an Assistant District Attorney while another abandoned a law career to join the Police Academy. The family has gone through many ups and downs over the years and lost some members, but it is remarkably stable. Blue Bloods’ final eight episodes will likely center around the intersection of family and work issues, as always, and having a solid understanding of the Reagan family will help make the series finale more impactful and memorable.

Henry Reagan Is The Patriarch Of The Family

Henry Is A Beloved Father And Grandfather Who Was Once The Police Commissioner

the younger three generations. He doesn’t always have a major storyline; in many episodes, he gives advice and support to younger Reagans and always has a wisecrack or two during the family dinner. Blue Bloods season 14 has wasted Henry’s potential by limiting him mostly to this role, but that could change by the series finale.

Henry and Betty had two sons together, but Frank’s brother Peter died in infancy.

Although Blue Bloods doesn’t delve deeply into Henry’s life, it’s known that he was once the Commissioner, the role that Frank holds today. His wife, Betty, died years before the beginning of the season; they had a happy marriage, and Henry talks about her often, but never considered remarrying after her death. Henry and Betty went on adventures that often surprised the rest of the family. In one episode, Henry shocked everyone at dinner by divulging that he and his wife once spent time at a nude beach.

Frank Reagan Is The Current Police Commissioner

He Must Constantly Balance Family And Work Obligations, Especially When His Sons Don’t Follow Police Department Poilcies

Frank plays a central role in every episode. He is an extremely non-political person in a role that demands political considerations constantly. As Police Commissioner, he must deal with the mayor’s office all the time, and is usually in strong disagreement with the mayor’s policies because they don’t take the needs of the police department into account. Thus, his team is often trying to smooth things over with the current mayor because Frank calls it as he sees it and doesn’t care how it comes across.

Frank’s religious faith has gotten him through some tough times, most notably the death of his second son, Joe, who was killed by a corrupt cop. Frank has also survived the death of his wife, Mary. Not much is known about her, but Erin did mention in one season 14 episode that when she was a teenager, she’d pass messages to Frank through her mother.

Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) and Baez (Marisa Ramirez) with coffee in Blue Bloods

Frank’s Oldest Son, Danny, Is Often A Thorn In His Side

Danny Has Mellowed In Recent Years, But His Temper Often Gets Him In Trouble

Danny is the least likely of Frank’s sons to follow in his footsteps and replace Frank as Blue Bloods’ Police Commissioner because of his temper. Particularly in the earliest seasons, Danny was impulsive and hotheaded, often getting physical with suspects and landing himself in hot water. Danny tended to fire his weapon far too often, sometimes making it hard to believe he was still a cop, and often butted heads with his superiors. Prior to season 5, he reported to Sid Gormley, who was transferred into Frank’s office, partially because Frank knew Gormley didn’t get along with Danny.

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