Every Season Of Blue Bloods, Ranked Worst To Best

Long-time Blue Bloods fans rejoiced during the season 13 finale as Jennifer Esposito returned in her role as Jackie to partner with Danny Reagan once again. Blue Bloods is one of CBS’s longest-running shows. The show follows the Reagan family, who has a deep legacy in the New York Police Department (NYPD).

Each of the Reagan children holds a law enforcement role, and their father, Frank Reagan—played by Tom Selleck—is the commissioner. With over a dozen seasons aired fans have had mixed responses to each, leaving some to be named better than others. No matter the season’s ranking, Blue Bloods always focuses on family dynamics and police procedure.

13. Season 12

After so many seasons, it seemed like Blue Bloods was ready to end its run on television. Frank Reagan’s retirement was a looming topic, and many fans agreed they wouldn’t watch the show if Tom Selleck was not a part of it anymore.

But that wasn’t the only issue season 12 faced, as many cases in each episode felt recycled from a previous season. Once again, Danny was a target for a gang he was investigating, and Jamie and Eddie were fighting over her past and family. All of these things had happened many times before and bogged the season down.

12. Season 9

The season 9 finale of Blue Bloods was the pay-off fans of Jamie and Eddie had been waiting years for, but for those invested in storylines outside their wedding, season 9 was a letdown. Season 9 marked a shift in the show where Jamie and Eddie branched out from their jobs as beat cops to helping people with personal issues that weren’t theirs to solve.

Even though intense episodes in the 9th season were similar to other seasons, the lack of a balanced storyline hurt the season. The biggest storyline outside the wedding was the ongoing investigation into Linda’s death and Danny getting closure.

11. Season 7

Season 7 saw Danny take the stand to defend himself as he claimed self-defense in a shooting, which was the most exciting storyline. The rest of the episodes had cases that commented on religion and social issues but not in an overly impactful way.

This season of Blue Bloods was less emotionally charged than others. Compared to other seasons, the 7th season of Blue Bloods was tame and less exciting, leaving fans disappointed. With the show’s early seasons starting and ending strong, the 7th season had stiff competition that it couldn’t compete with.

10. Season 11

Season 11 had the potential to be one of the best seasons of the show, but with Frank Reagan being in danger of losing his job again, there was nothing new for fans to sink their teeth into. Frank’s career is in jeopardy whenever a new mayor takes over, or something catastrophic happens in the city.

This storyline took the main focus of season 11 and didn’t feel fresh or exciting. With Frank overcoming the same struggles he faced in season 11 in the previous seasons, fans had insight into what would happen. When they were proven right, it hurt the season rather than providing relief.

9. Season 13

Season 13 of Blue Bloods started to feel more like a political drama than a police procedural, which was not welcomed by most fans. With Erin almost running for the District Attorney’s position, it seemed the campaign would take over the show’s next season, but when she decided against it, the storyline felt unneeded.

Many of the plot lines were not about cases and more about the personal issues of the Reagans at work. The only Reagan working cases was Danny for most of the season. Compared to other seasons, the latest season of Blue Bloods fell flat, despite growing the characters.

8. Season 10

The 10th season of Blue Bloods is one of the better seasons of the show, as it shows how much time has passed for the characters. This is most prominent with Nicky, who moves away to start her life as an adult. When the show started, Nicky was a child coping with being the daughter of an assistant district attorney.

Season 10 also marked the start of Blue Bloods taking on more social issues regarding police and the treatment of suspects. This showed Frank in a new light as he tried to balance his old-school beliefs with the new expectations of the NYPD. The introduction of real-life issues in the show made it more relatable for fans.

7. Season 8

Season 8 focused on the flaws the characters in Blue Bloods have, making them more relatable to fans and getting back to the balance of family and work that fans fell in love with in the 1st season. Eddie grew as a character this season as her past with her criminal father affected her performance at work.

By focusing on Eddie and Jamie, the season provided a new perspective on life as an officer in the NYPD. Eddie was also removed from the shadow of being a Reagan which showed a new set of challenges that hadn’t been exposed before. The new storylines and intense cases that saw Danny narrowly avoiding his peril was exciting for fans and spelled success for the show in its 8th season.

6. Season 4

Blue Bloods season 4 was exciting and involved every kind of case viewers could imagine. There were kidnappings, murders, and more. The variety of cases kept the show exciting and highlighted each Reagan’s area of expertise.

The 4th season also saw some of the biggest fights between Erin and her family as she plays every case by the book, and her brothers tend to work around the protocol. With each of the Reagans having to face trial or work on a trial in season 4, fans saw the family gain a new appreciation for each other, which was heartwarming and drew new viewers into the show.

5. Season 3

Season 3 had one of the biggest shake-ups in Blue Bloods history, with Detective Baez being introduced as Danny’s new partner. The 3rd season of Blue Bloods focused on crimes often associated with old-school police shows based in New York City, like gang violence and innocent people being caught in the crossfire.

Danny and Frank were the focus of most of the storylines in the 3rd season, with Frank having to make tough choices and Danny being in situations where he was uncomfortable so that he could question witnesses and suspects. This is a key part of the show that breaks up the intense moments with humor.

4. Season 6

Blue Bloods season 6 had dark episodes that were dramatic and jarring as a serial killer was threatening Danny and his family. Season 6 gave a look into Erin’s life as a single mother and Nicky, who by this point in the show was growing into an independent teenager who was less conservative than the rest of her family.

Seeing Erin outside her job as a prominent lawyer humanized her and showed that while she is in charge at work, she is still figuring out how to keep her daughter from getting into trouble. Danny was also humanized in this season since he was once again the target of a violent criminal. As two of the strongest members of the Reagan family, seeing them vulnerable was a new perspective for new fans and something long-time fans hadn’t seen in a few seasons.

3. Season 2

Season 2 of Blue Bloods focused on cases and family drama between the Reagans in a natural and balanced way. Other seasons have lacked this, with one element being more heavy-handed than the other. Season 2 capitalized on the struggles of Frank Reagan being the commissioner of the police department and being his children’s boss.

When he placed Jamie on house arrest, it highlighted that Frank might be proud of his children for continuing the family legacy but will not give them special treatment. This storyline helped better explain the family dynamic and how it translates into their work lives.

2. Season 5

Season 5 quickly became of the best seasons of Blue Bloods when Linda was shot, and Danny had to deal with the aftermath. Danny’s emotions are a constant struggle, so seeing him deal with a family member being a victim was his most important test yet. The fifth season also saw the Reagans rally in a way they hadn’t before.

The Reagans are often in the spotlight as a prominent law enforcement family. Season 5 highlighted how this could be dangerous to their families, which other shows hadn’t explored in the same way. With the tragedies the family faced, there were also great victories, like Frank Reagan announcing the arrest of a prominent gang leader and the improved safety of New York City.

1. Season 1

Most television shows get better with time, but Blue Bloods made a big impact in the very first season. As the introduction to the Reagans, the first season of Blue Bloods splits time between all the family members and explains how they fit into the law enforcement landscape in their own way. Frank Reagan is established as the family’s patriarch and runs the NYPD similarly.

In the first season, Frank removes dirty police from the force in an attempt to better the reputation of the police force. The start of Blue Bloods established the family dinner scene included in each episode. This helped fans understand that the family isn’t close because they work together but because they love one another.