Blue Bloods Season 14, Episode 16 Set Up Its Final Frank Storyline With One Offhand Comment

Blue Bloods season 14, episode 16, entitled “Gray Areas,” sets up Frank’s (Tom Selleck) final storyline with a comment he makes to Mayor Chase (Dylan Walsh). Many of the best episodes of Blue Bloods include Frank butting heads with the mayor over policies that he feels hurt the NYPD. In “Gray Areas,” the issue is that Chase wants the governor to call in the National Guard to handle an increase in violent crime rather than relying solely on the NYPD, which Frank feels is an insult to his officers.

The disagreement begins when Sergeant Russo (Tom Degnan) tells his partner to tend to a victim while he arrests five guys who were beating up a civilian. Predictably, Russo takes a beating; however, afterward, he appears by the mayor’s side at a press conference about the need for reinforcements to combat violent crime. Blue Bloods‘ Reagan family encourages Frank to fight this, but Frank realizes he needs a different approach to heal division. While he gets the mayor to back off the National Guard idea, Frank can’t stop Chase from hiring Russo for a position that will cause trouble.

Frank Warned The Mayor About Russo In Blue Bloods Season 14, Episode 16

Frank Told Chase That Hiring Russo Without Vetting Was A Bad Idea

Frank realizes that Russo is a large part of the problem. He doesn’t know that Russo dismissed a cop who was willing to back him up during the incident, but he’s aware that this officer is prone to impulsive decisions that cause trouble. Therefore, after the press conference, he suggests that Chase more thoroughly vet the “poster boy” for this campaign to involve the National Guard, but that only triggers Chase’s defensive behavior. Furthermore, trying to confront Russo about his support of the mayor only leads to Russo quitting his job.

Russo’s poor behavior on the job stems from his quick temper and poor impulse control, but Frank does not realize the extent of the problem until near the end of “Gray Areas,” when he learns that Chase hired Russo as a private security officer after Russo quit the force rather than face Frank’s continued disapproval. Chase denies that the new job is a quid pro quo, nor will he listen to Frank’s concerns. Thus, it seems that after leaving the NYPD, Russo is partially responsible for the mayor’s safety, which could play into Frank’s final mission.

Frank’s Blue Bloods Final Story Likely Involves Him Protecting The Mayor From Russo

Russo Is More Incompetent Than Actively Harmful, But That Won’t Make A Difference

Frank’s final storyline will involve a mission to protect Mayor Chase, and it’s likely that Russo will be part of this. Russo is not malicious, but he is incompetent and opportunistic. He refuses backup during the incident that leads to his injuries and then blames the NYPD being overwhelmed by high crime rates for it, demonstrating that his loyalties lie with whomever he thinks will give him more of what he wants. Frank’s history with Russo also demonstrates that Russo is a poor fit for a security detail, making it likely that Russo will hurt the mayor rather than help him.

There are numerous possibilities as to how this appointment can go wrong. Russo is easily riled up and seeks revenge against enemies, as evidenced by Frank’s statement that six months ago, Russo was “itching for a fight with a guy 20 years older and 40 pounds fatter because you blamed him for your lack of advancement.” This tendency could lead him to do less than stellar work as a security guard if he feels slighted by the mayor. He also might not work well with others on the security detail or be persuaded by others to turn against the mayor.

What Frank’s Final Blue Bloods Story Could Mean For His Ending

This Could Push Frank To Consider Retirement Or Otherwise Change Him

Frank’s final mission will wrap up his Blue Bloods storyline. So far, there is little information about each Blue Bloods character’s fate, and Frank’s is especially murky because Selleck has denied that Frank will retire at the end of the series (via TV Insider). Retirement seems like the most logical option; but if it is off the table, the show will need to explore other possibilities, such as Frank cutting back on his professional duties or preparing to retire later as the series draws to a close.

Frank’s final mission in Blue Bloods will likely alter his relationship with Mayor Chase. Chase has always seen Frank as a thorn in his side, but Frank will be there when Chase needs him most. It’s likely that the series will end with a positive change in the relationship between the two men. If Frank and Chase begin to see each other as allies, that would wrap up the story of Frank’s difficulty getting along with any mayor who has been part of the series since it began, leading to a satisfying ending for these two characters.