CBS’s hit police drama Blue Bloods recently finished Season 12 with a huge finale. Season 12, Episode 20, “Silver Linings” had a slew of plotlines for the Reagan family to follow when the series returns for Season 13. Several CBS series have planned emotional finales, but the Blue Bloods episode was clearly setting the long-running show up for some big changes inside and outside the family.
With Erin Reagan and Maria Baez having made some huge decisions in "Silver Linings," everyone in the Reagans' world is going to have to adapt during Season 13. Blue Bloods is known for its blend of family stories and police drama, and the upcoming season will be more of the same. Characters have both personal and professional choices to make when the show returns.
As Season 12 came to an end, Frank Reagan finally brought his dispute with the District Attorney’s Office to a head by publicly announcing his displeasure with D.A. Crawford's new policy to not prosecute non-violent crimes. His daughter Erin subsequently announced her candidacy for District Attorney. Audiences can look forward to watching Erin campaign and fight her way through the election process. Erin’s candidacy may also spell conflict for Frank -- both in his role as Police Commissioner and because he's spoken out against the District Attorney’s Office many times in the past.
Another development that audiences can expect to see in the upcoming season is Henry Reagan's unfortunate cancer diagnosis. In Season 12, Episode 19, “Tangled Up in Blue,” Henry was diagnosed with prostate cancer. In Season 13, viewers will certainly see Henry’s struggle through this difficult journey and how it affects the rest of the Reagan family. They'll want to support Henry, but particularly with Erin and Frank now both heavily in the public eye, those two characters in particular might have problems with work-life management and being there for Henry as much as they'd like.
Outside of the Reagans, Blue Bloods fans will be able to look forward to more of Baez's personal life. In the Season 12 finale, Baez stepped up to adopt an unclaimed newborn child from a previous case. Her partner Danny Reagan, played by The Masked Singer alum Donnie Wahlberg, immediately supported the idea of Baez becoming a mother and now the show has a lot to explore with the concept. Danny himself has been on his own since his wife Linda died several seasons ago, so will he give extra support to his partner as she goes down a similar road?
Many shows begin to lose steam as they head into double digits, or at least shake things up; CBS viewers have seen that with NCIS' many cast changes (and one that might still be happening). Blue Bloods' Season 12 finale was a strong attempt to refresh the series by setting up plots that will impact characters for years to come. When the Reagan family returns, they'll have a lot to discuss around the dinner table.