Blue Bloods memorialized Treat Williams and his character in the most beautiful way possible.
This series is always heart and family-centered without being overtly emotional, and that’s how they honored Lenny Ross on Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 3.
The episode revolved around Tess; bad behavior. It was only in the final moments that Frank expressed his own grief and sorrow over Lenny’s passing, giving him a beautiful sendoff at the Sunday dinner table, and it was one of the most moving tributes I’ve ever heard.
Frank’s grief was understated throughout the hour, which was typical of Frank Reagan.
He seemed so much like his usual self that I didn’t think Henry and Abigail had got it right when they suggested his treatment of Tess came from his own unexpressed grief.
The situation with Tess was tricky. Lenny always enabled her when he was alive, bailing her out of every bad situation. But Frank was right that continuing that wouldn’t do her any good.
Abigail: You can’t treat her like a Reagan when she’s a Ross.
Frank: She is a person who broke the law, and she is not the only one who has ever lost someone.
And Lenny’s death was not a get-out-of-jail-free card. Grief can make people do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do, but it’s still each person’s responsibility to control themselves.
If everyone did whatever they wanted with no consequences because they were in the throes of grief or other strong emotions, we’d live in an even more chaotic, unpredictable society than we already do.
Plus, Frank isn’t Tess’ therapist. It’s not his job to “meet her where she’s at” or give her a safe space to explore the feelings behind her addictive behavior. It’s his job to enforce laws, which he did.
On the other hand, a little empathy does go a long way. It was possible for Frank to both hold Tess accountable and demonstrate compassion and understanding of the emotions that drove her behavior.
That’s what he tried to do when he invited her to Sunday dinner after giving her a card for a defense attorney. But who else thinks the reason she didn’t come to dinner is that she went drinking again?
Either way, the best thing about this is that it depicted the mental health issue of addiction without taking sides. As always, we knew what Frank thought and what the characters who disagreed with him thought, but the writing didn’t push us to agree with either side.
Instead, viewers had the space to consider the issue and decide for themselves what they believed.
The tribute to Treat Williams was tasteful, taking up only a third of the show, just like any Lenny Ross story would have, while Danny and Jamie had their own stories.
It will always be weird to me how Lenny learned he had terminal cancer only weeks before Treat Williams passed away after an accident.
There was no way anyone could have predicted that, but it was almost as if some higher power knew and arranged for Lenny Ross to be written out right before Williams left this world.
Frank’s tribute to Lenny was beautiful, especially juxtaposed with his relief and joy that Jamie was finally finished with his undercover mission and safely home with the family.
There is also someone who ate with us over the years but won’t be back. Lenny Ross was my closest friend, my confidante, my getaway driver. I lost him this week and it hurts like hell. But Lenny would hate it if we got all teary and quiet and sad. So, Lenny… we’ll miss ya. And save me a seat at your table and I’ll see you on down the road. .
Frank
The memorial placard got me, too. Most such plaques have the person’s name. The cast and crew loved Treat Williams as much as the fictional Reagans loved Lenny, and that shined through the episode as well as the inscription on his memorial placard.
Jamie and Danny’s stories drove the point home that life goes on even amidst grief, but I wish Danny had had a different story.
Something always goes sideways when Bugs gets involved. He is probably the worst CI Danny has ever had, and somehow, he always gets into it with one of the other Reagans.
Last time, Jamie arrested him. This time, Erin and Anthony poached him for their mission.
I had a hard time focusing on what the case was about because there was so much territorial nonsense between Erin and Danny.
I didn’t blame Bugs for feeling like they saw him as an object to be used. They were fighting over whose CI he was right in front of him!
The stakeout confused me. I wasn’t sure how Anthony knew it was a setup or why Bugs shot someone in the end.
He distracted the bad guys so Danny and Anthony could arrest them, then fired his weapon before putting his hands up. I thought maybe he was seeking vengeance on the person who shot his brother, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
Hopefully, this is the last of him. He’s already crossed paths with Erin and Jamie, so no one is left to cause him trouble unless he has a run-in with Joe Hill.
Joe learned something after the last raid and made his boss wait until Jamie confirmed the girls were in the basement before rushing in. However, he also learned nothing and engaged in reckless behavior that got a suspect killed.
Jamie was right that Joe would never change. He’ll always be a lone wolf who acts at cross-purposes with Jamie’s missions.
I hope he didn’t skip the Sunday dinner because of Jamie! On Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 2, he said he was grateful for the family but has returned to his old ways.
Will he go back into the woodwork again now? He only seems to pop up when he has a case interfering with Jamie’s.
The undercover mission is over now, so I wonder what’s next for Jamie.
He did good work and deserves to spend some time closer to home now.
Your turn, Blue Bloods fanatics! Hit the big, blue SHOW COMMENTS button to leave a tribute to Treat Williams or share what you thought of this episode.
Blue Bloods airs on CBS on Fridays at 10/9c.
Jack Ori is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. His debut young adult novel, Reinventing Hannah, is available on Amazon. Follow him on X.