Nothing about Blue Bloods Season 8 Episode 6 felt quite right, as the Reagans explored their flaws, and some were more serious than others.
We'll start with Erin and how she helped convict the wrong man nine years ago.
Of course, Erin went full force in court while trying to convict Norm because she honestly believed that he was guilty. His accuser lied on the stand and swore he'd beaten her.
It must have seemed like an open and shut case. It took Erin less than a day to present her case, and it took the jury less than an hour to convict.
Poor, naive, Norm was a fool not to hire an attorney.
Did Erin's divorce play a role in her fervor to convict him? Perhaps, and I was proud of her for considering the possibility.
Danny: What's happening to us?
Erin: Turns out we may have flaws.
Danny: Speak for yourself.
The part I didn't understand was when Norm's accuser, Tina, told Erin, "Thank you for doing what I couldn't do."
What was that exactly? Erin figured out that Tina was lying after the man had spent nine years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, all because Tina wouldn't come forward with the truth.
I couldn't believe that Erin left Tina in a room alone with Norm and his wife.
Tina destroyed Norm's life. He was convicted of a felony, spent nine years in prison, and destroyed his career. Even with the conviction vacated, nothing will erase those memories.
I certainly wouldn't have blamed Norm or Beth if they wanted to do Tina bodily harm after putting them through such hell.
Now we move on to Danny, who definitely had his ups and down.
On the upside, Danny was having open and honest conversations with his son, and he didn't even flinch when Shawn asked why Danny was alive, given his dangerous job, but Linda was dead.
He even followed protocol and hung back until SWAT cleared the building, much to Baez's shock. However, it's a little sad to think that it took Linda dying for Danny to contemplate how his actions might affect his ability to make it home to his family.
Danny: You were right. I've been all screwed up in the head lately and it's put me on the back foot, and I should have told you but I didn't, so I'm sorry.
Baez: Do you want to talk about it?
Danny: I'm pretty sure I just did talk about it.
Baez: I guess a few drops of blood from a stone is progress.
But then he blew up in interrogation with hardly any provocation, and then he basically bribed a pharmacy employee for information he needed a warrant to obtain.
Not only was that unethical, all Darla needs is for her attorney to figure that out and this whole case could get shut down.
Also, I know that Darla was upset and angry, but she went through a lot of trouble to kill Rollin when she could have gone to an attorney and filed a paternity suit. If Evan was Rollin's child, she and her son could have gotten quite a bit of child support.
Instead, Darla's going to jail, the grandmother is terminally ill, and poor Evan will probably end up in foster care.
Frank got another visit from Arch Bishop Kern, and whenever this guy shows up, he makes my skin crawl.
You can always tell when the Arch Bishop wants something because he's either overly complimentary or takes the hard line to make Frank feel like he has to comply to be a good Catholic.
In this case, he laid it on really thick by making a quip about kissing Frank's ring. Even Frank rolled his eyes at that.
Trudy: Now I paint the New York that I miss. The one where the loft we're in wasn't the price of a mansion.
Frank: I miss that New York too.
Yes, New York City has changed over the years. Some much for the better, like the lower crime rates, and some for the worse, like how most people making normal salaries can't afford to live there any longer.
As badly as I felt for Trudy Slaughter losing her home and art studio, she got off easy. She could have seriously hurt or killed someone by throwing those paint cans from three stories up.
I would have been okay if she had to do real community service and paid for the damage to the police vehicle, but Frank having her paint his portrait because he'd had a crush on her for decades bordered on unethical. I was surprised that the only pushback he received was a little ribbing at Sunday family dinner.
He even strong-armed the Arch Bishop into giving her the $1 million payout.
Arch Bishop Kern: That shipped has sailed.
Frank: Call it back to the dock.
It could have been interesting to see Frank date Trudy in later episodes, but I'd guess that ship has sailed. It could really blow up in Frank's face if it came out that he pulled those strings for her and then they ended up in a relationship.
But I did love the portrait of Frank in uniform. I wouldn't mind seeing that again.
On the upside, we may have had Frank upset with the mayor, but at least she was off screen, and we didn't have to endure yet another confrontation between the two.
On the downside, Jamie and Eddie were mostly background players once again.
So what did you think TV Fanatics? Did Frank go too far to help Trudy? Should Erin have figured out Norm was innocent sooner? And will Danny's erratic behavior derail a case?
Check backfor my review of Blue Bloods Season 8 Episode 7, and until then, you can watch Blue Bloods online here at TV Fanatic.
