In the years since it arrived on CBS, “Blue Bloods” has become known for many things. For one, it’s another in a long line of police procedures that tackle some pretty heavy topics at times, even those that have real-world ties. It’s also recognized for putting a rather unique familial edge on its story by centering the series on the Reagans, a family that includes several members of New York’s law enforcement. The program is also regarded as one of the most high-profile projects on the lengthy entertainment résumé of television icon Tom Selleck.
With the introduction of “Blue Bloods,” viewers got to know Selleck’s latest TV alter-ego, NYPD Commissioner Frank Reagan. Stern and dutiful, Frank is as committed to his profession as he is to his family — something that has caused no shortage of strife for him over the years. Nevertheless, he presses on, determined to lead the NYPD by example and ensure the bustling streets of the Big Apple are as safe as possible. At the same time, it’s important to remember that Frank is human, meaning that he’s just as prone to making mistakes and taking things a bit too far as anyone else in the world.
This element of Frank Reagan isn’t lost on Selleck, either. In fact, Selleck has addressed the fact that the “Blue Bloods” mainstay is a flawed man.
Selleck understands Frank’s shortcomings very well
To commemorate “Blue Bloods” hitting an impressive 150 episodes in 2017, Tom Selleck joined his co-stars for an interview with CBS This Morning. During this conversation, Selleck addressed some of Frank Reagan’s flaws and made it clear that he knows his character is far from perfect. “He takes out a lot of his problems — with the weight of 35,000 people on his shoulders — on his people at work,” Selleck said. The television star added that Frank shows quite a bit of favoritism when it comes to his family as well, which brings up all kinds of issues in his role as police commissioner.
While this doesn’t seem to be a drawback for Selleck, Frank’s flaws seem to have rubbed some “Blue Bloods” fans the wrong way. In a Reddit thread, several viewers came forward to voice their complaints about Frank and his actions. “I’m only on Season 8, as well, and Frank makes me want to drop the show from my watch list,” commented u/TheMissDaisy, citing his hypocrisy and ego. u/RosieBuddy even called him out as a show-off and voiced their frustration with Selleck’s lack of different facial expressions during his performance.
In any form of media, flaws tend to make characters more interesting, affording them a chance to learn and grow over time. Frank Reagan has his share of shortcomings, but according to some fans, the show hasn’t done the greatest job of depicting his efforts to overcome them.