7 Things That Need To Happen In Blue Bloods Season 14

"Forgive our Trespasses" - Blue Bloods Season 13, Episode 21 — Contains mild spoilers

The final moments of Season 13 of "Blue Bloods" exemplified the show's core principles of love and family togetherness. In the series finale, Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) and his current partner Maria Baez (Marisa Ramirez) enlist Jackie Curatola's (Jennifer Esposito) assistance in locating a suspected copycat serial murderer. The killer is modeling their activities after those of serial killer Dr. Leonard Walker (Mather Zickel), whom Baez and Reagan followed in Season 13, Episode 13 "Past History." Jackie is now the police chief, and the trio bickers while they work together to execute their jobs. The rest of the Reagans are likewise having professional difficulties. Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) tangles with Mayor Chase (Dylan Walsh) and Archbishop Kearns (Stacy Keach) over a new edict concerning the city's homeless population, while Eddie Janko (Vanessa Ray) and Jamie Reagan (Will Estes) investigate a criminal with ties to Erin Reagan (Bridget Moynahan).

After some contract negotiation issues that resulted in the actors taking a 25% salary reduction, Season 14 is happening, albeit many fans predict it will be the show's last.

Here are seven ways the show might please fans in its last episodes.

1: Pull the pin on Danny & Baez already!

Okay, we're rounding the bend on the 14th season of "Blue Bloods" and at this point it ought to be obvious — this show ought to bite the bullet and get Danny Reagan and Maria Baez together already. Fans have long held court on whether or not getting these two getting romantic would ruin the show or make it better, but at this point, producers are kidding themselves if they don't think the audience is interested in seeing Danny be happy, following his years of misery after being widowed when Linda (Amy Carlson) died. At this point it would be better to see him with a woman who actually likes him, instead of watching him flounder his way through a series of unfulfilling dates.

Now, on the other side, it's not that Baez isn't interesting as a single mother — she is! — but it's that a romance wouldn't hurt her story arc, as well as proving that she can be a mom, a cop, and a fun person all at the same time. This is definitely a show that's good at balancing sad things with happy ones, and a relationship between these two friends could only add a little more joy to a sometimes bleak setting. Besides that? If the show does call it quits with Season 14, there's no worry about a definitive conclusion to the "will they, won't they?" dynamic spoiling things, so there's no better time to finally seal the deal.

2: Please actually put Eddie and Jamie together in the same Blue Bloods scenes

Fans have been complaining for months that spouses Eddie Janko and Jamie Reagan have seen little screen time together over the past few season. Season 13 has ameliorated that a little, finally pairing them beside one another for a case in "Forgive our Trespasses." But it's the first time in a long time they've spent the day together. Jamie spent a lot of Season 13 tangled up in a conflict with his brother, Danny, while Eddie continues to work the beat. There have been brief narrative hints that the show might give the twosome a child to deal with, but little of their onscreen time revolves around their personal drama. Often, the only time they're simultaneously in front of the camera is during those ubiquitous Reagan family dinner scenes. 

Season 14 should definitely reverse this trend and have them spend more time off the beat together. A romantic date now and again, a couple of scenes set in their apartment; all of these things would help out, and the show has been so busy keeping them in the field they're neglecting the couple's love story. It's not even necessary that the twosome have a baby. Frankly, though, even putting aside showrunner Kevin Wade's expressed concern that it would chain Eddie to a desk for six months of story, a new little one might take things in a fresh direction.

3: Nicky needs to come back to Blue Bloods more often

"Forgive our Trespasses" marks the first time fans have seen Nicky Boyle-Regan in nearly two seasons, with her last appearance being in Season 11's "Atonement." With the character finally back on the show's canvas, possibilities seem to be wide open. While this appears to just be a one-off return at a family dinner scene, producers have explained that they wanted to bring her back earlier. It's possible that her presence at the table might become more of a regular thing in Season 14. And that really ought to come to pass. 

Nicky is a vital part of the show's fourth generation of characters, someone who acts as a gateway between her parent's lives and Danny's younger children. She doesn't necessarily need to be in every episode, but it would be nice to see her a few times instead of just once. Of course, Sami Gayle has been busy with other projects — including attending college and playing a wicked stepsister in the Broadway production of "Bad Cinderella" — but with the musical closing on June 4, it's quite likely Gale will be free by the time the WGA Strike concludes. In short, it would be really nice to see her pop up more often if she has any time to spare for the drama.

4: A Regan grandkid taking an interest in something that's not a legal career, please

Speaking of that fourth generation of Reagans, it would be lovely to see someone's kids — anyone's kids — rebel. And by that, we mean that somebody needs to get into an industry that has nothing to do with being a politician or a police officer. 

A Reagan working in construction? Great. Or as a fireman, or even a workaday job in the service industry? Any of these options would add something fresh to the show's plots and add greater depth to the show's storytelling. The show has strongly hinted at this before, having Jack Reagan (Tony Terraciano) contemplate a career path and realize he only wanted to join the Marines because Danny had served. He and his younger brother, Sean (Andrew Terraciano) — who mentions he wants to be a fireman in one episode — are just starting to deal with college, which leaves room for them to pick a new direction. Now is an ideal time for the show to pursue this narrative path. 

It's not as if one of these characters developing a profession outside of the usual cop-politician circuit would take away from the central message of "Blue Bloods." Arguably, adding a new profession into the mix could even help feed stories into the main body of the show. Who says someone can't find a body in a dumpster or a wheelbarrow of cement one day? You get the idea.

5: A big umbrella case that involves the whole Blue Bloods family would be great

How about a season-long umbrella story that unites all of the Reagans in taking down a single criminal? Especially if Season 14 does end up being the last, it would make for a perfect conclusion.

It's been a while since they've gotten to do this. More often than not, each member of the family is cordoned off and doing their own thing in a different part of New York versus teaming up together. Eddie is often on her own. You have Baez and Danny working cases elsewhere. Erin is often prosecuting a case or running through a political minefield. Frank handles city hall red tape while trying to cope with political minefields. Sometimes these individual branches connect, and oftentimes, each Reagan approaches their family dinner table with a problem they can't solve on their own.

Why not try to give us a story that requires every inch of the family to put something in their collective pot of skills and cook up a solution to a huge problem? A hostage crisis, a dangerous situation, something that's completely out of left field — it would be nice to see them team up to tackle something amazing together. 

6: Tell us more about Blue Blood's supporting characters

"Blue Bloods" is a Reagan-focused drama. Thus, why not dedicate Season 14 to "Blue Bloods"' unsung supporting characters?

Who is Abigail Baker (Abigail Hawk), Frank's regular companion? She's only anchored a few episodes. Who is she outside of work? When she's not helping Frank, what does she and her family do? After 14 seasons, we need to know more about her daily life. We know a little about Garrett Moore (Gregory Jbara) and Sid Gormley (Robert Clohessy), but not enough. As "Blue Bloods" enters Season 14, everyone deserves greater attention.

7: And above all, the Reagan family's close connection should continue to be the focus

Family is what sets "Blue Bloods" apart from other TV shows.As the series concludes, that must remain essential. Fights like Danny and Jamie's are normal and essential. Season 14 just has to prioritize family ties to please fans. Avoiding this would be fatal. "Blue Bloods" has always done things well, so there's no need to worry.

After all, without family dinners, what would this drama be? If they didn't care for each other, who would they be? The most significant thing about "Blue Bloods" is that it never forgets that its family is its focus. As long as it maintains that, its fanbase will return for Season 14.