‘Boston Blue’s Danny and Lena Overcame a Tough Case in “Baggage Claim”

 

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 Image via Michael Gibson/CBS

Danny and Lena’s relationship faced a tough challenge in “Baggage Claim” when they were investigating a corrupt politician, Senator Lowell (Gabriel Burrafato), for the murder of a hotel employee. For Lena, the case hit close to home, as she had previously investigated Lowell for the murder of a sex worker, making Lowell her “white whale,” having failed to bring him to justice years earlier. The episode featured an interesting case of role reversal. Danny has often faced similar situations multiple times throughout the history of Blue Bloods, but now it’s more Lena assuming that role in an emotionally-charged investigation. Although Lena desperately wants to bring Lowell to justice for his crimes, Danny surprisingly serves as the voice of reason in the investigation, explaining how they need to catch Lowell by the book and do things the right way.

Donnie Walhberg’s Danny Proves He’s an Excellent Mentor on ‘Boston Blue’

Danny and Lena’s relationship is interesting because we have never before seen Danny as a mentor. Although Danny and his other partners, Jackie Curatola (Jennifer Esposito) and Maria Baez (Marisa Ramirez), had strong bonds throughout Blue Bloods, they did not share a “mentor and protégé” type of dynamic. Plus, Danny never really got the chance to truly mentor his little brother, Jamie Reagan (Will Estes), during Blue Bloods. When Danny worked with his long-lost nephew, Joe Hill (Will Hochman), their relationship came off more like family bonding than Danny acting as a teacher or leader. The new role of Danny mentoring Lena in Boston Blue highlights a never-before-seen side of his character.

It is refreshing to see Lena act receptively to Danny’s advice. Lena is clearly already a brilliant and seasoned detective in the Boston Police Department when the two first meet, but Lena’s pride is not excessive, as she possesses the ability to accept guidance from Danny, who has more experience. Danny does not overly assert himself in Lena’s business, but listens thoughtfully to her concerns and does his best to assist her. When Lena was feeling conflicted in Episode 4, “Rites of Passage,” over whether to take her mikvah and officially convert to Judaism, Danny was non-judgmental and facilitated Lena’s decision-making process. Danny’s advice also helped convince Lena to start dating fellow officer, Detective Brian Rogers (Ryan Broussard). Boston Blue exceptionally depicts Lena and Danny’s partnership as a mutually strong relationship where both characters uplift and positively influence each other.

Danny and Lena’s Relationship Makes ‘Boston Blue’ Worth Watching

 Image via CBS

At the end of the episode, Danny explains the importance of his past partners giving him “space and grace,” allowing him “to blow up” and still keeping him on “the right track.” Danny did the same thing for Lena in this episode that Jackie and Maria did for Danny in the past, and it’s made watching Danny and Lena’s relationship develop utterly rewarding. Hopefully, this will become the norm for Boston Blue moving forward, now that the show’s been renewed.