Blue Bloods 2017 – Therapeutic TV
In times of stress, TV and other activities can be quite therapeutic. Made by the producers of the highly successful Sopranos, Blue Bloods, a procedural about police officers, is one such TV series that can provide a welcomed distraction. A large part of the appeal is the main character Police Commissioner Frank Reagan, who is played by Tom Selleck.
Throughout his career, Selleck has exuded a “nice guy” vibe with that quirky smile underneath his handle-bar mustache. When 80s nostalgia creeps in, his iconic portrayal of Magnum, P.I. is right there at the forefront of our memories and is one of the 80s’ best detective shows.
Blue Bloods delivers a feel-good factor, providing an hour away from all the personal stresses and unpleasant news that are just outside the door. It doesn’t seek to create a utopia by any means – it is a cop series, after all – but most of the time, an episode feels like a well-deserved tonic by the time the closing credits are coming up. Therapy via TV, along with other activities like playing games, gardening, and caring for a pet, have all shown to help alleviate stress and reduce the effect of mild or even serious health problems.
Watching TV can make you more productive by energizing you when you are out of steam and some light-hearted humor or a nerve-racking drama will do exactly that. Blue bloods has both ingredients. It also has an old-fashioned appeal and ranks highly on many internet sites.
The next favorite star of the show, Donnie Wahlberg, who plays Danny, doesn’t always play by the book, but his brusque heart is in the right place. The other actors fit together perfectly, which points to superb casting and talented acting. The formula for most of the episodes is: something bad happens – several clever options are swiftly investigated – and it is usually resolved in the end. So, we don’t really have to go hunting around for the next chronological episode, but we can still shamelessly binge watch Blue Bloods when we can. The plots are well thought out and not overly complex like some other drama series. For example, Quantico is a masterful creation, but the plot changes too much and the intrigue can be quite dizzying! But with Blue Bloods, the blood and gore of contemporary cop flicks are oftentimes replaced with realistic thought-provoking and relevant conversations that have some take-away lesson.
This cop series has also long been the boob tube display of masculinity. In the old-school representation, the TV detective looks fear in the face and does not flinch, something that secretly we wish we could do in our real lives. A TV cop can associate with numerous seedy characters, yet maintain a level of integrity and desire to do what is right. He is as comfortable at a Mayor’s ball as he is with gang members on the street and a snitch in the alley. He’s devoid of any prejudice except for a bias toward protecting and uplifting the men in blue.
Perhaps it is the nostalgia for days gone when chest hair was not such a bad thing that draws us back to Tom Selleck. It could also be the lack of offensive language and gratuitous nudity and sex scenes. Funnily enough, the series is like a tame pussycat by most standards in this regard, but don’t imagine for a moment that it is made of fluff. Season 7 has effectively tackled police brutality, dishonest police, domestic disputes, and diplomatic immunity with all the nuances that can arise, all the while playing the devil’s advocate.
Sometimes it is difficult to fall in love with a show and watch it disappear for some unfathomable reason (classic example: Firefly). But after seven seasons of Blue Bloods with its fantastically working formula, something extremely bizarre would have to happen to derail future seasons of this popular show. Until then, we all can keep watching.