Blue Bloods season 11: The value of Henry Reagan in uncertain times

Last week, we posted a story about how Nicky could prove to be extremely valuable as we look towards Blue Bloods season 11. She is a character representing the younger generation, and she is someone who could serve as a great agent of change. Both her age and her distance from the rest of the family could allow her to have a unique perspective on everything going on in the world.

For the sake of this article, though, we want to shift the focus entirely over to Henry Reagan, a character very much fascinating in his own right. He is the oldest member of the family, and yet he may have more in common with Nicky than several other characters. He’s retired, so he does have a little more distance from the world of the NYPD than Frank, Danny, and several other key characters. He’s also highly intelligent and understands the importance of change.

After all, few characters have experienced change on the level that Henry has. He’s someone who has witnessed for generations how policing has shifted and evolved. He cannot sit here and say that he’s only known it to be one way, as times and regulations have changed. He can be stubborn and at times set in his ways, but he’s also understanding. We’ve seen him drop sage wisdom aplenty at the family dinner table, and not always related to the job.

As Blue Bloods tackles current events in the eleventh season, we do think Henry could be an important beacon for insight. He can view things a different way, or at the very least serve as a counterpoint to others. He may have a voice that reflects some viewers out there and create more of a nuanced environment of opinions. Should Blue Bloods address the current health crisis, he could also be an important character to that given that he is within a vulnerable age group. There could be some struggle that comes from him having to be away from the rest of the family for stretches of time. Family dinner may not be continuing in real time as it often does.

We know that viewers out there look to Blue Bloods as an escape from reality and in a lot of ways, we understand given that there are so few of them out there. Yet, Blue Bloods has never been afraid to tackle important stories, even when they are difficult. What this show can do that few others can is look at an issue across generations and show people working towards solutions — even if it’s idealistic, it’s important to see a family working through conflict and banding together. As we move forward, Len Cariou and Henry will be more essential than ever.

What do you want to see for Henry Reagan on Blue Bloods season 11?

Be sure to share right now in the comments below! Meanwhile, be sure to stick around for some other news.

(Photo: CBS.)

This article was written by Jessica Carter.