Fans have often celebrated “Blue Bloods” for its attempt at striking a balance between the professional and personal lives of its characters. This isn’t exactly new territory to cover in procedural crime dramas, but “Blue Bloods” makes a welcome difference thanks to its emphasis on family. The Reagans interacting on cases or merely talking and debating their work at the dinner table adds a more personal touch. But that’s where quite a few fans feel the series has failed Jamie this season. Some, such as u/dyatlov333, noted Jamie has interacted less with his family and more with work this season. “There is only cop stuff now…that’s the problem…need more family/personal drama,” they posted.
Other fans pointed out that Jamie’s general sense of warmth has faded. While previous seasons displayed his usual easy-going demeanor full of smiles and laughter, Season 13 has replaced it with a constant stoic manner. In his defense, it’s hard to blame him in this regard. We’d stop smiling so much, too, if a bullet recently put us near death’s door, and our new job requires us to be more secretive.
Yet honestly, the character hasn’t had a chance to expand beyond those moments. As u/AphroditeRose1 pointed out, Season 13 hasn’t really afforded Jamie more personal storylines beyond work. And of those precious work-focused moments for the character, they don’t quite get deeply explored yet to the level of his siblings like Danny or Erin. Or, as another fan noted, maybe, Jamie’s boy scout nature doesn’t lend itself to the same exciting expressiveness found with his brother Danny. “Danny goes on his cop instinct and years of service, while Jamie goes by the book,” u/CuteBaldChick wrote. “Guys like that aren’t exciting.”
