The journey for Boston Blue to reach its dramatic pinnacle was a season-long odyssey, culminating in the midseason finale's Episode 9, titled "Collateral Damage." This is the last we'll see of Danny and Lena for a couple of months, and it's an unsettling place to leave them—not just because nine isn't the conventional midpoint of a twenty-episode season, but because, for the first time in a while, I'm genuinely eager to discover what transpires next.
The shift in tone is undeniable. Even the familial dinners this week hold a charged atmosphere. The joyous trivia of the past has given way to a more ominous backdrop as events continue to spiral out of control for everyone—and that's precisely what makes it so compelling. The subplots are starting to intertwine, which only adds to the intrigue.
Take, for instance, the tumultuous tale involving the corrupt Assistant District Attorney, whose previous convictions, including that of Mae's husband's murderer, are abruptly overturned. This sends Jonah on a downward spiral that strains his relationships with both Sarah and Sean. Both characters are struggling to keep him from making a catastrophic mistake in his quest for revenge, but his stubborn refusal to listen leaves us with a gripping cliffhanger.
While it's easy to argue that Jonah comes off as irritating in this episode, I believe it does a commendable job of portraying his mental state. Both he and Sean are portrayed as impulsive and rash—Sean shows a bit more maturity here, but his dating a felon, who reappears in this episode, exudes a youthful naivete—highlighting how their more buttoned-up parents and siblings have honed their demeanor through years of law enforcement experience.
Boston Blue's Episode 9 is masterful in its subtlety. It skillfully stages the shooting that ends the episode to make it seem like Jonah is guilty of murdering Ronan Flaherty, but I doubt that's the case. Despite its recent tendency to throw its characters through challenging situations, I still find it hard to believe it would commit to having them commit cold-blooded murder. I suspect either someone else pulled the trigger on Ronan or Jonah shot him in justifiable self-defense. We'll have to wait and see.
Edwin once again steps up with genuine emotional depth, mirroring his previous episode performance. His sincerity is palpable in his scene with Jonah, as he attempts to navigate Jonah through his grief and the anger he feels about Ronan's release. It's especially exasperating when Jonah ignores his advice.
On the other hand, I'm less compelled by Danny's "predicament" of whether to accept a full-time position in the Boston PD, which has been offered to him. Given that we're already in the second season of this show, and we haven't even finished the first yet, it's clear he's going to remain in Boston. Sure, he doesn't like the paperwork of officialdom, and he has Baez and his family back in New York, but we've already hinted that their relationship isn't going to work. And let's be honest, the show doesn't work without Danny, does it?
I appreciate that there are consequences elsewhere. The answers aren't easy to arrive at, and this is exactly what Boston Blue was missing in its early episodes. I'm pleased to report that it's an area where it's really excelling now, and that determination to include every character in every episode, even when it felt scattershot and detrimental, is paying off now that the personal subplots and conflicts are starting to knit together.
Ultimately, Episode 9 leaves plenty on the table for Boston Blue to address when it returns in February. Hopefully, it will return in the same form.
