One of today’s best police procedurals, “Blue Bloods” offers a unique blend of cop stories and family drama. Centered on a family of law enforcers in New York City, the show is led by Tom Selleck as Frank Reagan, the NYC Police Commissioner whose entire family fights for justice in one way or another. His sons Jamie (Will Estes) and Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) work for the NYPD while his daughter Erin (Bridget Moynahan) is a city prosecutor.
Since the show launched in 2010, “Blue Bloods” has kept audiences on the edge of their seats, and one of its biggest strengths has been its cast of compelling characters. However, not every one of them is universally loved by fans. Some characters have routinely frustrated viewers, while others are so disliked that fans would love to see them written off the show. From long-time regulars and recurring Reagan adversaries to guests that quickly became unwelcome, these are the “Blue Bloods” characters that fans can’t stand.
Eddie Janko-Reagan
CBS
Edit “Eddie” Janko-Reagan joined “Blue Bloods” as a recurring character in the show’s fourth season, introduced as the new partner to Jamie Reagan. Played by Vanessa Ray, she’s known for being something of a hot head, never afraid to speak her mind to the point of rubbing some folks up the wrong way with her strong-willed nature. As Eddie’s role in the show grew — she was bumped up to series regular in Season 5 — so too did her connection to the Reagans. Her and Jamie’s will-they/won’t-they romance eventually culminated in their marriage, and this is where the character started to go downhill for some fans.
It seems that fans who initially liked Eddie grew weary of her — or, at least, how she was written — after her relationship with Jamie got on firmer footing. “Eddie used to be a very loved character but after she married Jamie, she got kind of annoying,” said u/mysticwonders_ on Reddit. And plenty of fellow “Blue Bloods” fans agreed. Some pointed out her habit of running to the Reagans whenever she gets herself in trouble, a far cry from the fiercely independent woman she was originally portrayed to be. Other fans have said that she’s just not very exciting to watch anymore. “The writers need to do something to give her storyline more drama. It’s not currently working,” said u/Se7en_senses, while another viewer put the blame on the insipid dialogue given to the character in more recent seasons.
Reverend Darnell Potter
CBS
Reverend Darnell Potter (Ato Essandoh) opposes the NYPD — and Frank Reagan, in particular — because he feels that they don’t do nearly enough to safeguard the lives of minorities in New York City. He sees himself as a crusader for justice and views the Reagans as emblematic of the city’s systemic corruption. Unfortunately, for all of his noble goals, Potter has also been shown to be a more traditional scheming, power-hungry baddie, and that’s made him a target for fans.
The show has gone to great lengths to portray the Reagans as the good apples in the NYPD, which is why some fans have grown weary of Potter’s vendetta against them. “Instead of going after actual corrupt and racist cops he’s going after the ones who have done nothing wrong,” said one Redditor. They were frustrated by Potter’s misguided attempts to take down the Reagans, questioning why they made the character a “stereotypical mustache-twirling villain.”
Some viewers have said that Potter’s characterization is a result of the show having conservative ideals. Redditor u/hannahsflora wrote that the show “does not do nuance or subtlety,” and that anyone who opposes the Reagans will be painted as a villain, regardless of their goals. They added: “This has always frustrated me about the show and has gotten worse in recent years.”
Erin Reagan
CBS
Not every member of the Reagan family is part of the NYPD. While Jamie, Danny, and Frank are longtime members, others have branched out to different arms of the law enforcement community. At the top of that list is Frank’s daughter Erin, who begins the series as New York’s Assistant District Attorney before moving up the ranks to become DANY Bureau Chief. She might be a stalwart member of the Reagans, but that doesn’t mean that fans love her. In fact, many have been open about their dislike for the character.
In a Reddit discussion about the most-hated “Blue Bloods” characters, u/ZethuuC137 made it known that Erin was their least favorite, pulling no punches in their assessment. “What I hate about Erin is she is 100% my way or the highway, she hates second chances unless they’re her idea and she too comes across as a know-it-all especially when it comes to police work which she has proven to know next to nothing about over and over again.” Many agreed that Erin’s haughty, superior attitude can make her grating at times. “She makes me so angry and literally always acts like she knows everything in the world and she doesn’t,” said u/pll_superfan_-A.
Joe Hill
CBS
The story of “Blue Bloods” begins in the aftermath of the death of Frank’s son Joseph. During Season 10, audiences were shocked to learn that there was another Reagan family member they had never been told about: Joseph’s illegitimate son Joe Hill, who was now a police officer himself. But Joe didn’t prove to be as universally popular with audiences as producers may have hoped. Not long after his introduction, a fan started a discussion online titled “Joe Hill is a Terrible Character,” in which they argued that “he always comes off as a whiny and weak character.”
Described by the post writer as “the runt of the Regan [sic] litter,” responses to this take on Joe were mixed. Some pointed to his complicated past and the fact that he just found out that he’s a member of the powerful Reagan family as a reason for his characterization, but not everyone saw it that way. “The Reagans have gone out of their way to welcome him and he acts like an angsty brat,” said u/StevenArviv. Another fan simply didn’t see the point in the character at all, other than to shake up the status quo. “Joe doesn’t offer anything to the show. I forget he even exists.”
