Blue Bloods Season 14’s Premiere Changes Frank & Mayor Chase’s Friendship In A Big Way
There are dozens of things that “Blue Bloods” fans likely don’t understand about Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck). But his antagonistic friendship with Mayor Peter Chase (Dylan Walsh) probably isn’t one of them. Throughout the series’ 14-season run, they wheel and deal their way through policy switches and other complexities. While Chase’s duty is primarily to the city of New York, Frank remains loyal to his brothers in uniform. Sometimes, their aims completely clash, causing tensions and arguments to develop between them. During “Loyalty,” the commissioner relates differently to the mayor.
In this case, there’s a policy change that Chase has cooked up to deal with an influx of immigrants being bussed into the city from other major metropolises around the country. His idea involves suspending the Right to Shelter Act, which Frank feels will have a domino effect on the city’s policing. This real-life issue appears to set the stage for a battle between the two, but they put up a united front to support the city’s policy despite Frank’s sympathy for these families.
Frank and Chase find common ground, admitting they’ve both considered quitting their jobs over similar conflicts, disliking the politicization of the vulnerable lives at the center of the dispute. This is a fresh step forward for two men who have gone toe-to-toe over much more minor issues than this one.
Interestingly, Chase and Frank’s relationship has changed further as Season 14 progresses. Episode 2 defines their friendship in an even more tense way, resulting in a conflict that might result in Frank leaving the NYPD for good.
Chase and Frank clash once again in Season 14, Episode 2
“Blue Bloods” continues to have Frank Reagan weigh the deficit between his family and working life as Season 14 progresses. During Episode 2, “Dropping Bombs,” Mayor Chase admits during an interview that he’s thinking of expanding the role of police commissioner within the force … by taking Frank’s job and turning the commissionership into a committee. Five people make up the new Commission of Police, diminishing Frank’s ultimate role on the team but leaving him a part of it.
Frank’s somewhat incensed by this revelation, feeling betrayed by Chase’s choice. Their harmony has already dissipated, and the commissioner tells the mayor it’s a terrible idea. The two then banter about the level of crime in New York, and Frank claims Chase is trying to blame everything on him. It’s not one of Frank Reagan’s best moments on “Blue Bloods,” but it seems to be laying major groundwork for its ending.
The situation remains up in the air when the episode concludes, so viewers can expect this running theme to continue as the rest of the season plays out.
12 Richest Soap Opera Stars Of All Time Ranked
Daytime soap operas present a unique opportunity for actors — namely, the ability to pick up steady ongoing work and near-daily screen time. In a medium that includes shows that have been airing since the ’60s, some of the longest-tenured actors have appeared in thousands of episodes. That’s remarkable for anyone in any line of work, let alone one as notoriously fickle as the entertainment industry.
Given all that, you might be wondering just how generously soap stars are compensated. In some cases, the answer is “not as much as you might think.” Side characters and small parts on a soap opera can provide great exposure for a new actor, but the pay is minimal, and the hours are often unstable. Regulars can earn a respectable salary, but they’re still sometimes out-earned by professional workers such as doctors, lawyers, and software engineers.
On the other hand, it’s typically a different story for the longest-serving actors on the shows that have been on the air for decades. We’re talking “Days of Our Lives,” “The Young and the Restless,” “General Hospital,” and “All My Children.” These are the shows that have created the richest soap opera stars of all time, and here we’re taking a look at the richest of the rich; the biggest names with the heaviest wallets. Can you guess who will steal the number one spot?
12. Alison Sweeney – $9 million
Many will recognize this face from the hit reality TV show “The Biggest Loser,” but Alison Sweeney’s most well-known role is Samantha “Sami” Brady on “Days of Our Lives.” She joined the show in 1993 at just 16 years old; her original run ended in 2015 when she left to focus on her family and other projects, but she’s since come and gone more than once as a part-time recurring cast member. (These return stints have helped push her episode count past a whopping 3500.)
Alison has put her name to a number of other projects that have contributed to her estimated $9 million net worth, such as hosting “The Biggest Loser,” producing and starring in a number of Hallmark original movies, and writing books. She also has directing credits on both “Days of Our Lives” and “General Hospital.”
“The Biggest Loser” is thought to have been one of her most lucrative projects, bringing in a paycheck of $45,000 per episode. However, she’s not just out to make money for herself — through hosting and co-hosting six editions of the “Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon,” Sweeney helped to raise over $60 million per episode for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).
She’s also been featured in The Los Angeles Times showing off her 4,125-square-foot home in Hollywood Hills. The cozy decor manages to pull off the “humble family home” look despite its size, and if the house’s footprint doesn’t make you groan with jealousy, then this probably will — her sitting room even doubles as a theater.