As the end of Blue Bloods’ 13th season draws nigh, there are still several storylines left to be further explored and wrapped for the Reagan family. One of which, many fans would likely agree, would be the potential for a romantic update between longtime partners Danny and Baez. Danny Reagan himself, star Donnie Wahlberg, shared some details about an upcoming episode that will get pretty intense while bringing their characters closer than ever.
Blockheads will remember that the January 20 episode, “Lost Ones,” saw Danny finally ready to date again, and he definitely didn’t make a bad choice in opting to go out with fellow detective Maria Baez. Talking to TV Insider about the episode setting up that narrative avenue, Wahlberg discussed how close he and co-star Marisa Ramirez are, and how they try to bring that chemistry to the screen. But that doesn’t mean audiences were the only ones surprised by that step forward. In his words:
I think that script caught some viewers by surprise. It surprised me. It certainly opens the door for Danny and Baez, but all I know is that they will bond at much deeper levels than they ever had. Marisa and I are incredibly close, and we try to bring a lot of that into the show, which has really worked for the audience.
Since he hadn’t really gone on any serious dates after losing his wife Linda of 20 years, it did make logical sense that sparks would fly with someone he already cared about in some sense, and someone fans are already familiar with. But that didn’t make it any less surprising that the creative team would embrace such logic. Having worked together for close to a decade, Danny and Baez’s friendship and partnership remain unmatched, even off-screen.
Gloriously, things are only going to blossom further for the detectives, seemingly in positive ways. Donnie Wahlberg also previewed next month’s penultimate Season 13 installment, which will apparently involve an intense storyline for Danny and Baez ending up in vulnerable position. (Rawr?) Of course, Wahlberg knows that Blue Bloods fans are going to eat it up:
The [May 12] episode is really intense for the partners. A perp Baez arrested wants revenge, and Danny goes all out to protect her and her new baby. There’s a dinner and some drinks involved and maybe a sleepover. It’s going to really show how important Danny and Baez are to each other. Marisa and I chose to play up a lot more vulnerability than we have typically done in the past. The audience is going to love it!
It sounds like big things are coming for Danny and Baez, and not just what’ll presumably happen during that “maybe a sleepover.” Since that episode will be setting up the season finale, anything can happen, and Wahlberg is making it seem like fans won’t be disappointed by everything that plays out. Let’s just hope it turns into something that lasts.
Donnie Wahlberg and Marisa Ramirez’s off-screen friendship clearly isn’t going anywhere, as proven by Wahlberg and Ramirez celebrating wrapping their time filming for Season 13. That chemistry radiates in the episodes, and Wahlberg seems just as into something happening between the pair as fans are, so we’re going to be in for a wild ride come May 12.
While Danny and Baez’s relationship might finally be getting to the next step, that doesn’t necessarily mean things will get super-serious right away. This would be Danny’s first real relationship since losing his wife, and with Blue Bloods Season 14 happening, it’s highly possible they’ll want to ease into exploring a relationship to gradually build from. Or maybe, since it’s been a long time coming anyway, they’ll just jump right into boyfriend/girlfriend ooey-gooey-ness.
New episodes of Blue Bloods are still airing on CBS as part of the 2023 TV schedule, so we’ll just have to keep watching to see what really happens with Danny and Baez leading up to, and then coming out of, that May 12 ep.
