The family dinner scenes on “Blue Bloods” are important to the show. These moments allow the Reagan family to escape the chaos associated with their law enforcement duties to laugh, argue, and engage in riveting debates. Conversations about their professional lives come up from time to time as well, but the interpersonal dynamics of the family environment provide a range of opinions and perspectives that they just don’t get at work.
Season 13 has some memorable dinner scenes, but Episode 16, “The Naked Truth,” contains the standout of the bunch. The routine dinner night sees Frank (Tom Selleck) discuss a problem he’s facing in the office; basically, a heroic police officer has a side gig selling risqué photos online, and he doesn’t know whether he should fire her. However, his family reminds him that times have changed, and most people are fine with nudity in modern times.
The conversation gives Frank some food for thought, which he takes on board during his decision-making process. The scene centers around an interesting discussion about the topic at hand, and it provides some much-needed respite in a “Blue Bloods” episode that contains plenty of serious drama.
Grandpa tells his naked truth
Frank’s predicament troubles him throughout “The Naked Truth” as he doesn’t want to lose an exceptional officer, but he’s also protective of the force’s reputation. After all, the institution has a squeaky clean image to upkeep, and he fears that this situation will attract negative press. However, Frank’s family tells him that people have been fine with nudity since the dawn of the internet, and searching for it has become so common that no one cares.
During the conversation, the family patriarch, Henry (Len Cariou), tells Frank that he used to visit nude beaches with his late wife and he doesn’t regret a single moment of it. The revelation that Henry has dabbled in hedonism makes his family laugh, but it seems to go a long way in changing Frank’s mind about firing his employee.
In the end, Frank allows his star officer to stay with the force and keep her side gig. The dinner scene isn’t the only factor that contributes to his final decision, but it’s a prime example of one that sees him grow as a person and expand his mind.