Hauppauge-raised Lori Loughlin guest stars in this Friday’s episode of CBS’ "Blue Bloods," reprising the role she played in a 2016 episode of the beloved police-family drama that ends next month after 14 seasons.
In the season 7 premiere, "The Greater Good," Loughlin played Grace Edwards, the widow of an NYPD officer slain in the line of duty, who pleaded with Police Commissioner Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) to persuade her son not to join the force. In this week's episode, "New York Minute," she has become a lawyer, and goes up against Frank when she must rescind an honor given to his NYPD detective son, Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg).
“It’s this special club firefighters and the NYPD are initiated into,” Loughlin, 60, says by phone from her home in California. “But because Danny’s a hothead and he's got his reputation and his unconventional way of doing things, there's some pushback. And I'm the lawyer that represents the organization who has to go and tell Frank, ‘Look, they don't want him in.’ ”
Selleck, who plays the patriarch of a family of cops and an assistant district attorney, “is just so dedicated and cares about all the stories,” Loughlin notes. “I was told he even on his time off goes into the editing room and likes to see how the show's being put together — wants to make sure all the important moments are not rushed over. He really loved that show.”
Loughlin shot her scenes in late April and early May, primarily with Selleck in his commissioner’s-office set at Broadway Stages in Brooklyn, where “Blue Bloods” is filmed. Additionally, says Nicole Abraham, who co-wrote this week's episode with writing partner Jack Ciapciak, “We had the opportunity to film one of Lori's scenes with Tom Selleck at Bamonte's, a beloved Italian restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn,” adding, “Bamonte's has graciously let us film in their restaurant many times over the years.”
The mood on set was contemplative as cast and crew faced the end of the show's run. “They were feeling very nostalgic and grateful for the time they’ve had together," Loughlin says. "A lot of affection and warmth, because everyone was trying to just embrace the final moments. … I think at that point there was a little bit of hope that maybe CBS would reverse the decision” to end the still highly rated show. “Tom kept saying, ‘They're going to come to their senses.’ ”
More lightheartedly, says Abraham, “One of our PAs [production assistants], Kelly Catani, who was assigned to escort Lori to and from set, discovered they were distant cousins and [each] sent a smiley selfie to their respective families!”
Loughlin also visited hers while here. “After I wrapped ‘Blue Bloods’ I stayed a few extra days and went out to the Island and stayed with my mom,” says the former “Full House” star, who was born in Queens but raised in Hauppauge from age 1. (Her father, Joseph Roy Loughlin, died years ago.) She fit in a shopping trip to the Americana Manhasset center. And to make her Long Island experience complete, there was Billy Joel.
“When I was in New York shooting ‘Blue Bloods,’ Billy Joel was playing at the Garden, and I got tickets for myself and for my brother and his wife. They came in from Long Island and we went to the Garden and saw his show and it was amazing. And [Joel’s supermodel ex-wife, Bridgehampton’s] Christie Brinkley was in the audience that night. It was so cool.”
Next up for Loughlin: The Dick Wolf-produced police drama series “On Call,” premiering Jan. 9 on the streaming service Prime Video. She plays precinct boss Lt. Bishop in the half-hour drama about a Long Beach, California, police rookie (Brandon Larracuente) and his veteran-officer partner (Troian Bellisario). Also starring are Eriq La Salle, who also serves as an executive producer and directed multiple episodes, and Rich Ting.
