Ep 17. The Puzzle Palace

The Puzzle Palace is the seventeenth episode in the tenth season of the CBS police procedural drama, Blue Bloods. As usual, the story revolves around the Reagan family, comprising of law enforcement officials in New York City. Tom Selleck stars as Frank Reagan, the Police Commissioner, and patriarch of the Reagan family. Donnie Wahlberg stars as Danny Reagan, Frank's eldest son, who is a detective in the NYPD.

The episode begins with Frank welcoming the Inspector General of the NYPD, Amanda Harris, to his office. Amanda has been asked to investigate a case and report back to Frank. The case involves a young man, Eddie Hastings, who claims that he was wrongfully arrested and beaten up by the police. Eddie, who is African American, says he was walking home from a late-night grocery store run when he was approached by two police officers who subjected him to racial slurs and then arrested him for resisting arrest.

Danny, who is assigned to be the lead investigator on the case, meets Eddie and tries to get a better understanding of what happened. Danny is initially dismissive of Eddie's story, but he soon realizes that there may be more to it than meets the eye. Eddie's injuries, including a broken arm, are consistent with excessive force.

Meanwhile, Jamie Reagan, Frank's younger son and a sergeant in the NYPD, is working on a case where a woman has been found dead in her apartment. The woman, who was a software engineer, appears to have died of natural causes, but her apartment has been ransacked. Jamie suspects that the murder may be connected to the victim's work for a tech company that designs security systems for government agencies.

As the investigation progresses, Danny and Jamie find themselves at odds with each other, with Jamie believing that the murder case is more important and should be prioritized over the police brutality case, while Danny insists that they need to pursue the Eddie Hastings case as aggressively as possible.

At the same time, Erin Reagan, Frank's only daughter and a prosecutor, is dealing with a case involving a drug kingpin who is trying to buy his way out of trouble. Erin is convinced that the kingpin is guilty, but she is frustrated by the lack of evidence and witnesses willing to testify against him.

As the episode comes to a close, the Reagan family comes together for Sunday dinner. It is a tense affair, with Danny and Jamie still at odds with each other. However, a conversation between Frank and Danny sheds some light on the situation. Frank tells Danny that he needs to learn how to prioritize cases and not get too emotionally invested in them. Danny, in turn, acknowledges that his passion for justice can sometimes get the better of him.

Overall, The Puzzle Palace is a typical episode of Blue Bloods, with multiple storylines and a focus on family dynamics. The episode explores issues of police brutality and corruption, as well as the challenges faced by prosecutors and law enforcement officials in their pursuit of justice. Fans of the show will enjoy the usual mix of drama and action, as well as the ongoing development of the Reagan family.