Boston Blue on CBS season 1, episode 2 review

SPOILER ALERT: The following contains spoilers for Boston Blue Season 1, Episode 2.

The second episode of Boston Blue is art imitating life. The CBS show leans heavily on the concept of partners finding their way in the world. But “Teammates” is also proof of how the series itself is still figuring out what it wants to be. How much can it maintain the Blue Bloods ethos while also being its own entity?

The theme of teammates or partners is over-emphasized across the hour. Danny Reagan and Lena Silver are learning how to work as teammates after the series premiere. Danny’s son Sean has a hard time adjusting to being partnered with his friend Jonah Silver. Lena’s sister Sarah discovers that one of the officers she has to discipline is her first partner. Boston Blue is not subtle with its theme or with the lessons that it wants to teach its characters. More cynical viewers might question the plot contrivances that happen in order to support the theme — most notably Sarah offering her ex-partner a job at the District Attorney’s Office so that she can have a soft landing. Others might appreciate a TV episode where everyone is actively trying to help each other, even if they mess it up.

The biggest hurdle that “Teammates” has to clear is explaining why Danny Reagan…