Yep, Blue Bloods‘ Danny Reagan is full-on, non-covertly dating again, coming up on the six-year anniversary of wife Linda’s tragic death. But will newly retired Detective Laura Acosta prove to be his endgame, or but a first stepping stone toward his true romantic destiny?
Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) and Linda (played back in the day by Amy Carlson) had been married for some 20 years and had two sons together, so it was entirely understandable that Danny needed time to recover from her sudden death (in a famously off-screen, between-seasons medevac helicopter crash). And while there have been flirtatious-ish moments been him and a few women in recent years, and even though the likes of psychic Maggie Gibson have nudged him to get back on the proverbial horse, Danny had never acknowledged that he’s actively looking for new love.
Until, that is, the Jan. 20, 2023, episode, in which Danny’s barely-stealthy attempt to help a former colleague get a full disability pension upon her retirement was revealed to be rooted not in any guilt he felt for her on-the-job injury, but something more. Taking advice from his widowed father, Danny later met up with Detective Laura Acosta at a bar, to deliver the news that her full disability pension had been approved — and to assure her that she will still get to “see him” even though she is retiring. And sure enough, at Sunday dinner, Erin and Eddie were quick to deduce that a dapper Danny had plans for afterwards, leading him to share that he did have a dinner date planned — with Laura Acosta.
Blue Bloods fans, though, have opinions, judging by the hundreds of comments on our recap of Laura’s introduction. Is she “the one,” or had Danny already met his next, very special someone, but simply has yet to act on it? Review our list of candidates for Danny to get serious with, then vote for your pick in our poll below!
