As Blue Bloods’ Donnie Wahlberg Reflects On Danny And Baez’s Dynamic, His Series Finale Tease Is Giving Me Hope For A Romance Between Them

maria and danny standing together while working a case.
(Image credit: CBS)

With the final episodes of Blue Bloods airing on the 2024 TV schedule, it's becoming very real that the end is in sight. Since it is the final stretch, it’s hard to tell just what will happen with the Reagan family and how each of their stories will wrap up. However, one arc that fans are hoping to see more of is the blossoming relationship between Danny and Baez, and Donnie Wahlberg’s latest comments are giving me hope.

Marisa Ramirez’s Maria Baez joined Blue Bloods in Season 3 as Danny’s partner after Jennifer Esposito left as Jackie Curatola. Since Danny was happily married, there was no chance that anything would happen between them, that is, until Linda died between Seasons 7 and 8. After that, fans started wanting Danny and Baez to get together. Now, Wahlberg has told TV Insider that while he’s aware of viewers wanting that romance, making it happen wouldn't be easy:

The possibility of a Danny Baez romance has been discussed by a lot of people, not always by the show itself or the writers of the show, or even Marisa Ramirez and I. But I think the audience at first was reluctant for a possible Danny and Baez relationship because of the loss of Linda. I think that was very traumatic for the viewers. It was also very traumatic for me personally, being a friend of Amy Carlson and for the show.

Fans have been clamoring for Danny and Baez to get together, and even the characters have occasionally addressed how much they mean to one another. However, it makes sense that the show wouldn’t want to immediately push Danny toward his partner after his wife died, and he does seem to be doing pretty well as a single dad. That doesn't mean this door for potential romance is closed, though.

There are only six episodes left, so there isn’t much time left. However, there's still hope for Danny and Baez. While Wahlberg couldn’t say too much about that partnership now that filming on Blue Bloods has been completed, his statement did give me hope that a bit of romance could be coming between these two, as he said:

So I think for a long time, everyone was very reluctant to even consider such a thing, but I think as the show is winding down, it’s become clear that they have a special partnership and a special bond, and I don’t know and won’t say whether or not there will be or should be a relationship. I will only say that the final episode will make a lot of people smile— that’s all I’m saying—and cry, but also smile.

I would love nothing more than to see Danny and Baez get together, and I desperately hope it happens in these final episodes. Wahlberg’s comments don’t necessarily mean that Danny and Baez are going to take their relationship to a romantic level before Blue Bloods ends. However, it does give me a little bit more hope, especially knowing that we’ll be smiling and crying about it at the end.

As one of the many shows ending and canceled in 2024, Blue Bloods will surely go out with a bang and hopefully a sprinkle of romance. The dream would be for Danny and Baez to finally get together and stop denying those clear feelings they have for each other. However, fans will just have to wait and see if that happens by watching new episodes of Blue Bloods on Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

Megan Behnke
Freelance TV News Writer

Passionate writer. Obsessed with anything and everything entertainment, specifically movies and television. Can get easily attached to fictional characters.