New Blue Bloods images reveal that original characters Jackie Curatola (Jennifer Esposito) and Nicky Reagan-Boyle (Sami Gayle) will both be returning in an upcoming episode. The police procedural that follows the different generations Reagan family originally featured Esposito as part of the main cast until season 3 in 2012. Gayle on the other hand has been seen as recently as 2020, having played Nicky Reagan-Boyle – the daughter of Bridget Moynahan’s character Erin – over the course of 213 episodes since season 1.

This week, TVLine shared an exclusive pair of images from the upcoming May 19 finale of Blue Bloods season 13.

The first image reveals the triumphant return of Detective Curatola, who is now a Police Chief and will re-enter the orbit of the Reagan family during a murder investigation. Nicky, on the other hand, will be returning from college for a family dinner as seen in the second image.

Why Jennifer Esposito Left Blue Bloods

Unfortunately, Esposito’s original exit from the series was somewhat tumultuous. The actor had taken a medical leave of absence after collapsing on set and being diagnosed with celiac disease. According to statements she made at the time, CBS’ handling of her request for limited hours also prevented her from finding work elsewhere after her character exited the series.

Her first role since her Blue Bloods exit didn’t come until 2014, when she appeared on a dozen episodes of the series Taxi Brooklyn. Since then she has taken on quite a few other prominent roles. This includes playing Susan Raynor on The Boys and Brenda on Awkwafina is Nora from Queens.

Hopefully, Esposito’s return means that CBS has rebuilt the bridge with the actor. Considering her prominent placement in the season 13 finale, it could even be possible that she will return in the recently renewed Blue Bloods season 14. Should she wish to continue playing the role, this would be the perfect opportunity as the show continues to hold strong in the ratings even after more than a decade on the air.