Williams played Lenny Ross, Frank Reagan’s (Tom Selleck) best friend, in six episodes of the cop/family drama on CBS. One of Williams’ final TV appearances was in FX‘s Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, and now Blue Bloods will pay tribute to the star in Season 14 Episode 3, airing this Friday, March 1 at 10/9c on CBS, by bringing back Lenny’s daughter, Tess Ross, played by Simone Policano.
Williams’ first Blue Bloods appearance was in Season 6 Episode 11. Policano first appeared in the Blue Bloods Season 10 premiere and came back in Season 13 Episode 20, which became Williams’ final episode.
“It has been said that we are all just passing time and occupy our chair very briefly,” Selleck said in a statement to People after Williams’ death on June 12, 2023 (he was killed in a traffic accident in Vermont). “My friend Treat was aptly named and occupied his chair so well. I will miss him but I will not forget him. Well done, my friend.”
In the March 1 installation, titled “Fear No Evil,” Frank grapples with the personal loss of his best friend and how best to help Tess Ross, the daughter of his best friend, when she lands in jail. Also, Jamie (Will Estes) and his nephew, Joe Hill (Will Hochman), race against the clock to reunite a trafficking victim with her sister, and Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) and Erin (Bridget Moynihan) clash when she goes behind Danny’s back to use his criminal informant in an investigation.
It’s undoubtedly going to be an emotional episode for Frank as he mourns the loss of his best friend. See Selleck and Policano in photos from the episode below.