A new CBS update leaves me confused about why one aspect of the Blue Bloods finale wasn’t handled in the best possible way. CBS’ decision to cancel Blue Bloods was disappointing because the now-iconic cop and family drama was still popular after 14 seasons. There were massive fan-led campaigns after the cancelation news dropped, but CBS held firm to its decision, ending Blue Bloods in December 2024 and putting S.W.A.T. in its timeslot after Blue Bloods’ final episode.
Blue Bloods was only one of several shows CBS canceled in 2025. Although the network had twice changed its mind about canceling S.W.A.T. in the past, it decided to ax the series permanently after it failed to perform well in Blue Bloods’ old time slot. There are only a few episodes of S.W.A.T. left before the series ends permanently, and the network is not expected to change its mind about cancelation after S.W.A.T.’s failure to gain traction in the new timeslot.
S.W.A.T. Is CBS’ Immediate Replacement To Blue Bloods (At Least In Terms Of Timeslot)
The Procedural Did Not Have The Same Audience
Fridays at 10 PM ET are notoriously tough ratings-wise, as many people are out enjoying the beginning of their weekend instead of sitting at home in front of their television sets. However, Blue Bloods performed extraordinarily well in that slot for 14 seasons, demonstrating that it was possible to get people to watch a show scheduled for the timeslot. Thus, when CBS ended the popular procedural, it was left with a hole in its schedule that it needed to fill with another likely high-performer. Unfortunately, the plan to put S.W.A.T. in Blue Bloods’ old timeslot did not work as intended.
S.W.A.T’s poorer performance was understandable, considering that there was little overlap between the core audiences of these two shows. While they are both police procedurals, Blue Bloods’ biggest selling point was the family drama aspect, while S.W.A.T. is more of a traditional procedural. Thus, it was less likely that the audience that faithfully watched Blue Bloods for 14 years would be interested in S.W.A.T. Additionally, the anger over Blue Bloods’ cancelation made it harder for any show placed in that timeslot to succeed, as some audience members protested by refusing to watch the replacement show.
Blue Bloods Did Not Get A Two-Hour Finale, But S.W.A.T. Does
This Aspect of The Blue Bloods Finale Was Disappointing
Although Blue Bloods’ series finale was perfect in many respects, it was disappointing that it did not get a two-hour wrap-up story. CBS instead pre-empted Blue Bloods on November 29, 2024, for a retrospective special that paid homage to the show, offering exclusive cast interviews, a look behind the scenes, and a sneak peek at the finale. The next week after that offered a standard episode of Blue Bloods, followed by a 1-hour finale on December 13, 2024.
Since CBS can shift its usual schedule to accommodate a two-hour finale, it is logical to assume it could have done so for Blue Bloods
Conversely, CBS recently announced that S.W.A.T will have a two-hour finale (via Deadline). This extended episode will allow the procedural the time to wrap up both the final case and any personal storylines without having to rush to meet a 60-minute time limit. Since CBS can shift its usual schedule to accommodate a two-hour finale, it is logical to assume it could have done so for Blue Bloods had the network and writers both wanted a two-hour wrap-up episode.
How An Extended Finale Could Have Made Blue Bloods Ending Better
The Story Was Strong, But The Final Wrap-Up Was Rushed
Blue Bloods’ series finale was open-ended enough that it would have worked equally well as a season-ender had CBS changed its mind about canceling the popular procedural. After wrapping up an intense case, the procedural showed Danny asking Baez out on a date, Erin agreeing to secretly remarry Jack, and Jamie and Eddie announcing they were expecting their first child. Joe also got a strong ending to his arc when he congratulated his aunt and uncle and said the baby would be lucky to be part of the Reagan family — thus demonstrating that he finally accepted his relationship with them.
These heartwarming scenes established that Blue Bloods’ Reagan family would go on despite the series ending, and the procedural purposely ended with a family dinner in tribute to how important those scenes were to the audience. However, the family scenes at the end felt like an epilogue rather than a fully integrated aspect of the final story. A two-hour finale would have given Blue Bloods more time to wrap up the series. It also would have allowed for extra family scenes throughout the story, which would have been a better tribute to the long-running series.