Blue Bloods is officially back. Well, sort of. The acclaimed CBS series ended its 14-season run during the last month of 2024, much to the disappointment of its dedicated fanbase. Despite being a ratings hit for the network, the long-running series proved to be too expensive to keep going, especially with its stacked cast, led by Tom Selleck. However, fans can rejoice, as Blue Bloods will be returning in the form of a spin-off series featuring a beloved character from the original show.
Deadline reports that a Donnie Wahlberg-led series, following his character, Danny Reagan, is in the works at CBS, titled Boston Blue. A very promising sign of confidence from the network, the project has already been given a straight-to-series order. Details are scarce, but the upcoming spin-off will feature Danny in a new city, moving to a police precinct in Boston, Massachusetts, instead of New York City. He will be joined by Detective Lena Peters, who is described as “the eldest daughter of a prominent law enforcement family.” The supporting cast is currently unknown, as well as if any other Blue Bloods alums will reprise their roles.
CBS is aiming to release the show during the 2025-2026 broadcast season. It is easy to see why the network moved quickly on the series, which puts Wahlberg back into his hometown of Boston. Blue Bloods was canceled, but CBS has been hard to work looking for ways to bring it back in other forms. Boston Blue was not originally set in the same universe when they ordered a pilot, but it was so well-received that they saw an opportunity to merge it with another franchise. Now, Danny Reagan will deal with another law enforcement family, but one that is not his own.
Why ‘Blue Bloods’ Ended With 14 Seasons
When Blue Bloods ended after 14 seasons in 2024, it became quite clear that certain members of the cast did not feel like the abrupt ending did it justice. Tom Selleck previously opened up about the series’ cancellation, which came at a moment when the show was still performing during its time slot. Most of his frustration came from the fact that Blue Bloods was a ratings hit with audiences since the first season, and that rarely changed while on air for 14 years.
“My frustration is the show was always taken for granted because it performed from the get-go. So, how do I feel? It’s going to take a long time to sort all of this out. I remember after the weekend [of the final episode’s shoot], I said, ‘I’ve got to get to bed early tonight because I have to do my dialogue for Monday.’ Well, there was no Monday. It’s just going to take a while.”
Of course, as a series that lasted 14 seasons, some fans felt it was about time for the cop family drama to come to a close. Blue Bloods had not only outlasted several other shows, but saw its own cast lose members over time. However, that doesn’t mean the Blue Bloods universe has to die, and it seems moving to a new city with a fan-favorite character could be a way to freshen things up.