The decision wasn’t easy for anyone.
While there are many TV shows that end each year, some are much harder to let go of than others. Due to the effects of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, fans have lost many perfectly good shows simply because studios and networks could not afford to produce them. The aftermath still seems to be affecting some decisions.
The announcement that CBS would not renew its police procedural Blue Bloods took the Internet by storm, with many negative responses from upset viewers and cast members. Although there were hopes that the #SaveBlueBloods campaign would work, the efforts remain fruitless for now.
Why Did CBS Cancel Blue Bloods?
While Blue Bloods didn’t have extremely high ratings, it still had a very active fanbase that stuck with it season after season, and there are plenty of procedurals that have survived much worse. Narrative-wise, the Reagan family still had a lot to offer as well.
And yet, the decision to cancel the show after season 14, that many thought to be rushed, remains the same.
Even though viewers, along with Reagan family patriarch Tom Selleck, are patiently waiting for the network to come to its senses or for the show to be picked up by another network, CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach is defending the decision that has already been made.
During the recent Deadline panel, Reisenbach mentioned how difficult the decision to cancel is, but emphasized the importance of these decisions in order to continue to deliver the best content possible.
“I’m a big fan of TV first and I sympathize and relate to all of the fans out there who are disappointed in the fact that these shows are ending. <…> We toss and turn and have sleepless nights and have endless discussions but we look at all of the numbers. We look at what our projections are for the future,” she explained.
So no matter how hard the fans and the cast try to get their favorite show back for at least one more season, if CBS doesn’t see any commercial potential in it, Blue Bloods won’t be back in its usual time slot as soon as the current season ends.
One thing about the show’s 14th season that may bring at least some comfort to fans is the fact that it will be back on screens this fall. Since the season is split in two, there are still 8 episodes left to wrap up the story. If you are interested in seeing where Blue Bloods takes its characters, be sure to keep an eye out for the release date of season 14, part 2.