We’re still sifting through the emotional fallout of Blue Bloods being cancelled. It was a shock in many ways, but CBS and the people responsible for making the show took it in stride. Tom Selleck put out a statement thanking the fans for years of loyalty, and showrunner Kevin Wade promised to deliver a satisfying finale.
One of the people we didn’t hear from initially was Donnie Wahlberg. The actor who plays Danny Reagan is arguably the most vocal champion of the show on social media and in interviews, so his silence after such a major announcement was odd. Well, the actor finally broke his silence when he posted a video on his Instagram.
Instead of discussing the fact that Blue Bloods is cancelled, Wahlberg decided to focus on the positive, which is the fact that there is still a full season of episodes that fans will get to watch in 2024. “Thank you for your patience. It’s about that time again,” he wrote in the caption. “Can’t wait to be back with the most amazing cast & crew on TV! #BlueBloods Season 14, here we come. ❤️💙🎬🎥 #th ankful #Brooklyn Let’s Go!”
It’s a great reaction to a situation that’s ultimately bittersweet. Bitter, of course, because the show will not be continuing past 2024, but sweet in that the showrunner and writers have the time they need to craft an ending that answers all of the questions fans might have, and wrap up all of the loose ends that have been introduced over the last decade and a half.
Wahlberg talked about the possibility of cancellation during a 2023 interview with Us Magazine. He acknowledged that it could happen, but was hopeful that the makers of the show would have the time they needed to give fans what they want:
“I’m an optimist. I try to take every episode as it comes. I really do. I think it’s part of why I’ve enjoyed myself on the show for 13 years. I try to just stay very present in each episode and take each script that comes my way and say, ‘OK, what’s gonna happen now? You know, what am I doing this week?’ And kind of find the journey in that particular episode and not get caught up in what’s gonna happen next year, what’s gonna happen in two years.”
Whatever plans Wahlberg and the cast had in mind will now be whittled down to 18 episodes. These 18 episodes (which is significantly higher than the episode count of other crime shows that were delayed) will include a two-part series finale. We can’t wait to see what becomes of Danny and the rest of the Reagan family when Blue Bloods returns on February 16, 2024.