On February 16, the new season of Blue Bloods was released, bringing the saga of the Reagan family to its final chapter. While some people doubted that the show should be renewed for at least one more season at all, the news that Season 14 would be the last was pretty devastating for many of us.
But here we are, five episodes in, and fans are, to say the least, less than thrilled with how the season that promises to be the last is shaping up. As a result, many fans are worried that the iconic cop drama will end on a very disappointing note.
The Cast Is Incredibly Excited about Season 14
Blue Bloods fans are probably already aware that the cast and crew took a collective pay cut to make Season 14 a reality. But some are keeping their minds open to the possibility of a return. In January, Tom Selleck shared that he understands many people are not ready to let go of the story and are hoping for a sequel in one form or another.
‘CBS will find an awful lot of people aren’t ready to say goodbye to it. The show’s more popular than ever, and I think [numbers] will increase with the interest this year. We’re certainly not out of ideas,’ he told TV Insider.
Notably, Commish Reagan’s words can either be interpreted as a hint at a sequel, or that there are plenty of thrilling moments to look forward to in the final season — we just haven’t seen them yet. But if so, are fans of the nearly 14-year-old show willing to stick around for at least one more season?
The Viewers, However, Are Not as Impressed
Unfortunately, the quality of recent episodes and viewer reviews suggest that enthusiasm is not as high as it once was. The pacing has been incredibly disappointing. In the end, it won’t be long before we say goodbye to our once beloved show forever, and instead of having worthy final arcs for the characters, we are once again faced with the storylines that are almost unrelated from episode to episode. As many have expressed, this approach hints at the purely commercial nature of the final season.
Maybe the Writers Have a Surprise in Store for Us Yet?
However, it should be noted that Blue Bloods has never been known for its fast pacing, as it is, after all, a family drama about the clashing views of older and younger generations. As such, much of the show is less about plot progression and more about the internal development of the characters, for whom the most important revelations often come during a measured family dinner.
Of course, Blue Bloods pays great attention and interest to all the ethical dilemmas that arise in law enforcement and provides plenty of action and thrills related to investigations, but it is still primarily plot devices that allow the characters to come to certain conclusions that affect their outlook on life. For this reason, some fans may have had false expectations from the beginning — after all, given the conditions of a reduced budget, it is not surprising that the writers do not indulge in crazy plot twists or outlandish crimes.
Instead, the writers quietly wrap up the storylines set up in the previous season to give each of the characters a satisfying ending. However, the writers may have plenty of intriguing storylines in store for the finale and beyond, with Tom Selleck himself taking an active interest.
In the meantime, Episode 6, titled ‘Shadowland’, will air April 12 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS and April 13 on Paramount+.