Blue Bloods is ending with Season 14. The first half of the final season kicks off in February, with Part Two coming out later this year. Although the ending isn’t written yet, the series promises to “go out with a bang.” Star Tom Selleck issued a touching statement to fans when the series’ end was announced.
“For the past 13 years it has been an honor and a privilege to work on a show that not only celebrates the men and women who protect and serve in New York City, but also displayed the importance of family,” he said. “Working alongside these incredible actors, writers, producers, directors and crew has been a dream come true and I’m grateful to have been a part of this extraordinary group for over 275 episodes. Thank you to CBS Studios and CBS Network for their steadfast support and we offer heartfelt gratitude to the fans who gathered with us for dinner every Friday night.”
Now, the star prepares to conclude this long-running CBS drama. We asked the big-picture questions, and Selleck answered.
How are you feeling about Blue Bloods ending?
Tom Selleck: 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.
So you’re not ready to retire to your Ventura, California, ranch just yet?
I’m not counting the days so I can do something else. I love the work. Sometimes the hours are a little harder because I’m older, but so what? I want work as long as they’ll have me.
Is Frank getting ready to retire?
He picks fights because he’d like somebody to take the weight of this responsibility [off] his hands and fire him. But he has a hyperactive sense of responsibility and he’s stuck with it.
What about Blue Bloods makes you most proud?
Playing a flawed but strong father. On television and commercials, Dad is usually the idiot. It’s not my mission on the show, but the by-product is an example of an important patriarch to the family. That’s getting rarer in our culture.
How important to the show’s success is the weekly Reagan family dinner?
It’s the audience’s favorite part. When I saw the eight-page dinner scene in [exec producer] Leonard Goldberg’s pilot script, I said, “They’re going to cut that, aren’t they?” And he answered, “No, that will be a centerpiece of the show.” He was right.
Blue Bloods, Season 14 Premieres Friday, February 16, 10/9c, CBS