If Tom Selleck is returning to Jesse Stone now that Blue Bloods has officially wrapped, there is a perfect role for co-star Donnie Wahlberg to take on. Before Blue Bloods arrived, Selleck was busy co-writing and starring in the Jesse Stonemovies, a series of noirish mysteries. Selleck’s busy schedule with CBS’ long-running police drama prevented him from returning to Stone in recent years, but now Blue Bloods has ended there’s talk of Jesse Stone 10 coming together.
Selleck has stated his interest more than once – though he told TV Insider that he doesn’t know what his next gig will be. It’s been close to a decade since he last played Jesse, so much will have changed in the Paradise police chief’s life in the intervening years. The next Jesse Stone would be smart to add some Blue Bloods cast members to the ensemble to draw more eyeballs to the TV movie saga, and Donnie Wahlberg would be an ideal replacement for a fan favorite.
Jesse Stone 10 Should Make Blue Bloods’ Donnie Wahlberg The New State Police Captain
Captain Healy must have retired by now
Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise marked the first time that Stephen McHattie’s Captain Healy didn’t appear. Healy was the head of the Massachusetts State Police Homicide Division, and he and Stone became fast friends shortly after the latter arrived in Paradise. With McHattie being in his late 70s, Healy will likely be retired as Captain when the next film arrives, so it would add a new dynamic for a younger, more aggressive character to take his spot; in this case, Donnie Wahlberg would be a great choice.
For one, making Donnie’s character the Police Captain would flip the dynamic he Selleck and Wahlberg shared on Blue Bloods. This would make Wahlberg into Jesse’s new boss, and the two would no doubt clash over Stone’s blunt-force approach to policing. This probably wouldn’t require much filming time on Wahlberg’s part either, since the majority of Healy’s scenes used to take place in a single office set.
Both Selleck and Wahlberg have expressed sadness over the end of Blue Bloods and lobbied to keep it running. They would clearly love to keep working together, so if Jesse Stone is Selleck’s almost inevitable next destination, it would make sense for the star to write a role for Wahlberg too.
Jesse Stone 10 Should Unite More Of The Blue Bloods Cast
Selleck and the other Blue Bloods should keep working together
That has been talk of a potential Blue Bloods spinoff now the main show is done, though nothing has been greenlit. Whether or not that happens, Jesse Stone 10 should bring one or two of Blue Bloods’ key players onboard. It would be odd to see the entire cast reunited, but it would be easy to slot actors like Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan or Len Cariou into Jesse’s next mystery.
The star also have the advantage of having worked together with this ensemble for 15 years, meaning they already have a quick and easy rapport onscreen. Blue Bloods and Jesse Stone are two of Selleck’s most popular franchises, so some cross-pollination wouldn’t hurt the latter franchise when it returns.