The Blue Bloods Spinoff: Cast, Story & Everything We Know About Boston Blue

As the popular police procedural series Blue Bloods rides off into the sunset, the franchise is set to continue in a spinoff entitled Boston Blue. Debuting back in 2010, Blue Bloods follows the members of the Reagan family, a clan of cops with deep connections to the NYPD. Patriarch Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) is the NYPD Commissioner, and he must blend his job with his family life as both are intricately tied to law enforcement. With its blend of typical procedural elements with ongoing drama within the Reagan family, Blue Bloods set itself apart from other long-running cop shows.

Despite being one of the most popular procedurals on TV for almost its entire run, CBS opted to cancel Blue Bloods after season 14. This caused something of an uproar, since it was clear that audiences still wanted more and the cast was onboard to keep the series going. Season 13 garnered a 9.40 rating (via The Hollywood Reporter) which was good enough for fifth-best on TV for that year. As such, rumblings began concerning a spinoff of the long-running cop drama, and now CBS has green-lit Boston Blue, a spinoff arriving for the 2025-2026 season.

The Blue Bloods Spinoff: Boston Blue Latest News

CBS Gives The Show A Straight-To-Series Order

Less than a year after rumblings of the spinoff began in mid 2024, the latest news confirms that CBS has given the Blue Bloods spinoff a series order. Now working under the tentative title of Boston Blue, the spinoff is on the fast-track from the network with plans for it to debut as part of CBS’ 2025-2026 season. This means it won’t go through the pilot phase, and has already earned a spot on the schedule. Brandon Sonnier and Brandon Margolis are attached as the showrunners and executive producers, and Donnie Wahlberg is confirmed to return as Danny Reagan.

CBS revealed a plot synopsis for the spinoff, and it reads:

In BOSTON BLUE, a universe expansion of the long-running top drama BLUE BLOODS, Wahlberg will reprise his role as NYPD officer Danny Reagan as he takes a position with Boston PD. Once in Boston, he is paired with detective Lena Peters, the eldest daughter of a prominent law enforcement family.

The Blue Bloods Spinoff: Boston Blue Is Confirmed

The Spinoff Will Be Part Of The Fall 2025-2026 Season

Hot on the heels of canceling one of its most popular programs in the form of Blue Bloods, CBS has now green-lit a spinoff set within the same universe. The first indications of what would eventually become Boston Blue first began in June 2024, when Paramount Global CEO Brian Robbins revealed that another Blue Bloods show was in the works. This was in direct response to the backlash caused by the original series’ cancelation, and came among other announcements concerning popular Paramount properties like Dexter and Billions.

Now that Boston Blue has been given a direct-to-series order by CBS, and is slated for release within the year, it’s clear that work will begin progressing quickly. Since CBS has such a short timeline in mind, the pre-production phase for season 1 of Boston Blue is likely nearing completion, with news regarding production on the horizon. Like most network TV productions, the spinoff will be operating on a razor-thin timeline, but there’s little doubt that the debut episode will arrive on time.

The Blue Bloods Spinoff: Boston Blue Cast Details

Donnie Wahlberg Returns As Danny Reagan

The cast of Blue Bloods was one of the most solid ensembles in cop drama history, and it makes sense that the spinoff would focus on one or more of the familiar Reagan clan. So far, the only name attached is Donnie Wahlberg, who is set to reprise his role as Danny Reagan, a seasoned detective and Iraq War vet who bends the rules to crack cases. Since the series is leaving New York for Boston, it’s unclear if any other Reagans will go to Beantown. The character of detective Lena Peters has been announced, but the role isn’t cast.

The Blue Bloods Spinoff: Boston Blue Story Details

Danny Reagan Moves To Boston & Gets A New Partner

Because Blue Bloods ended on a sweet but simple note, little can be pulled from the finale to inform the plot of Boston Blue. CBS has provided a scant synopsis for the show, and it reveals that Danny Reagan will relocate to Boston to take a job as a detective with Boston PD. He’ll partner with detective Lena Peters, who is the daughter of a prominent law enforcement family in Boston. This clearly parallels Blue Blood‘s theme of family, but several gaps will need to be filled in before the show premieres.

Perhaps the biggest question is why Danny moves to Boston, something that seems out of character considering his close ties to his family. More will also need to be revealed about Peters, and it remains to be seen how the new partners will work together on cases. Regardless, Boston Blue is clearly setting up a blank slate for its debut season, and could perhaps build its characters much in the same way that Blue Bloods did across its 14 seasons.