Dear CBS: Here’s Why Canceling Blue Bloods Was a Huge Mistake After Its Replacement Fell Short

After 14 seasons, Blue Bloods has ended on CBS, but given how its replacement is performing, perhaps the network is regretting its decision to cancel the Tom Selleck-led show. The police procedural series, created by Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, premiered in 2010 and was an instant hit. Blue Bloods became one of CBS’ most consistent shows, pulling in impressive ratings (especially for a Friday timeslot) and solid reviews from fans and critics alike. So, it’s unsurprising that Blue Bloods ran for 14 seasons and almost 300 episodes. What is shocking, though, is that it ran for only 14 seasons.

Blue Bloods had the potential to become CBS’ version of Grey’s Anatomy (without the medical aspect, of course). It could have lasted for 20-plus seasons and way more than 300 episodes. Instead, CBS let go of the Reagan family in Blue Bloods, deciding to move on from the popular TV series and focus on newer projects. Following its finale in December 2024, the network shifted one of its other established shows into Blue Bloods‘ old timeslot on Fridays in early 2025, and its performance proves that canceling the police procedural was a big mistake on CBS’ part.

More than a month after the Blue Bloods series finale, SWAT took over the police procedural’s timeslot at 10 pm ET on Fridays, starting on January 31, 2025. The action crime drama’s eighth season initially aired at 8 pm ET on Fridays. However, in the wake of Blue Bloods‘ cancelation, CBS chose SWAT as its replacement, likely in the hope that it could perform just as well as or even better than its predecessor.

So, SWAT season 8 made its new timeslot debut during its midseason premiere (aka episode 9, “Open Season”). Meanwhile, NCIS: Sydney season 2 took over for SWAT at 8 pm ET on Fridays, followed by Fire Country season 3 at 9 pm ET. Unfortunately, SWAT has been unable to live up to Blue Bloods‘ success.

However, CBS’ third attempt at ending SWAT will likely stick. It’s quite improbable that the network will change its mind a third time. Unless the producers are able to find another home for the show (like Netflix, as SWAT star and executive producer Shemar Moore suggested), SWAT will conclude following the season 8 finale. Its ratings, which rank at the bottom of all 14 2024–2025 CBS dramas, aren’t good enough to warrant a renewal. As a result, CBS’ effort to replace Blue Bloods with SWAT has failed, further proving why canceling the Tom Selleck-led police procedural series was a big mistake.

As SWAT season 8, part 2’s failures have demonstrated, Blue Bloods was not successful because of its Fridays at 10 pm ET timeslot. CBS can’t just replace the police procedural with any show during that period and expect it to be as triumphant as its predecessor. If SWAT (which has impressively survived two cancelations) falls short, no TV series can follow in Blue Bloods‘ footsteps and achieve the same accomplishments.

What Blue Bloods accomplished on Fridays (which is known to be a slow day for network TV) is unprecedented. No other show in the modern era has come close to the success that the police procedural experienced during its timeslot, proving why CBS should not have canceled it. Unfortunately, there is no going back, though. The good news is that a Blue Bloods sequel with Donnie Wahlberg is happening instead of season 15. Perhaps the spinoff (tentatively titled Boston Blue) can carry on Blue Bloods‘ legacy, as it will likely take over the flagship show’s timeslot if CBS is smart.