Donnie Wahlberg may be stepping into a new chapter for Danny Reagan on Boston Blue, but he isn’t shutting the door on his Blue Bloods roots. In fact, he sees potential for the two shows to stay linked through occasional cast cameos. But as Boston Blue gears up for its fall debut, the big question remains: will this nostalgic connection be the key to winning over viewers, or a risky move?
Wahlberg shared his belief that the two worlds could co-exist with Fox News Digital. He explained just how important everyone that worked on the CBS series, from the cast to the crew and everyone in between, was to him.
“They became part of our family. You know, the viewers are saying, like, ‘How do we keep going with a Blue Bloods spinoff without the whole family?’ And I share that. How do we do that, right?” he said.
The actor continued, that while he couldn’t reveal too many plot points about the new series, one thing is for sure. A member of the Reagan family is just a “phone call away.””Now, it’s just Danny going to this new world, but I can’t say a lot about it — but I could say, if he’s a Reagan, it will never be just Danny. There’ll always be a Reagan a phone call away. And the traditions that the Reagans have, Danny wouldn’t abandon those traditions.”
The Boston native, 55, who is married to Jennie McCarthy, knows that carrying the torch for this character into a new show will require a delicate balancing act and could easily go awry. He feels the weight of the series’ legacy, but believes Boston Blue will allow him to carry the Reagan family into a new generation of viewers.
Wahlberg admitted it was a “challenge” to say yes to this new acting role. However, “I kept saying to myself, you know, if I’m really sincere about wanting Blue Bloods to carry on, here’s an opportunity to do it.”
As of now, details surrounding any Blue Bloods cast cameos on Boston Blue are being kept top secret. Per TV Line, new cast members include Sonequa Martin-Green as Detective Lena Silver, the eldest daughter of a prominent law enforcement family. Also cast is Ernie Hudson as Lena’s grandfather, Reverend Peters. Maggie Lawson plays Boston PD Superintendent Sarah Silver.
Boston Blue is set to air on CBS this fall.
