For 14 seasons, the fictional Reagan family captivated audiences with their staunch devotion to law enforcement and their unwavering love and loyalty to one another in the fan-favorite police procedural Blue Bloods. Hollywood legend Tom Selleck notably portrayed family patriarch Frank Reagan, the New York City Police Commissioner who keeps a close eye on both his beloved city and his three children: NYPD detective Danny (Donnie Wahlberg), Assistant District Attorney’s daughter Erin (Bridget Moynahan), and NYPD sergeant Jamie (Will Estes).
The series debuted on September 24, 2010, and captivated viewers with its refreshing portrayal of the various aspects of police work and law, with each episode featuring the family sitting down to enjoy a Sunday dinner and putting aside their differences. The drama said goodbye to fans in December 2024 after 293 episodes. However, two months later, a spinoff tentatively named Boston Blue was announced to be in the works, with Wahlberg returning as Danny. Let’s take a look at the impressive cast members who are joining the spinoff, including Maggie Lawson of Psych fame.
Danny Reagan Gears up for an Exciting New Adventure in ‘Boston Blue’
Danny Reagan is known for his tough-as-nails attitude and old-school approach to detective work, with the fiery character being impressively portrayed by Donnie Wahlberg throughout Blue Bloods’ enduring run. After 14 seasons on the hit show, the singer-turned-actor is ready to go on a brand-new adventure as Danny with Boston Blue, which will follow the eldest Reagan sibling as he relocates from New York City and takes a position with the Boston Police Department. While CBS has yet to disclose any original cast members returning for the series, the drama has revealed some familiar faces joining the spinoff.
CBS recently announced that The Walking Dead alum Sonequa Martin-Green would join the spinoff alongside Wahlberg, appearing as Danny’s new partner Lena Silver, the daughter of a prominent police family and a “rising star” in law enforcement. Seasoned acting veteran Ernie Hudson is also slated to portray Lena’s grandfather, Reverend Peters, a revered pastor of a historic Baptist Church in Boston. The character’s presence is likely to mirror that of Selleck’s Frank, with his welcoming, open-minded attitude and devotion to his loved ones and congregation.
‘Boston Blue’ Continues Amassing a Stacked Cast
Maggie Lawson Will Join the Police Series
As if the involvement of Sonequa Martin-Green and Ernie Hudson wasn’t enough to get audiences excited about the spinoff, in June 2025, Deadline reported that Psych alumna Maggie Lawson would be returning to her detective TV roots as Lena’s stepsister, Sarah Silver. The newly announced character has been described as decisive and strong-willed and is the Superintendent of the Boston Police Department, with Sarah often finding it difficult to keep the peace when it comes to properly doing her job and not letting it affect her relationship with her family (much like Blue Bloods’ Erin).
Lawson became a household name when she began portraying Detective Juliet “Jules” O’Hara opposite James Roday and Dulé Hill in the beloved USA Network dramedy Psych. This celebrated small-screen gem ran for eight seasons from 2006 to 2014 and spawned three made-for-TV movies (with more reportedly in the works). Boston Blue will also reunite the actress with Hudson, who originated the role of Gus’ father, Bill Guster, in the second season of the quirky series before Keith David took over duties the following season.
Boston Blue will premiere in the fall on CBS, taking over the Blue Bloods Friday night 10:00 pm time slot and giving longtime viewers some much-needed stability after the original show’s shocking cancellation. Though it will be very refreshing to see Wahlberg interact with a brand-new crop of interesting characters like Lena, Sarah, and Reverend Peters, the star has been very vocal about his desire to once again work with Tom Selleck in the spinoff and have Frank Reagan make an appearance in some capacity. Selleck himself is more than open to returning, telling Parade in 2024: “You can take characters and put them somewhere else. But the audience is saying ‘Where’s the family?’ They’ve become accustomed to seeing the family. It’s a difficult task and I’m open to suggestions because I love Frank Reagan.”
Only time will tell just who from Blue Bloods will cross over and venture into the streets of Boston alongside Danny Reagan. Still, fans should be very optimistic about the casting of Green-Martin, Hudson, and Lawson as the upcoming series is shaping up to be just as hard-hitting and entertaining as its predecessor. Wahlberg wants nothing more than to honor the legacy and impact of Blue Bloods and is viewing the spinoff as the perfect way to do so, saying to Deadline: “I had to take a beat to look at it in the right context. In other words, it was like I kept looking back to Blue Bloods, and suddenly I was like ‘Wait a minute, I can look forward to Boston Blue?’ And this is keeping Blue Bloods alive, this is carrying on the traditions and the legacies, this is a way to bring Blue Bloods forward.”
