Soon after the series ended, CBS announced a Blue Bloods spinoff starring Wahlberg, who is set to reprise his role as Danny Reagan. The spinoff takes place in Boston rather than New York. There has been widespread speculation about why Danny moved to Boston to work with a prominent cop family there instead of remaining in New York with the close-knit Reagan family. Additionally, recent casting news has made it clear that there is at least one way Boston Blue will differ from Blue Bloods.
Blue Bloods Didn’t Accurately Represent The Diversity Of New York
Although It Had Black And Latino Characters, The Majority Of The Cast Was White
Although Blue Bloods told compelling stories about New York police and family issues, the cast was less diverse than the city it represented. Since Blue Bloods’ Reagan family was white, it followed that most stories centered around white characters. Of course, the series didn’t have an exclusively white cast. Notably, Danny’s partner, Baez (Marisa Ramirez), was Latina, and Erin had two bosses who were Black: Monica (Tamara Tunie), who was shot, and then Erin, who was was constantly butting heads with Kimberly Crawford (Roslyn Ruff).
Boston Blue Will Have Better Representation Thanks To Its More Diverse Cast
The Silver Family Is Interracial
When Danny moves to Boston, he will encounter the Silver family, a prominent cop family in Boston. This family includes a district attorney, a couple of cops, and a police supervisor, spread across several generations, making it nearly equivalent to the Reagan family. One noticeable difference is that this family is interracial, with several Black members. Well-known Black actors such as Gloria Reuben and Ernie Hudson will star in the series alongside white actors like Maggie Lawson. Creating an interracial family more accurately represents what Boston looks like, including the police force.
This change also provides the opportunity to explore police-related issues from a different point of view. Blue Bloods was well-known for showing the NYPD in a fair and mostly positive light, so Boston Blue will likely continue that trend. However, police officers who are from marginalized groups may have a different perspective on how the department works or what its priorities should be. It will be refreshing for Boston Blue to continue to provide a nuanced perspective on policing. Most procedurals have not moved past stories in which Black cops feel caught between their community and their jobs.
How Danny’s Police Work Will Be Impacted As He Moves From NYC To Boston
Danny Is Now The Outsider Instead of The Commissioner’s Son
Frank (Tom Selleck) was committed to being objective on the job, so he refused to give special treatment to Danny or Jamie. However, Danny could count on his father to have his back in the face of public criticism of his behavior on the job. Additionally, Frank could pre-emptively address potential issues by speaking privately with Danny as a son. Danny was privileged in a way he wouldn’t realize until he moved to Boston. In Boston Blue, Danny will no longer be the son of the head of the police department.
Instead, he will be the outsider who has to deal with his partner’s family. He will need to make a positive impression and temper his tendency toward impulsive behavior, as that wouldn’t go over well with his new bosses, and he will no longer have the same type of backup. Additionally, Danny will be exposed to a new perspective by working with an interracial family of top cops in Boston Blue. The Silver family will have a different perspective because of their experiences as Black or biracial cops, which will expose Danny to ideas he never considered before.
