We all have television shows that are culturally significant or popular that we’ve never seen.
From The Sopranos to Breaking Bad to The Wire, there are series that adorn so many people’s ‘best ever’ lists, yet many of us never feel compelled to dive in.
Blue Bloods may not ever be placed on a list beside those television giants, but for many, it was a Friday night friend for 14 seasons, and that’s not something to take lightly.
I often saw the commercials over the years, but nothing about the series ever grabbed my attention. Considering we all have different television tastes, that’s not a bad thing.
Some people watch a myriad of police procedurals, but I’ve never been big into the genre. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, and it’s never been mine.
Still, even from a distance, I knew what a beloved series Blue Bloods was. Even just catching the occasional promo or story, I could tell it was a series rooted in family, which is something I appreciate in storytelling.
Whether that be found family or the one the characters are born into, I love a good family-focused series that dives into both the beautiful and messy parts of unconditional love.
Blue Bloods just never spoke to me, and as the seasons piled up, I figured it was too late to join the party, so I just let it pass me by.
Now, fast-forward to the fall 2025 television season, when the promotional rollout for Boston Blue took center stage. I was intrigued from the very first one.
With Donnie Wahlberg at the helm and flanked by Sonequa Martin-Green, whom I’ve been a longtime fan of, that was enough to hook me before the premiere ever aired.
There was something refreshing about the show, from its diversity to the whole-fish-out-of-water aspect.
And with Wahlberg’s character leaving New York behind for a new life in Boston, and it gave off the sense that it wasn’t trying to be just another procedural you’ve seen one hundred times over.
I may not have been familiar with Danny Reagan, but I don’t necessarily need to be to enjoy the journey of a man entering a new city and teaming up with a new partner.
The cast was definitely what drew me in, and the stories, along with the fun character dynamics, are what keep me tuning in each week.
Danny and Lena’s partnership is at the core of the story, as they’ve developed a fast, effortless bond grounded in mutual respect. Their week-to-week growth gives the show a comforting heartbeat.
You have various family dynamics at play as well, and when done correctly, the series feels very soothing, not overbearing, like it could if the series weren’t well-balanced.
It hasn’t all been aces, as the Jonah and Season partnership is still finding its groove, but the series has more pros than cons at this point, and should only get better the more time it has to suss out its flaws.
And somewhere between enjoying this new world and watching these new relationships unfold, I wondered if I missed out on Blue Bloods.
If Blue Bloods carried the same emotional richness and character-driven storylines of its Boston sibling, then it may have been more my speed than I ever realized.
I love procedurals that prioritize characters as much as casework, and if that’s what Blue Bloods had to offer, maybe it’s not too late to go back and experience the Reagan family for the first time.
Fourteen seasons is a lot to tackle, but there’s a strong tether to Boston Blue, to the point that it made a longtime skeptic like me even ponder giving the original a chance.
That says something about the series Boston Blue, which is in its early days, and also about the staying power of the Blue Blood universe as a whole.
How are you guys enjoying Boston Blue?
Did anyone else just come into the series without having watched Blue Bloods, like me?
Let me know your thoughts about both series, and if it’s worth my while to check out where it all started!
