Pop Reagan is coming to town on Boston Blue! Len Cariou reprises his role as Henry Reagan, paying a visit to see his rookie-cop great-grandson, Sean (Mika Amonsen, formerly played by Andrew Terraciano), in uniform for the first time when the Blue Bloods spinoff returns on Friday, April 3, on CBS. But Henry’s also there to deliver a special gift to grandson Danny (Donnie Wahlberg, above, with Cariou).
Executive producer Brandon Sonnier explains why they chose Henry as the next Blue Bloods cameo, other than the fact that they just love the character.
“There was a very special relationship between Danny and Gramps on Blue Bloods,” Sonnier says. “He was always sort of the go-to for advice. Yes, there was Frank [Tom Selleck], but it always felt like father and son had a little bit of friction, and in order to smooth that friction over, it was grandpa that Danny would go to. It felt like the right move to have Len show up in Boston as sort of the ambassador for the Reagans, and just a check-in and a touchstone to what’s happening back home, and also where Danny is in his journey of moving to Boston and being away from the family for so long.”
Sonnier admits “there were tears” when Wahlberg and Cariou filmed their first scene together in Toronto, which is also Cariou’s hometown. “Aside from the characters on the show having a special relationship, Len and Donnie have a special relationship.”
Executive producer Brandon Margolis says the spinoff’s crew (none of whom worked on the original series) recognized that they were witnessing something “pretty unique” with Wahlberg and Cariou, which, aside from the appearance of Danny’s younger sister Erin (Bridget Moynahan) in the pilot, marks the first time a Reagan family member has come to the show.
“Thankfully, [Henry is] arriving at a time where things between Danny and Sean are actually in a pretty solid place, but he is there,” Sonnier says. “He is coming to Boston with his own motive, which is an emotional story that gets told over the course of the episode and revealed by the end. But what was exciting for us was the chance for him to get to spend time with both Danny and Sean.”
“It was a lovely emotional moment to see Henry with his great-grandson in uniform, and the pride that was on his face was really moving,” Sonnier adds. “It was a fun day to film.”
Henry actually has three motives for his trip to Boston, according to the showrunners. Margolis reveals: “It’s to visit some old friends from the BPD from back in those days. It’s to see his great-grandson in action and to see him in his uniform and just pop in on him. But he also has a third reason for being there, which is a surprise gift for his grandson, Danny.”
That gift is delivered at the end of the episode. Before that, it’s an action-packed installment for Ernie Hudson‘s Reverend Edwin Peters and his daughters, Mae (Gloria Reuben) and Jill (guest star Holly Robinson Peete). A drive-by shooting at the church pulls Lena (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Danny into the complicated past of one of Reverend Peters’ associates. Meanwhile, Mae faces painful revelations about her family, and the team manages internal friction. There’s also a cameo from Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown to look forward to.
Jill makes her debut at a very emotional time in her little sister Mae’s life.
“It’s an episode where some secrets come to light that May had not been privy to, but her sister had,” Margolis teases, “and then there’s going to be an emotional impact as a result.”
Christos Kalohoridis / CBS
Just like Blue Bloods before it, the episode’s intensity dissipates by the time the family gathers for their weekly dinner. Will Pop Reagan join the Silvers for Shabbat?
“He absolutely gets the invite to dinner,” Margolis assures, adding that Cariou and Reuben “have a very lovely moment” in the episode. The executive producers are eager “to see Henry and the Rev just chop it up,” Margolis adds of Hudson and Cariou (Sonnier agrees).
Get ready for some intense, but moving, family reunions.