Boston Blue is currently in development, with the Blue Bloods spinoff show headed up by legacy actor Donnie Wahlberg. The long-running ABC procedural ran 14 seasons from 2010-2024, focusing on the Reagan Family, an Irish Catholic family in New York City, headed by patriarch Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck), with a long legacy in law enforcement. Blue Bloods season 14 posted strong viewing figures, but despite that, CBS decided to cancel the show and quickly greenlit Boston Blue. Wahlberg is confirmed to be in the cast of Boston Blue, but so far, none of the other Blue Bloods alums have signed on for the show.
However, Wahlberg’s recent comments suggest this could be about to change, and he has hinted that a former Blue Bloods co-star could make an appearance. Discussing the spinoff show, Wahlberg has hinted that Selleck could make an appearance on Boston Blue, reprising his role as Frank Reagan.
Boston Blue’s Donnie Wahlberg Pointed Out That Boston And New York Aren’t That Far Apart
The Close Proximity Of The Cities Should Make For Easy Crossovers
Since Boston and New York are close to each other, it’s easy to justify why Blue Bloods characters would make appearances in Boston Blue. It also makes sense that there might be crossovers with law enforcement from each city, so this is something that could be worked into the plot.
Wahlberg’s Danny Reagan was one of the most prominent Blue Bloods characters, and though he is relocating from New York to Boston, it’s not going to be a big switch in terms of distance. There could be scope for having multiple appearances and arcs from legacy cast members, including Selleck.
While Boston Blues could represent an exciting new direction for the franchise, there is a school of thought that CBS should have simply renewed Blue Bloods season 15 instead. However, with the franchise moving to Boston, this could be a great way to tell fresh stories while also incorporating legacy characters.
Frank Reagan Could Head To Boston To Consult On A Cross-State Case
As New York’s Police Commissioner, Frank Could Collaborate With Boston PD
There are several routes the show can take to include Frank Reagan, and, as Danny’s father, the link between the two men provides many opportunities for storylines. Also, Frank’s position as New York City Police Commissioner means he could easily make trips to Boston PD.
Due to the proximity of Boston and New York, it could be worked out that Frank is heading to Boston to consult on a cross-state case. This would make sense within the context of the Blue Bloods universe while also allowing Selleck and Wahlberg to seamlessly slip back into their character dynamics.
Boston Blue Would Feel Wrong Without The Reagan Family Making Appearances
The Show Has Always Focused On Family
At its core, Blue Bloods was a show focused on the dynamics of a powerful but strained family unit. As such, Boston Blue would not feel right if the Reagan family were not a part of it. Since Frank is Danny’s father, it feels like this core relationship, which was central in Blue Bloods, needs to be explored here.
Having none of the Reagans making an appearance would feel wrong and would make no sense, given how close Boston is to New York. With the death of Linda in Blue Bloods, Danny lost his wife, but this has caused him to lean even more on his family in later seasons, and these close relationships need to continue in Boston Blue.
The family’s weekly dinners were a core pillar of what made Blue Bloods so iconic, and while Danny won’t be able to replicate these in Boston Blue, integrating the family dynamic is still essential. Having Selleck appear in a guest (or even recurring) capacity would be the perfect place to start.
