When is a spinoff not a spinoff? When Blue Bloods star Donnie Wahlberg moves his Danny Reagan character from New York City to Boston.
CBS announced today that the new series Boston Blue (working title) was given a straight-to-series pickup, which will air in the 2025-2026 broadcast season, but there’s a surprising twist to the story.
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According to Deadline, Boston Blue was not initially conceived as a Blue Bloods spinoff. But when CBS read a script they had received about a family of police officers in Boston whose eldest daughter is partnered with a new transfer from LAPD, they got the idea to add Wahlberg to the mix, since he was born and raised in Boston. The network saw it as a prime opportunity to finally expand the Blue Bloods universe.
When the network broached Boston Blue creators Brandon Sonnier & Brandon Margolis with the idea, they agreed to the change, and then the conversation with Wahlberg began. Wahlberg has long said that he wasn’t ready to put Danny Reagan to bed, so he agreed. And, hopefully, he will have input into the new series so that Danny remains the same Reagan we love.
Here’s everything to know about the Blue Bloods spinoff Boston Blue.
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When will Boston Blue be released?
The Blue Bloods spinoff is scheduled to premiere on Friday, Oct. 17.
When will Boston Blue air?
Boston Blue will take over the Friday nights at 10 p.m. ET/PT timeslot that did so well for Blue Bloods for 14 years.
Who will star in Boston Blue?
Donnie Wahlberg as Danny Reagan
As of now, it’s unknown why Danny Reagan would move from New York City to Boston to accept a job. But there are a couple of possibilities. We do know that Danny is now an empty nester with his second son, Sean Reagan (Andrew Terraciano), off to college, so he may be looking for something new. His promotability in NYC could be limited because his father Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) is the NYPD Commissioner. Also, Danny has been a widower for several years, so he may want to find someone new to share his life with, but there’s too many memories of Linda (Amy Carlson) in NYC, which has held him back.
Related: Donnie Wahlberg Says Goodbye to Blue Bloods and Reveals Important Piece He Took With Him (Exclusive)
Sonequa Martin-Green as Det. Lena Silver
Martin-Green will play Lena Peters, the eldest daughter of a prominent law enforcement family, who is partnered with Danny Reagan when he makes the move from the NYPD to the Boston PD.
“We love the Reagans. We have all loved the Reagans for so long,” Martin-Green told Variety, about the now-canceled family drama. “And I feel that we’ll love the Peters too. I’m super excited for this partnership, and to be back in a CBS family — and in this family, your family. It means a lot, and I’m grateful for it. I think we’re going to have a good time.”
Ernie Hudson as Reverend Peters
Reverend Peters is a renowned pastor of an historic Baptist church in Boston. An open-minded, welcoming man that is comfortable in all traditions, he is happy to preside at his church’s traditional Sunday Baptist service. Reverend Peters is the father of Mae Silver, Boston’s District Attorney, and grandfather of Det. Lena Silver, Superintendent Ashley Silver, and rookie patrol cop, Isaac Silver.
Maggie Lawson as Sarah Silver
Sarah Silver is the “strong willed and decisive Superintendent in the Boston Police Department who is Lena’s stepsister.” Sarah is “well aware of the tightrope she can walk sometimes between her job and her family.”
Gloria Reuben as District Attorney Mae Silver
Per Deadline, Mae Silver is Boston’s District Attorney and the matriarch of a blended family of law enforcement professionals. The widow of a judge who was murdered on the courthouse steps, Mae endeavors to put family ahead of work whenever possible. Her daughter Lena is a Boston Police Department Detective, and her stepdaughter Sarah is the Police Superintendent. Her son Jonah is a rookie cop; her father is Reverend Peters. Mae is accustomed to making decisions and standing by them.
Marcus Scribner as Jonah Silver
The official description for the character of rookie cop Jonah Silver is: “the youngest member of the Silver family and is in law enforcement like his mother and sisters — each of whom are formidable in their own ways. Always the cool kid growing up, Jonah carries himself with confidence and swagger in all situations, so he’s naturally frustrated at being a rookie cop on the sidelines of the city’s biggest investigations.”
Mika Amonsen as Sean Reagan
The role of Sean Reagan, previously played by Andrew Terraciano, will now be played by Mika Amonsen. Per CBS, Sean has “relocated to Boston to start a new chapter as a Boston PD patrolman. Sean committed himself to pursuing his family’s legacy but wanted to do so on his own terms, which meant joining a department outside of his hometown. Danny’s decision to relocate to Boston gives this father and son duo a chance to reconnect on a deeper level.”
Related: Donnie Wahlberg Reveals How Danny Reagan Moved from ‘Blue Bloods’ to ‘Boston Blue’ (Exclusive)
Will anyone from Blue Bloods appear in Boston Blue?
To date, the only Blue Bloods cast member that has been announced is Bridget Moynahan, who plays Danny’s sister Erin Reagan, in the Friday, Oct. 17 premiere episode. But Wahlberg has promised there is more to come.
In breaking the news, Wahlberg posted on Instagram: “Reunited and if [sic] feels so good! So excited to have my dear friend, and TV sister @bridgetmoynahan, join me for a special guest appearance in the premiere episode of #BostonBlue! She’ll also be bringing her incredible directing talents to the show this season! More fun (and surprises) to come. 👀 Let’s go! 💙❤️”
What is the plot of Boston Blue?
Danny Reagan moves from New York City to Boston, where he hires onto a position with Boston PD. Once in Boston, he is paired with Detective Lena Peters, the eldest daughter of a prominent law enforcement family.
Is there a trailer for Boston Blue?
You can check out the trailer for Boston Blue below.
Parade also has an exclusive sneak peek behind the scenes of the new series, featuring commentary from stars Donnie Wahlberg and Sonequa Martin-Green.
Are there any spoilers for Boston Blue Season 1
In the series premiere, NYPD detective Danny Reagan teams up with Boston detective Lena Silver to investigate a deadly fire at a tech company. As they dig deeper, they uncover a complex web of secrets involving facial recognition technology, family ties and a search for justice that brings the Silver and Reagan families closer together,
How can I watch Boston Blue?
Boston Blue will be available on CBS and stream next day on Paramount+ when the 2025-2026 TV season begins later this year.
Will there be a Season 2 of Boston Blue?
Yes, the series, starring Donnie Wahlberg and Sonequa Martin-Green, received an early pickup from CBS to air in 2026-2027. Boston Blue has averaged 8 million viewers in Nielsen live plus 7-day multiplatform ratings, with streaming alone up +87% from Blue Bloods last fall and is consistently a time period winner at 10 p.m. on Fridays.
“This early renewal reflects the power of character-driven storytelling, compelling narratives and the exceptional talent on both sides of the camera that make this series truly stand out,” said Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment.
