CBS Canceling Blue Bloods After 14 Seasons Makes Even Less Sense Thanks to Donnie Wahlberg‘s New Show

When it first premiered on September 24, 2010, there was no way that anyone involved could have known just how successful the series would become. Wahlberg, Tom Selleck (Frank), Bridget Moynahan (Erin), Will Estes (Jamie), and Len Cariou (Henry) would become a constant presence every fall. The rising salaries were becoming an issue, however, as the show was extremely expensive. For season 14, the Blue Bloods cast even chose to reduce their payments just to ensure that the show could continue. It was too much, however. The final episode aired on December 13, 2024, and drew nearly 7 million viewers through live or same-day viewing, according to a report by Variety.

The cancelation was announced in November 2023, but the cast never accepted that it would be forced to end. Tom Selleck repeatedly defended the show and emphasized that “There’s isn’t a single [star] who didn’t want to come back”. The cast reportedly also broke down when filming their final scene before the show wrapped. Selleck stated that “There was crying and there was an enormous amount of hugs”. The decision certainly did not blindside the cast and crew, but it certainly disappointed them. After 14 years, saying goodbye was as difficult for them as it was for the viewers. Yet, despite appearances, it was not a true farewell.

The Blue Bloods Spin-Off Was Already Approved

Donnie Wahlberg Will Lead The Show

While Blue Bloods is over, Wahlberg will be reprising his role. He is poised to star as the leading man, and he will be leaving the rest of the Reagan family behind. After all, rather than returning to New York City for the spin-off, the next show will take place in Boston. The newly-announced Boston Blue will see Danny working with the Boston Police Department. The show was originally planned as an entirely unrelated project, but the Blue Bloods cancelation gave CBS the perfect opportunity to expand its initial audience. Attaching Wahlberg means that the network can benefit from Blue Bloods’ high ratings, while also avoiding the ever-increasing costs. It seems like a natural decision, even if it will inevitably upset the show’s extremely loyal viewers.

Filming in Boston and eliminating most of the cast should drastically decrease the budget. It was a natural decision for CBS, which can benefit from an established property while also resetting its universe. After 14 years of building an expensive and expansive cast, it can be difficult to promote character development without stepping on toes. How can Danny completely develop, for instance, without addressing Frank’s response to it? By sending him to an island, Danny can show who he is without his family there. It will be a breath of fresh air for a franchise that has always focused on the entire Reagan family, rather than one or two stars. Unfortunately, it may be good for CBS, but it is not especially beneficial for audiences. After all, the decision to cancel Blue Bloods at all made absolutely no sense.

Canceling Blue Bloods Made No Sense

It Could Have Easily Been Continued

While Blue Bloods may have been expensive, scrapping it was a baffling decision. The show was a success from the very beginning, having drawn over 15 million viewers for the pilot alone. It managed to mix typical procedural drama with family relationships in a way that no show has ever truly been able to match. The entire Reagan family was part of the show’s charm. By taking Danny away from New York City, he will no longer have the familial bond that made it so great. CBS is hoping that Boston Blue can replicate its success by focusing on the family of Danny’s partner, but they lack the familiar charm of the Reagans.

Every season of Blue Bloods was successful because of the Reagans. There is no clear guarantee that the show will be as interesting without that. The audience has had the opportunity to bond over those family dinners every year for weeks. Attempting to replace that may just cause outright resentment, rather than securing another dominant show for CBS. Canceling the show could be a complete and utter disaster. At its core, it is impossible to see what any Blue Bloods show would look like without Tom Selleck. He was the leading man, and there was no show without him.

The premise of Boston Blue is also part of the reason that the cancelation is bizarre. The show is apparently a recreation of what made the original seasons of Blue Bloods so successful. It focuses on a family of officers, simply trading New York City for Boston. Only Danny will make a difference, as his status as a transplant officer will offer the only significant change. Unfortunately, it is not enough to make this cancelation a well-reasoned decision. The budget is the only compelling reason for trading shows, and Blue Bloods’ cast already showed a willingness to take pay cuts. The cancelation should never have happened.

The cast is disappointed with the ending, the audience is in uproar, and the studio is simply hoping that Boston Blue can replicate its success. CBS traded a show with a near-guarantee of strong viewership for a show that is far from a guarantee. Danny Reagan has always been a compelling character, but he is not the only Reagan. There is no reason to trade the entire Reagan family for just one person. Boston Blue’s new family can undoubtedly be interesting, but that is no excuse for scrapping a proven product. No matter how fun the characters are, they will come on the backs of a decision that upsets viewers. Asking those same viewers to accept an all-new set of characters is a difficult request. The Blue Bloods spin-off will likely succeed, but that does not excuse the decision to scrap the show for a fairly similar concept.