Following Its Cancellation, Donnie Wahlberg Is Right About the Future of ‘Blue Bloods’

After fourteen years, the long-running hit CBS series Blue Bloods will finally come to an end. Only a handful of episodes remain for the police-themed procedural drama. All things considered, the show has enjoyed an exceptional run. However, this may not be the end of the Blue Bloods legend. With the advent of streaming media and Paramount+ looking to continue its established TV franchises on the platform, such as Star Trek and NCIS, it’s no surprise that executives have teased potential spin-offs or continuations of Blue Bloods. Series star Donnie Wahlberg, who has portrayed Danny Reagan since the first episode, recently commented about the potential future of the series while speaking to TV Insider, stating, “Whatever comes next, as long as it has family at its core and the spirit of Blue Bloods, I’m all for it.” Wahlberg is absolutely right about that. Regardless of what happens next in expanding the Blue Bloods franchise, it’s crucial that CBS maintains the familial theme that exemplifies the core of the series’ identity.

The Theme of Family Is Part of the Fabric of ‘Blue Bloods’

At face value, Blue Bloods is a police procedural drama. However, the hook for the show has always been the Reagan family dynamic. Blue Bloods is not simply a cop show; it’s about a family in law enforcement. Not to mention, the show provides interesting perspectives from multiple sides of the law enforcement process due to Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) being the New York Police Department commissioner; Danny Reagan (Wahlberg), a seasoned detective; Jamie Reagan (Will Estes), a field intelligence sergeant; Erin Reagan (Bridget Moynahan), the assistant district attorney; and Henry Reagan (Len Cariou), a retired officer and former commissioner. Sometimes, their subplots would intersect, but the show’s powerful family presence remained consistent in every season. Through thick and thin, the Reagans put family above all else, and they always have each other’s backs, making Blue Bloods a family show first and foremost, and a police procedural show second.

For example, take the lively family dinners that occur in every episode, usually involving a debate about the storylines or themes for that week. The Reagans often experience moments of discord and dissent, but the disharmony eventually gets resolved by the end of the episode. The family dinners are important because they demonstrate how the Reagans are always willing to work through their issues. Their careers in law enforcement never get in the way of the Sunday dinner tradition. In the Reagan family, the sanctity of the family comes first, despite their various disagreements. The Sunday dinners show that the Reagan family can overcome any challenge or hardship as long as they are together.

The Challenge of a ‘Blue Bloods’ Continuation

As reported by Deadline, during a June 2024 Paramount Global Annual Meeting of Stockholders, Paramount CEO Brian Robbins said that shareholders can expect “new franchise extensions” for shows such as Dexter, Blue Bloods, and Fire Country. While the Dexter and Fire Country spin-offs have released series information, details still remain up in the air regarding what’s next for Blue Bloods. A prequel series would certainly be an option, similar to Dexter: Original Sin or NCIS: Origins. But what about a sequel or continuation series similar to NCIS: Tony & Ziva? The challenge for a sequel series would involve maintaining the Reagan family dynamic. What if the main cast members were to leave New York City or start new chapters of their lives elsewhere? Since the family dynamic is so crucial to the core of Blue Bloods, jettisoning or downplaying that dynamic presents a huge risk. Is it still Blue Bloods without the Reagan family and Sunday dinners?

That’s not to say spin-offs or variations on the current format for Blue Bloods wouldn’t work. It would certainly be interesting to see a prequel series, possibly exploring a younger Frank Reagan during his days in the rank and file of the NYPD. His father, Henry, would be the police commissioner, while the rest of the Reagan family are young kids. We have never seen Frank’s late wife, Mary Margaret Reagan, or Joseph Reagan. Both characters had already passed away before the events of the first episode. It would be interesting to finally see those characters onscreen for the first time in a spin-off. This scenario would also allow the Reagan family dynamic to remain intact. A prequel could also depict the origins of the Reagan family’s Sunday dinners and why they became such an important, sacred tradition for the family.

In terms of sequels or continuations, if Blue Bloods does move away from the Reagan family, interesting characters such as Detective Abigail Baker (Abigail Hawk) and Joe Hill (Will Hochman) could lead their own spin-offs. At least Joe Hill maintains the Reagan family connection, and Detective Baker has been part of the show since the first season as Commissioner Frank Reagan’s primary aide. It would be interesting to see her lead her own series, perhaps in a new position or role for the character. The challenge with those hypothetical ideas entails maintaining the interest in Blue Bloods while potentially decreasing the Reagan family’s presence.

‘Blue Bloods’ Will Conclude With Its Final Episode in December

As of this date, just a few episodes of Blue Bloods remain. The series finale, appropriately titled “End of Tour,” will air on December 13, 2024. While it’s sad that the show is coming to an end, the series has undoubtedly experienced an incredible run, and the finale will be an emotional, bittersweet event. Whatever happens next with Blue Bloods, hopefully the creators will take Wahlberg’s words to heart and remember the importance of family for any future franchise extensions or continuations. The bonds of a family that just happened to be in law enforcement made Blue Bloods such an indelible series for audiences, and a television staple for fourteen seasons.

New episodes of Blue Bloods debut on Fridays on CBS. Every episode of the series is streaming now on Paramount+ in the U.S.