Ever since the news broke that Blue Bloods was ending with Season 14, fans have been wondering why Blue Bloods was canceled and not picked up for a Season 15.
Starring Tom Selleck as New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan, the beloved series focuses on the fictional Reagan family who have a long history with law enforcement. Rounding out the cast is Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynihan, Will Estes, Len Cariou, Marisa Ramirez and Vanessa Ray. The series first premiered in 2010 and has anchored CBS’ Friday night lineup ever since. It is the network’s most-watched primetime program and the No. 3 broadcast drama with 9.54 million viewers, according to Deadline. With such high ratings, fans were shocked when the news broke in November 2023 that Season 14 would be its last. The two-part final season consisted of 18 episodes, with the finale airing in December 2024.
Why was Blue Bloods canceled?
During an April 2024 press conference, CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach claimed that Blue Bloods simply was canceled because it was on for so long. (At 14 seasons, Blue Bloods was one of CBS’ longest-running primetime series only behind shows like NCIS.) “We love this cast, we love their passion for the show,” she said. “All shows have to come to an end. It’s important to us to refresh the schedule. We are going to end the show come December,” she said ath time.
She also confirmed that the network will not be reversing its decision to cancel Blue Bloods, despite the ongoing effort from fans and cast members to save the show.”We really want to thank the cast and crew, everyone involved in the show,” Reisenbach told reporters. “We absolutely will miss the family dinners. It is important to give show the sendoff it deserves.”
Back in March 2023, Deadline reported that Blue Bloods‘ Season 14 renewal followed difficult negotiations, with CBS pushing for significant budget cuts — 25 percent for above-the-line talent, including actors. Eventually, cast and producers agreed to salary reductions in order to keep the show going. According to the outlet’s sources, however, the renewal came with the assumption that Season 14 would be the series’ last. Although
Donnie Wahlberg, who plays Detective Danny Reagan, hinted to fans in July 2024 that a possible spinoff could be coming. While he didn’t “know anything officially,” he confirmed there are “things in the works” in regards to Blue Bloods continuing.
“Well, we filmed the apparent last season of Blue Bloods, and it’ll air starting in October,” he said. “Maybe there’ll be something else after that. I don’t know anything officially yet, but there’s things in the works. So maybe something awesome will happen.” He continued, “You know I’ll do things after Blue Bloods no matter what.”
Along with Wahlberg, Selleck had previously warned CBS that “an awful lot of people aren’t ready to say goodbye” to Blue Bloods. “The show’s more popular than ever, and I think [numbers] will increase with the interest this year. We’re certainly not out of ideas,” he told TV Insider ahead of the Season 14 premiere. “I’m not counting the days so I can do something else. I love the work. Sometimes the hours are a little harder because I’m older, but so what? I want work as long as they’ll have me.”
When asked about whether Frank will retire in Blue Bloods‘ final season, Selleck told the outlet: “He picks fights because he’d like somebody to take the weight of this responsibility [off] his hands and fire him. But he has a hyperactive sense of responsibility and he’s stuck with it.”
not confirmed by CBS or any of the cast, it’s very likely that the show also ended due to these budget cuts.
A few days after CBS’ press conference regarding Blue Bloods‘ cancellation, Selleck spoke out about CBS’ decision and urged the network to rethink the cancelation. “I will continue to think that CBS will come to their senses,” he told CBS News. “We’re the third-highest scripted show in all of broadcast. We’re winning the night. All the cast wants to come back. And I can tell you this: we aren’t sliding off down a cliff. We’re doing good shows, and still holding our place. So, I don’t know. You tell me!”
Selleck also expressed his frustrations with Blue Bloods ending in an interview with TV Insider in October 2024, given that the series was one of the top 100 shows of 2023-2024. “I’m kind of frustrated,” he said at the time. “During those last eight shows, I haven’t wanted to talk about an ending for Blue Bloods, but about it still being wildly successful.”
“I’m not going to turn into a bitter old guy saying, ‘Get off my lawn!’ I don’t believe in holding grudges. But if you were to say to the television network, ‘Here’s a show you can program in the worst time slot you got, and it is going to guarantee you winning Friday night for the next 15 years,’ it would be almost impossible to believe.”
While Blue Bloods officially concluded in December 2024,
Although CBS has not given a specific reason as to why they’ve pulled the plug on the hit show, they did release a statement reflecting on the series’ legacy. “Blue Bloods will forever be a beloved part of CBS’s legacy. It ruled Friday nights with unprecedented dominance since its premiere and established itself as a pillar of our winning lineup with an exceptionally devoted fan base,” Reisenbach and CBS Studios president David Stapf said at the time of the show’s cancelation.
They went on to thank the show’s star and executive producer, Selleck, as well as the show’s late executive producer Leonard Goldberg, who died in 2019. “We’ll be forever grateful to the legendary Leonard Goldberg for developing this signature series and to the amazing cast led by Tom Selleck, who America embraced as family and watched as welcomed guests at the Reagan dinner table,” the executives said, noting that Blue Bloods will have “the most satisfying season yet.”
Selleck also made a touching statement. “For the past 13 years it has been an honor and a privilege to work on a show that not only celebrates the men and women who protect and serve in New York City, but also displayed the importance of family,” he said. “Working alongside these incredible actors, writers, producers, directors and crew has been a dream come true and I’m grateful to have been a part of this extraordinary group for over 275 episodes. Thank you to CBS Studios and CBS Network for their steadfast support and we offer heartfelt gratitude to the fans who gathered with us for dinner every Friday night.”
Fans took to social media to express their heartbreak over the news. “Not ready for this show to end💙,” one fan commented on CBS’ official announcement. Another commented: “No…..it’s my whole Friday night. I love the Reagans! 😢😢😢.” A third fan chimed in, “I’m heartbroken 💔 this show was the best show ever. I’m going to miss it so much 💔.”
