Summary
Blue Bloodsis seemingly confirmed to get a spinoff, as the series finale looms. The Tom Selleck-led police procedural centers on the Reagan family and tracks their multi-generational power within the New York City criminal justice system. It has been a consistent ratings performer on broadcast and streaming, which gave viewers and industry observers a fair amount of surprise when the drama was canceled late last year. The show’s supporters have since launched a campaign to save it, which has beenconcurrent withBlue Bloodsseason 14.
The story may not be over yet, asTVLinereports thatParamount Global co-CEO Brian Robbins revealed a newBlue Bloodsshow is in the works.Robbins' comments came during the annual stockholders meeting for Paramount, which owns CBS. Robbins touted the strength of the company’s television franchises, mentioning already confirmed spinoffs likeDexterand saying in part, “In TV, new franchise extensions are coming for Dexter,Billions, andBlue Bloods.” The news comes ahead ofBlue Bloods' series finale in December of this year.
Why Is Blue Bloods Ending With Season 14?
The Cancellation Follows A Recent Trend In Television
This is generally because long-running shows tend to cost more at a time whennetworks and studios are both changing their strategies and looking to save moneyin the face of declining ad revenue and overall lower live viewership.
The future ofBlue Bloodshas been marked by uncertainty for some time, and it has been reported thatthe season 14 renewal came only after difficult negotiations. CBS asked for notable budget cuts, which included actors. The cast and producers agreed to the salary reductions to keep hundreds of crew members and other staff employed. The renewal reportedly came with the knowledge that season 14 would be the last.
It was alsomentioned that theBlue Bloodswriting team started penning the scripts with the knowledge that it could be the final chapter, although it’s noted that the decision to end the police drama was only firmly decided after the actors strike. From there, the episode count and the release schedule were decided upon. As it stands,Blue Bloodsseason 14 was split into two parts, withthe remaining eight episodes starting to roll out in October.
Blue Bloods: Why The Reagans Stopped Praying & 10 Other Things You Didn’t Know About The Family Dinner Scenes
Blue Bloods has become known for its iconic family dinner table scenes, but was it ever explained why the Reagan family stopped praying?
Blue Bloods' cancellation follows a trend of shows getting axed, regardless of how well they perform in the ratings. The trend includesThe Good Doctor,Station19, andNCIS: Hawaiʻi. This is generally because long-running shows tend to cost more at a time whennetworks and studios are both changing their strategies and looking to save moneyin the face of declining ad revenue and overall lower live viewership.
Blue Bloods' Cast Lobbied To Save The Show
Selleck Has Criticized CBS For The Cancellation
In an interview with CBS News, he even questioned whether the network would reconsider its decision and perhaps renewBlue Bloodsfor season 15.
The police drama, which also stars Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Will Estes, Len Cariou, Marisa Ramirez, and Vanessa Ray, remains popular even in the face of changing viewership habits. It was the most-watched primetime series on Friday nights, garnering more than 11 million viewers an episode once multiplatform viewing was factored in. It had recentlybeen the third most-watched broadcast series, winning its Friday night in terms of total viewers every year since its premiere.
Selleck, also an executive producer on the procedural, cited these facts when criticizing CBS' cancellation. In an interview withCBS News, he even questioned whether the network would reconsider its decision and perhapsrenewBlue Bloodsfor season 15. Although that’s not quite the case, and it remains to be seen whether long-time executive producer Kevin Wade joins the new project, a spinoff gives space for the story to continue.
Wahlberg also seemed to object toBlue Bloodsending by saying it was"allegedly"going to end with season 14, adding that"we’ll see what happens."
CBS Has Been Extending Shows Like Blue Bloods With Spinoffs
The New Spinoff Could Be A Prequel
Even as networks are reluctant to renew long-running series because of the associated costs, including CBS, Paramount Global has been aggressive inbuilding on its established brands and finding ways to continue a show through a spinoff or a prequel. This has always been true of CBS in particular, as the network has made successful franchises out ofNCIS,CSI, andFBI. Each has had several spinoffs, thoughNCISis the most notable. The original is still going, withNCIS: OriginsandNCIS: Tony & Zivaon the way.
TheNCISexample could prove especially helpful forBlue Bloods, which could continue in the form of a prequel focused on a member of the Reagan family. Or, likeCBS' upcomingGeorgie & Mandyspinoff, which follows two breakoutYoung Sheldoncharacters, the new project could take the approach of choosing a supporting character and turning them into the star of their own show. Though it’s too early to speculate, because of the fact there is no official announcement, there is reason to be optimistic because makingcontinuations of successful series is nothing new for CBS.
Blue Bloods Update About Frank’s Career Is A Hopeful Sign For The Show’s Future
Kevin Wade, the showrunner of the CBS series Blue Bloods, gave an optimistic update on the status of Tom Selleck’s character at the end of season 14.
Even thoughBlue Bloodsseason 15 likely won’t be renewed, there does seem to be an acknowledgment of the audience that the police procedural has cultivated. The spinoff, if it does materialize, could allow for main actors such as Selleck and Wahlberg to appear. Some of that will likely also depend on how the veteran police saga chooses to conclude its story once the final episodes start to roll out in December.
Blue Bloods
Cast
Blue Bloods is a television drama series that follows the Reagan family, a family of law enforcement officers in New York City. Led by Police Commissioner Frank Reagan, the series explores familial and professional dynamics as they navigate police work and politics, guided by their patriarch, the former Chief, Henry Reagan.
