After 293 episodes, is the Reagan family really saying goodbye? Not if the cast of Blue Bloods had any say in it.
Since CBS confirmed Season 14 would be the final chapter, stars Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg, and the rest of the ensemble have been open about wanting the series to continue. For them, the ending still doesn’t feel real.
Back in 2010, the show nearly didn’t make it to air. CBS tested 10 pilots that year — Blue Bloods was the last one picked up, despite scoring the highest with audiences. Selleck credits legendary producer Leonard Goldberg for helping push it across the finish line, along with the cast’s reputation and commitment.
Wahlberg remembers getting the call at sea while touring with New Kids on the Block, being told to rush to New York for the network upfronts. Even then, landing the Friday 10 p.m. slot didn’t seem promising. Yet the series would go on to dominate that night for more than a decade.
From day one, the cast leaned into the show’s core identity: family. The iconic Reagan dinner scenes became a centerpiece of every episode, something Selleck fought to protect when he feared the network might cut them down. He also pushed back on early ideas that would’ve had Frank Reagan operating from behind a green screen, insisting the role — and the show — stay grounded and character-driven.
Filming wrapped months ago, ahead of a two-part finale, but the emotions are still raw. Wahlberg has admitted he struggles to talk about the ending without tearing up, while Selleck says he’s still adjusting to the reality that the series is over.
When CBS first planned a shorter final run, Selleck even negotiated for additional episodes, arguing the show deserved a proper sendoff. The last season was ultimately split into two parts to give the story more room to close.
Despite rumors of spinoffs and new directions, Selleck remains puzzled by the cancellation. He believes the cast would have gladly returned and that the series still had life left — especially in a streaming format.
For now, the team is focused on honoring what they built. After 14 seasons, Blue Bloods isn’t just ending a TV run — it’s closing a chapter that defined a television family for more than a decade.