Despite protests from its ensemble cast and devoted fan base, the popular police procedural Blue Bloods came to an end Friday night.
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Series star Donnie Wahlberg said in an interview with Fox News Digital that he and his co-stars did everything they could to try and keep the show on the air after 14 seasons.
“I think one of the things we haven’t really talked about is having worked so long with the crew that we had in New York City. I personally — and I’m sure some of the other castmates — felt bad. I felt sad. Like, we tried to keep the show going. We tried to help the show carry on, and we couldn’t. We couldn’t do it. You know, we did everything we could, everything in our power, to have the show carry on,” Wahlberg told the website following the series finale.
The New Kids on the Block star said there was silence after their last day on set came to an end.
“I think there was a long pause after they said ‘cut.’ And I think we all stood there or sat there kind of hoping that either, A, someone would say, ‘Hey, it’s all just a joke. We’re going to keep filming more episodes.’ Or B, everyone was hesitant because we knew once somebody started talking, we’d all become emotional,” Wahlberg said.
Last November, CBS announced the 14th season of the Tom Selleck-led police series would be its last.
The long-running show followed multiple generations of the Reagan family working in New York law enforcement and stars Selleck as New York Police Commissioner Frank Reagan. The cast also includes Donnie Wahlberg (Det. Danny), Bridget Moynahan (ADA Erin Reagan), Will Estes (Sgt. Jamie Reagan), Len Cariou (PC Henry), Jennifer Esposito (Chief of Police Jackie Curatola), Steve Schirripa (Det. Anthony Abetemarco), Marisa Ramirez (Det. Maria Baez) and Vanessa Ray (Officer Eddie Janko).
The news came as a surprise as Blue Bloods was the top-rated series on Fridays. According to Deadline, it averaged more than 9.5 million viewers per week last season. It is also the third most-watched broadcast drama on TV.
Wahlberg, 55, said that after more than a decade he and his castmates felt they were “letting (the crew) down a little bit.”
“That was tough. That was tough to process, you know. And I know the crew wouldn’t feel that way. But in some ways, we just kept sort of believing we would keep the show going. When that finale ended, it was kind of like reality hit us all. It was definitely a part of it, a bit of like, ‘Gosh, you know, if we could have just kept going a few more years, you know?’”
Every episode of Blue Bloods ended with the Reagan family gathered around the dinner table. Wahlberg said their final scene together left him in “tears” as Selleck read the poem Love Is Not All by Edna St. Vincent Millay.
“Literally, my life passed before my eyes,” Wahlberg said in a separate interview with Variety. “I was listening to his voice mesmerize this room and thinking about what a magical journey, and what a gift that this boy, who didn’t know where his next meal was going to come from half the time, in this scrappy family, who grew up watching this man on TV, is sitting next to him, sharing this magical moment of his wisdom and grace,”
Wahlberg said that the scene exemplified how Selleck had a “showing up to work and delivering a message.”
“He would quote different things to leave us with something to think about and focus us on what’s important. It was a magical thing,” Wahlberg said “When they said, ‘That’s a wrap,’ we all waited.”
In a separate post to his Instagram, Wahlberg paid tribute to his TV dad Selleck.
“Fourteen years of calling this man my cast mate, my commissioner, my friend and — whether it was on screen or off — calling him DAD! It’s been an honor, my dear friend. Thank you for leading the way and for always trusting in me. Thank you for being a father figure, and a leader, to all of us on the set of Blue Bloods. Our tour has ended, but the friendship, admiration, respect and memories, will remain. Happy Blue Bloods Finale Friday.
His caption concluded, “Love you, Dad. All my gratitude, Donnie aka Danny aka Son.”
Meanwhile, Selleck was critical of CBS’ decision to end the show.
In an October interview with TV Insider, the veteran actor didn’t hold back as he spoke of how the popular crime series “was always taken for granted.”
“I’m kind of frustrated … I haven’t wanted to talk about an ending for Blue Bloods but about it still being wildly successful,” the 79-year-old Emmy winner said.
“In a Top 100 Shows of 2023-2024 … we were number 9 out of 100. If you discount the three football shows, we’re 6. 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,” Selleck said.
In his chat alongside Wahlberg with Variety, Selleck said he’s “still getting used to” the show being over.
“I can’t figure out why they didn’t start streaming it, do 10 episodes a year. But I’m not the boss. Everybody wanted to come back. And I think with this cast, it would have been a gift for the audience,” he said. “I don’t make those decisions. I’m prepared to celebrate and commemorate this show.”
But Blue Bloods might not be done quite yet.
During a shareholder meeting in June, Paramount Global co-CEO Brian Robbins hinted that a new Blue Bloods spinoff could be on the way.
“In TV, new franchise extensions are coming for Dexter, Billions and Blue Bloods,” he said.
All seasons of Blue Bloods are available to stream on Paramount+.