As the popular police procedural series Blue Bloodsrides off into the sunset, the franchise is set to continue in a spinoff entitled Boston Blue. Debuting back in 2010, Blue Bloods follows the members of the Reagan family, a clan of cops with deep connections to the NYPD. Patriarch Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) is the NYPD Commissioner, and he must blend his job with his family life as both are intricately tied to law enforcement. With its blend of typical procedural elements with ongoing drama within the Reagan family, Blue Bloods set itself apart from other long-running cop shows.
Despite being one of the most popular procedurals on TV for almost its entire run, CBS opted to cancel Blue Bloods after season 14. This caused something of an uproar, since it was clear that audiences still wanted more and the cast was onboard to keep the series going. Season 13 garnered a 9.40 rating (via The Hollywood Reporter) which was good enough for fifth-best on TV for that year. As such, rumblings began concerning a spinoff of the long-running cop drama, and now CBS has green-lit Boston Blue, a spinoff arriving for the 2025-2026 season.
Only a month or so after the spinoff was formally announced, the latest news arrives in the form of a teaser for Boston Blue. Shared on Instagram by series star Donnie Wahlberg, the brief teaser mostly serves to introduce the series and features footage from Blue Bloods. Perhaps most importantly, the teaser announces that Boston Blue is coming in fall 2025, indicating that it already has an important place in CBS’ rapidly-changing slate.
The Blue Bloods Spinoff: Boston Blue Is Confirmed
The Spinoff Will Be Part Of The Fall 2025-2026 Season
The Reagan family with heads bowed and hands clasped during the final dinner scene
The Reagan family with heads bowed and hands clasped during the final dinner scene
Hot on the heels of canceling one of its most popular programs in the form of Blue Bloods, CBS has now green-lit a spinoff set within the same universe. The first rumblings of what would eventually become Boston Blue began in June 2024, when Paramount Global CEO Brian Robbins revealed that another Blue Bloods show was in the works. This was in direct response to the backlash caused by the original series’ cancelation, and came among other announcements concerning popular Paramount properties like Dexter and Billions.
Blue Bloods aired its finale on December 13, 2024.
Now that Boston Blue has been given a direct-to-series order by CBS, and is slated for release within the year, it’s clear that work will begin progressing quickly. Since CBS has such a short timeline in mind, the pre-production phase for season 1 of Boston Blue is likely nearing completion, with news regarding production on the horizon. Like most network TV productions, the spinoff will be operating on a razor-thin timeline, and it is set to premiere in fall 2025 and won’t be a midseason addition.
The Blue Bloods Spinoff: Boston Blue Cast Details
Donnie Wahlberg Returns As Danny Reagan
Donnie Wahlberg as Detective Danny Reagan in the middle of speaking in Blue Bloods
Donnie Wahlberg as Detective Danny Reagan in the middle of speaking in Blue Bloods
The cast of Blue Bloodswas one of the most solid ensembles in cop drama history, and it makes sense that the spinoff would focus on one or more of the familiar Reagan clan. So far, the only name attached is Donnie Wahlberg, who is set to reprise his role as Danny Reagan, a seasoned detective and Iraq War vet who bends the rules to crack cases. Since the series is leaving New York for Boston, it’s unclear if any other Reagans will go to Beantown. The character of detective Lena Peters has been announced, but the role isn’t cast.
The Blue Bloods Spinoff: Boston Blue Story Details
Danny Reagan Moves To Boston & Gets A New Partner
Blue Bloods Danny And Baez wearing blue gloves while a dead body sits behind them in a deck chair
Blue Bloods Danny And Baez wearing blue gloves while a dead body sits behind them in a deck chair
Because Blue Bloods ended on a sweet but simple note, little can be pulled from the finale to inform the plot of Boston Blue. CBS has provided a scant synopsis for the show, and it reveals that Danny Reagan will relocate to Boston to take a job as a detective with Boston PD. He’ll partner with detective Lena Peters, who is the daughter of a prominent law enforcement family in Boston. This clearly parallels Blue Blood’s theme of family, but several gaps will need to be filled in before the show premieres.
Perhaps the biggest question is why Danny moves to Boston, something that seems out of character considering his close ties to his family. More will also need to be revealed about Peters, and it remains to be seen how the new partners will work together on cases. Regardless, Boston Blueis clearly setting up a blank slate for its debut season, and could perhaps build its characters much in the same way that Blue Bloods did across its 14 seasons.
The Blue Bloods Spinoff: Boston Blue Teaser Trailer
CBS Dropped The First Teaser In March 2025
Custom Image by Ana Nieves
Hot on the heels of formally announcing Boston Blue, CBS dropped a short teaser for the upcoming spinoff in March 2025. Though it only uses some stock footage of Boston and shots from Blue Bloods, the teaser shows off Donnie Wahlberg’s return and, more importantly, announces that it will premiere in fall 2025.
