Following its 14-season, 293-episode run in December 2024, Blue Bloods was given a ceremonious End of Watch call to honor its CBS finale. Far from the last time fans can witness police officer Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) patrol the crime-ridden streets, the new spin-off Boston Blue will follow the character to the Massachusetts capital.
As Reagan relocates from New York to Boston and meets his new Boston PD colleagues, he butts heads with his new partner, the eldest child in a proud family of Boston cops who know much more about the city and its criminals than Reagan does. Between the premise, casting, development, and potential release date, it’s high time to pull out the magnifying glass and inspect all there is to know about Boston Blue thus far.
‘Boston Blue’s Premise & Development
Boston Blue did not begin as a conceived Blue Bloods spin-off. According to Deadline, a project titled Jamaica Plain was pitched by writers Brandon Margolis and Brandon Sonnier, named after the Boston neighborhood. The premise involved an LAPD officer transferring to BPD and the ensuing culture clash.
With CBS intent on keeping Blue Bloods around, Boston native Donnie Wahlberg urged the producers to transfer Danny Reagan to the city instead. The idea was fleshed out more once CBS greenlighted the premise. The extended plot concerns Danny relocating from New York to Boston, where he clashes with Detective Lena Silver, described by CBS as the oldest daughter of Boston’s proudest law enforcement family.
For Danny, who spent years in New York with the comfort of his blood kin as his co-workers, the brash Boston native will witness how Lena operates within her family of lifelong law enforcers. The shoe is on the other foot for Danny, a clear focus of Boston Blue’s narrative. With far less agency than he had back home, navigating the new BPD and its geopolitical machinations will further complicate Danny’s transfer.
In Blue Bloods’ finale, Danny worked up the nerve to ask Maria Baez out for pizza, something his grandfather had urged since the death of Danny’s wife in Season 8. Without trafficking in too much conjecture, Maria may venture to Beantown to be close to Danny in Boston Blue.
Discussing Danny’s arc moving forward, Wahlberg told Entertainment Weekly:
“I would say I would have Danny Reagan walk right into his next chapter of his life, maybe in a different place doing a similar job and perhaps with someone from the current cast.
But I want him to not be too far from the family so that he could still see them and spend time with them, but maybe to see what life has in store for him now that his boys have gone off and he’s empty nesting and his wife’s gone. Maybe he can see what the future holds for him on his own. As long as he can visit the family sometimes. Does that sound like a tease for a spinoff?”
Visiting family is a priority for Wahlberg, begging the question of which Blue Bloods characters will return for Boston Blue.
‘Boston Blue’ Casting & Release Details
The world of Blue Bloods is far from over — it’s evolving. With Boston Blue, the highly anticipated spinoff, CBS is breathing new life into the beloved franchise by introducing a fresh lineup of complex characters who are ready to make their mark on the streets of Boston. Anchored by Donnie Wahlberg reprising his iconic role as Danny Reagan, the series promises a dynamic blend of justice, legacy, and family bonds with a whole new city as its backdrop.
Leading the charge alongside Wahlberg is The Walking Dead alum Sonequa Martin-Green, who steps into the powerful role of Lena Silver. Lena is more than just Danny’s new partner in the Boston Police Department — she’s a rising star in law enforcement and the ambitious eldest daughter of Boston’s formidable District Attorney, Mae Silver. Tough, principled, and driven, Lena is set to challenge Danny in all the right ways, bringing a new energy and tension to the force.
Adding even more weight to the Silver family is ER veteran Gloria Reuben, taking on the role of Mae Silver herself. As the DA of Boston and a commanding matriarch, Mae walks the fine line between justice and politics, all while keeping her family and the city in line. With Reuben’s signature gravitas, Mae is poised to be a powerful presence both in the courtroom and at the dinner table.
Psych favorite Maggie Lawson returns to her crime-solving roots as Sarah, Lena’s driven and by-the-book step-sister who serves as Superintendent of the Boston PD. Fiercely protective and laser-focused, Sarah brings a sharp contrast to Lena’s more intuitive style, setting up potential friction and fierce loyalty within the department and the Silver household.
The youngest of the Silver clan, Jonah, is portrayed by Black-ish’s Marcus Scribner. As a rookie patrol officer fresh out of the academy, Jonah brings a mix of idealism and uncertainty, eager to prove himself but still finding his footing in a world where everyone else seems ten steps ahead. His journey from wide-eyed beginner to seasoned cop will no doubt strike a chord with fans.
Rounding out the cast is Hollywood icon Ernie Hudson, stepping into the role of Reverend Peters, the Silver family patriarch. A wise and open-minded pastor of a historic Baptist church in Boston, Peters is both spiritual guide and grounding force, offering wisdom in a world that constantly blurs the lines between right and wrong. This marks a reunion for Hudson and Lawson, who previously appeared together in season 2 of Psych, adding a layer of nostalgic charm for longtime fans.
With this powerhouse cast and multi-generational family dynamics at its core, Boston Blue is shaping up to be a must-watch series. It carries the emotional weight and moral complexity of Blue Bloods, while forging its own bold path through the storied streets of Boston. Expect compelling new stories, high-stakes cases, and the same loyalty, love, and justice that made the original series a household name just with a new accent and attitude.
The Ghostbusters star’s role is akin to that of Tom Selleck’s Frank Reagan, and Peters will serve as a grounding and level-headed presence in the spinoff. Fans have been hoping that Hudson and Selleck may one day share the screen in the spinoff, and Selleck himself has publicly stated he’s open to returning in some capacity as Frank Reagan, Danny’s father and the proud family leader. According to Parade, Selleck stated: “[I’m] open to suggestions because I love Frank Reagan.”
As for Maria Baez, actress Marisa Ramirez beamed about the chance to reprise the role, stating:
“[I] would love to continue giving life to Maria [Baez] for another 15 years…I would never turn down something like that. It would be a blessing, which I would accept with open arms.”
Meanwhile, Vanessa Ray and Steve Schirripa have voiced their desire to reprise their characters in Boston Blue, but nothing has been made official.
Boston Blue is scheduled to premiere in the fall on CBS and will inherit the Friday 10:00 p.m. ET/PT time slot that Blue Bloods previously held during most of its enduring run.
