The highly anticipated premiere of CBS’s Boston Blue delivered exactly what Blue Bloods fans craved: the familiar, intense procedural energy of Detective Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg), but set against the backdrop of his hometown. The show has successfully carved out a new space in the Blue Bloods universe, introducing the Silver family as a new foil and support system for Danny, while still honoring the deep-rooted connections he left behind in New York.
However, the transition to Boston raised immediate, burning questions for the fan base: What about Maria Baez? Why the recast of Sean Reagan? And will any of the other beloved Reagans make the short, but traffic-laden, trip up I-95?
In a series of candid interviews, Boston Blue co-creators and showrunners Brandon Sonnier and Brandon Margolis addressed these pivotal fan queries, revealing the delicate balancing act required to launch a new series while respecting a decade-long legacy.
❤️ Danny and Baez: Figuring Out the Long-Distance Love
One of the biggest cliffhangers from the original Blue Bloods finale was the will-they-or-won’t-they tension finally resolving into a definite they will. The Boston Blue premiere not only confirmed that Danny and Maria Baez (Marisa Ramirez) are officially in a romantic relationship but also immediately introduced the harsh reality of long-distance dating.
The Confirmed Return of Baez
Danny’s decision to stay in Boston, driven by a desire to be closer to his newly-minted rookie-cop son, Sean, immediately put the Danny-Baez relationship to the test. When Sean asks his father what this means for his relationship with Maria, Danny simply says, “Maria and I will figure it out.”
The showrunners confirmed this is not a storyline they plan to abandon.
Brandon Margolis stated emphatically: “Baez will return — multiple times in the first season — and it’s a story we’re going to tell.”
This is crucial for fans who felt invested in the slow-burn romance between the two partners. By having Baez recur throughout the first season, Boston Blue can explore the genuine struggle of maintaining a serious relationship across the three-hour drive between the two cities. The showrunners have framed this as part of the overall emotional cost of Danny’s move: “The struggle of moving to a new place and what you leave behind is front and center, and that includes the relationship with Baez.”
The first few episodes immediately paid service to this, with Baez appearing in the pilot to show the relationship’s current status. The show is committed to building on the chemistry that Donnie Wahlberg and Marisa Ramirez perfected over their years as partners, now transitioning that bond into a long-distance romance full of potential pitfalls and heartfelt reunions.
🎭 The Sean Reagan Recast: Seeking “A Different Energy”
Perhaps the most jarring change for longtime fans was seeing Mika Amonsen step into the role of Sean Reagan, replacing Andrew Terraciano, who had played Danny’s youngest son since the start of Blue Bloods.
Showrunners acknowledged the risk of recasting a character who literally grew up on screen, but explained the decision was entirely creative and story-driven.
The Character’s New Chapter
Sean Reagan is no longer the kid at the dinner table; he is now Officer Sean Reagan of the Boston Police Department, starting his own career in law enforcement. This dramatic shift required a new perspective.
Co-Showrunner Brandon Margolis explained: “We love Andrew and the work he did over the years on Blue Bloods. Really, it came down to we’re telling a new chapter in both of their lives… It felt like there was an organic opportunity to bring in a new performance with a different energy, to help dramatize that change.”
The new energy Amonsen brings is described as a mix of vulnerability and a strong desire to prove himself as a rookie cop. Margolis noted that the recasting was tied to the creation of new storytelling lanes: Danny is now the father of a cop, a role he’s never had before, and the show needed an actor who could project that new professional dynamic right away.
In fact, the showrunners intentionally took a “gamble” by opening the pilot with Amonsen’s Sean in a heroic, high-stakes moment to immediately establish him as a core part of the Boston Blue narrative and to pull Danny into the new city’s drama.
🗽 The Missing Reagan: The Character We Didn’t See (Yet)
While Bridget Moynahan (Erin Reagan) made a powerful guest appearance in the pilot, serving as the first official Blue Bloods cameo, and Marisa Ramirez is set to recur, the question on every fan’s mind is about the Patriarch himself.
The Frank Reagan Question
The Blue Bloods franchise revolves around Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) and the legendary Sunday Dinner. While Ernie Hudson’s Reverend Edwin Peters provides a new family patriarch in Boston, the possibility of seeing Frank remains a tantalizing hope.
Though Frank Reagan has not been officially confirmed for a cameo, the bosses and cast have expressed optimism.
- Donnie Wahlberg has pointed out the relatively short travel distance: “New York and Boston are really close… They’re not that far apart.”
- Ernie Hudson himself has joined the cast in voicing his hope for a Selleck appearance: “I’d love to work with Tom. I never have. Over the years, I’ve certainly admired his work.”
The showrunners confirmed that they are “open to having as many Reagans as we can find come to this table — and vice versa.” This suggests that while Commissioner Frank Reagan has not been scheduled to appear in the first half of the season, the door is wide open for a guest appearance down the line. Seeing Frank and Danny grapple with their professional lives across two different cities, or perhaps having Frank offer his unique brand of wisdom to Danny in Boston, remains the ultimate crossover dream the bosses are clearly entertaining.
The combination of familiar faces and fresh dynamics shows that Boston Blue is dedicated to being a true continuation of the Blue Bloods universe, maintaining the Reagan family’s heart and values while building its own new, multi-generational, law-enforcement family in the streets of Boston.
