Donnie Wahlberg’s Danny Reagan is finally back, as revealed by the first public footage of the Blue Bloods spin-off, Boston Blue. Danny first appears as a leading star in the New York City-based procedural, alongside Tom Selleck (Frank Reagan), Bridget Moynahan (Erin Reagan), Len Cariou (Henry Reagan), and other stars.
The show was extremely successful, but the rising costs involved in filming in New York led to Blue Bloods’ eventual cancellation. CBS quickly greenlit a sequel series, which will see Danny joining a new family of crime fighters in Boston. The show is expected to premiere on October 17, 2025, and will see Danny enlisting in the Boston Police Department.
The footage, which was revealed by Instagram user bostonbluefans, features Danny and Sean Reagan as they race through a crowd to find a body on the street. Danny screamed out that the two of them were NYPD officers before frantically asking Sean to call the incident in to the rest of the department.
What This Means For Boston Blue
Blue Bloods was famously filmed mainly in New York City, which helped contribute to its strong connection to the NYPD and New Yorkers in general. Despite those roots, even the New York scenes in the sequel are reported being filmed in Toronto. This marks a major change to the franchise and indicates why CBS chose to end the original series.
Filming is relatively less expensive in Toronto, which likely explains why the sequel is currently being filmed on Canadian streets. Even with a new setting, however, Danny is still identifying himself as a member of the NYPD. With Sean there, it likely indicates that the show will feature many members of the Reagan family before Danny takes leave for Boston.
After Danny moves, however, he will encounter an all-new cast of characters, which will include Sonequa Martin-Green as Lena Silver, Ernie Hudson as Reverend Peters, and Gloria Reuben as Mae Silver. That Sean is appearing at all is a good sign, especially given that it offers the Blue Bloods cast another chance to say goodbye.
Our Take On Boston Blue’s First Set Footage
It is difficult to extract too much information from such a short clip, but the scene does feel like Blue Bloods. The frantic action, the quiet competence, and Danny’s leap to step in are all elements that exist within the original series. Besides the setting, nothing here feels like a new show, which is a good sign for the franchise.
Boston Blue was not originally pitched as a Blue Bloods sequel, so there was an understood concern that the show could be extremely different. Its roots, it appears to be willing to feature characters like Sean, which helps to tie the franchise together. Blue Bloods might be gone, but its legacy will live on in this spin-off.
