Blue Bloods might be over, but the saga continues with its first spin-off series, Boston Blue, later this fall on CBS. Donnie Wahlberg reprises his role of Danny Reagan from the original series, which finds Danny leaving New York City and moving to Boston to join the Boston Police Department. CBS is assembling an all-star cast for the upcoming show, including Sonequa Martin-Green, who portrays Lena Silver, Danny’s new partner. Acting veteran Ernie Hudson, of Ghostbusters fame, portrays Reverend Peters, Lena’s grandfather and a prominent Baptist minister. However, the most exciting piece of casting news reveals that Psych alum, Maggie Lawson, has a starring role in Boston Blue. We’re going to unpack why Maggie Lawson will prove to be the secret ingredient to Boston Blue’s assured success.
Who Does ‘Psych’s Maggie Lawson Play in the ‘Blue Bloods’ Spin-Off?
Boston Blue changes up the dynamic in Blue Bloods, in which Wahlberg’s Danny Reagan played the eldest child of a prominent family in law enforcement. In Boston Blue, Danny finds himself in a new city, partnering with Martin-Green’s Detective Silver, who hails from a prestigious law enforcement family as well. Lawson portrays Sarah Silver, Lena’s stepsister, who is also the superintendent of the BPD. Sarah’s character description reveals her as someone who is dedicated to her job but sometimes struggles to separate her work life from her home life.
Where have we heard that before? It sounds familiar to the Reagans, who often clashed with each other regarding their work and job responsibilities. Danny often butted heads with his little sister, Erin Reagan (Bridget Moynahan), a New York Assistant District Attorney, and they shared many disagreements over how to prosecute suspects and deal with witnesses. Now, it appears likely that Danny plays the observer of the Silver family discord. It will not be surprising if Sarah fulfills a similar role in the storyline that Erin performed in Blue Bloods. Danny, portraying the spectator to the Silver family’s conflicts, presents a refreshing reversal in character dynamics for the new series.
‘Psych’ Is One of the USA Network’s Best TV Shows
The 2000s and 2010s marked a golden age for television, a period in which both network and cable channels delivered an unprecedented wave of high-quality dramas that captivated audiences and redefined what serialized storytelling could be. Among the networks that rose to prominence during this era, USA Network stood out as a surprising and influential player. Known previously for niche programming, including its longstanding connection to WWE professional wrestling, the network suddenly became a destination for smart, character-driven shows that struck a perfect balance between procedural familiarity and vibrant, personality-filled narratives.
At the heart of this transformation was USA Network’s now-iconic “Characters Welcome” campaign—a branding philosophy that prioritized compelling individuals over formulaic plots. Rather than focusing solely on action or case-of-the-week storytelling, the network invested in creating series built around memorable, well-developed characters whose quirks, relationships, and moral dilemmas kept viewers tuning in week after week. It was a strategy that not only differentiated USA Network from its competitors but also gave birth to some of the most beloved shows of the time.
Psych became one of the flagships of this era, embodying everything that “Characters Welcome” stood for. With its witty writing, playful tone, and heartfelt character dynamics, the show quickly earned a loyal fanbase and proved that a lighthearted detective series could thrive in a landscape increasingly dominated by darker, grittier dramas. Alongside Psych, series like Monk, Burn Notice, White Collar, and Suits helped cement USA Network’s reputation as a creative powerhouse, each offering its own unique blend of humor, mystery, and emotional resonance while avoiding the trap of feeling interchangeable
Maggie Lawson’s portrayal of Juliet O’Hara in Psych was integral to that success. As one of the show’s central figures, Lawson brought warmth, intelligence, and grounded charm to a series otherwise bursting with fast-talking humor and outlandish antics. Her character provided a necessary balance to the larger-than-life personalities around her, anchoring the comedy in something emotionally real. Lawson’s performance not only helped define Psych’s tone but also made her one of the recognizable faces of USA Network’s most celebrated era.
Now, seeing Lawson step into another significant television role feels like a fitting and exciting continuation of that legacy. Having played such a vital part in shaping the “Characters Welcome” generation, her return to a high-profile project offers both nostalgia and anticipation. It’s a reminder of how influential those years were not just for USA Network as a brand, but for the actors and creators who helped usher in a wave of shows that were as much about heart and personality as they were about plot.
Maggie Lawson Can Show a Different Side of Herself in ‘Boston Blue’
Maggie Lawson has long been celebrated for her work on Psych, where she mastered the art of playing a level-headed, disciplined character amid a whirlwind of eccentric personalities. Her portrayal of Detective Juliet O’Hara provided the perfect foil to the zany antics of James Roday Rodriguez’s Shawn Spencer, Dule Hill’s Burton “Gus” Guster, and Timothy Omundson’s Carlton Lassiter. Psych thrived on its comedic energy, leaning heavily into the lighter side of its dramedy roots, and Lawson’s grounded performance anchored the series while allowing the surrounding humor to flourish.
In Boston Blue, however, Lawson steps into an entirely different creative landscape—one far removed from the playful tone and quirky cases of Psych. Like its predecessor Blue Bloods, the new series is shaping up to be a serious, character-driven police procedural, built on emotional complexity, moral dilemmas, and high-stakes storytelling. For Lawson, this marks an exciting departure from the comedic rhythms that defined much of her television career. Instead of delivering punchlines and navigating humorous misunderstandings, she will be embodying Sarah Silver, a character who exists in a far more intense, grounded, and emotionally charged world.
What makes this transition even more intriguing is the company Lawson will be keeping. Boston Blue pairs her with a powerhouse cast that includes Ernie Hudson, Sonequa Martin-Green, and Donnie Wahlberg—actors known for their ability to bring dramatic weight and nuance to their roles. Sharing the screen with such talent suggests that Lawson’s character will not merely be a side presence; Sarah Silver is likely to stand as a pivotal figure within the show’s central family dynamic, a woman navigating the complex demands of leadership, law enforcement, and personal loyalty.
Audiences who know Lawson primarily for her wit and charm in Psych will now have the opportunity to see her explore a much broader emotional range. A role like Sarah Silver offers room for deeper internal conflict, moments of quiet strength, and storylines that tap into the tension between duty and family core themes that made Blue Bloods so enduring. Watching Lawson bring those qualities to life in a serious dramatic setting will not only showcase her versatility but also redefine how viewers perceive her as an actress.
For fans, the anticipation is clear: seeing Maggie Lawson trade in her detective’s badge from a quirky, comedy-driven universe for a role that demands sharper edges, more intensity, and greater emotional complexity is a thrilling change of pace. If Boston Blue delivers on its promise of rich storytelling and layered characters, Lawson’s Sarah Silver may very well become as memorable—and perhaps even more transformative than Juliet O’Hara.
