Plans for a Blue Bloods spinoff are suddenly no longer enticing after a new update. The long-running police procedural's focus on family values makes it unique in the genre. While many shows have side stories about family matters, Blue Bloods' Reagan family is central to the procedural's premise, which features a multi-generational clan of cops who support one another through tough cases. Blue Bloods' popularity after fourteen years is arguably due to the fact that it is about a family of cops rather than focusing solely on the cases of the week.
CBS confirmed plans to cancel Blue Bloods even though the show regularly performs well on a Friday timeslot, which traditionally has low viewership. A fan-led movement to save Blue Bloods did not move the needle with CBS executives. However, the network has floated the idea of a Blue Bloods spinoff in an attempt to offset the blow of losing the beloved series. Unfortunately, a new update suggests that the Blue Bloods spinoff idea CBS is planning is one disconnected from the Reagan family rather than a story related to the beloved characters.
A Blue Bloods Spinoff Is Supposedly In The Works
There Is No Official Confirmation From CBS, Though Paramount First Floated The Idea
There has been a discussion about a potential Blue Bloods spinoff since July 2024. The first suggestion that a Blue Bloods spinoff was being considered was from Paramount, as co-CEO Brian Robbins stated one was in development. However, there was no further confirmation from CBS and Paramount. That said, it didn't stop speculations about what a potential spinoff would look like and whether it would be as popular as the original series.
While there has been no official news about a spinoff, some of the actors have spoken out. Blue Bloods star Donnie Wahlberg commented about any potential offshoot that he was only interested in participating if it kept the series' core themes, mainly its commitment to family values (via TV Insider). While he did not specify that the spinoff should involve the Reagan family, it can be inferred that he did, as he would most likely be reprising his role as Danny Reagan if he were to be involved in a spinoff.
More recently, however, Abigail Hawk, who plays Abigail Baker, stated that any potential spinoff would "have to not be involving the Reagans or the NYPD at all." (via Hello! Magazine) Hawk believes that the expansion series would have to divorce itself from the Reagans completely because it would begin soon after the original series ended. She also suggested that secondary characters could star in a spinoff that didn't feature the Reagans. Her comments did not make it clear whether this was merely her opinion or if a spinoff was already in development.
The Blue Bloods Spinoff Not Having Any Reagans Is Not Exciting
The Reagan Family Is Why Blue Bloods Is Popular In The First Place
Custom image by Jack Ori
A spinoff that completely eliminates the Reagans will have a difficult time being successful. The most popular part of the original series is Blue Bloods' Reagan family dinner. This iconic aspect of the show involves the family getting together for Sunday dinner and leaving their problems at the door. It often includes Henry, the oldest Reagan, making wisecracks, everyone teasing each other, and a lot of laughter mixed in with serious conversation about the values the family lives by. These warm family scenes cannot be replicated simply by substituting the Raegans for new characters.
After fourteen years, the audience knows the Reagan family well and is attached to them, so simply introducing a different family and calling it a Blue Bloods spinoff won't work. This is especially true if the new series is set in Los Angeles or another large city that is not New York City, where Blue Bloods takes place. The new setting and family would make it feel as if CBS decided to reboot Blue Bloods instead of continuing the original, and a reboot will not appeal to an audience that is still angry that the original series was canceled.
The Best Blue Bloods Spinoff Is The One With The Reagan Family
This Type Of Spinoff Would Fulfill Wahlberg's Requirements That It Preserve The Spirit Of The Original
There are several ways that a spinoff could respect the Reagan family that made the original so popular. CBS would have to ditch the idea of a Blue Bloods offshoot in another city and connect the new series to the Reagans. If they wanted to use Hawk's idea of a series starring her character, Abigail Baker, it would have to be made clear in the series that Abigail continues to work for Frank (or to maintain a relationship, if Frank has retired) and include guest appearances by the Reagans such as occasional invitations to their family dinners.
Meanwhile, Jamie and Eddie's plans to have a baby as Blue Bloods wraps up opens the door for a spinoff focused on them and their attempts to balance work demands with raising a child. Conversely, the series could be succeeded by a prequel in which Frank is a cop raising four kids with his wife while Henry is the commissioner. This idea would be closest to the original and thus be far more appealing than a reboot featuring strangers.
Sources: Hello! Magazine, TV Insider
