On December 13, 2024, the Reagan household provides its last salute as Blue Bloods ends its 14-year command of Friday nights. CBS had canceled its hit present—although rankings have slipped, it’s nonetheless among the many prime 10 broadcast sequence—however negotiated a deal that the household cop sequence would get eight further episodes this fall after a shortened Season 14.
Under, showrunner Kevin Wade, who’s been part of Blue Bloods since its premiere on September 24, 2010, provides TV Insider a preview of the sequence’ finale.
When the present was unexpectedly and rapidly canceled, did you have already got a plan for the sequence finale, or did you rapidly put one collectively?
Kevin Wade: Properly, we had an entire season the place we knew this was the final lap, so all of us began speaking collectively fairly early, and it was determined that Siobhan [Byrne O’Connor] and I might write the sequence finale. And so we began months earlier than, speaking like, what are the present’s biggest hits? What are the issues that we like to do, the viewers appears to like, and the way can we do them in a brand new and contemporary method, however pay some consideration to what’s labored prior to now?
What are an important tales and scene that needed to be a part of the sequence finale?
[Co-writer] Siobhan Byrne O’Connor and I made a decision early that the finale that might work greatest for our fantastic giant forged have been tales the place all of them are in pursuit of [the same] syndicate. So whereas every most important character would have a separate alley to stroll down, they have been working towards discovering the identical prison. That makes for probably the most propulsive method we will inform all 4 tales without delay. And naturally, the household dinner scene took a whole lot of consideration simply by way of who can be there and why and would something be promised or revolved.
Michael Parmelee / CBS
That is, sorry to say, actually the final supper.
Could lightning not strike us. [Laughs] However sure, that is the final supper.
Apart from the same old weekly dinner crew, what guests are you able to tease present up on the Sunday desk?
There are a number of black sheep, together with one who’s been with us on and off for a few years. I’ve to be imprecise right here. There are blood kin who we haven’t seen a lot of shortly who’re current. I’ll say it’s an even bigger desk than normal. [Laughs] The artwork division needed to truly go into the wooden store and make an additional leaf!
You talked about the episode is a propulsive one. Are you able to arrange the story, which begins with the surprising homicide of a decide?
Within the first act, we see violent crimes and tried murders, which don’t appear in any respect related till Assistant District Legal professional Erin Reagan [Bridget Moynahan] and [her investigator] Anthony [Steve Schrippa] are performed a recording that may clarify that the crimes are an orchestrated effort to create chaos in New York Metropolis. Then it turns into the Reagans’ job—police commissioner Frank [Tom Selleck], detective Danny [Donnie Wahlberg], sergeant Jamie [Will Estes], and patrol Eddie [Vanessa Ray]—together with Erin and Anthony, to haul in all of the nets and discover out if they will remedy the crimes. Gang chief Carlo Ramirez [Manny Perez], who needed to flee the nation, is integral to the prison plot. He has a really identifiable goal of vengeance and comes again to wreak havoc and reclaim his youngster.
Whereas all this unfolds, Frank is–symbolically—given “the keys to town” by Mayor Chase (Dylan Walsh). What are you able to say about that?
With out revealing the plotting, in the middle of our 14 years, one thing would remind us a number of instances a season that the police commissioner serves on the pleasure of the mayor; it’s one thing that Frank lived with since day one. And whereas he fought in opposition to many mayors, his relationship with Mayor Chase is extra like unusual bedfellows than sworn enemies. And so, when he has a possibility to truly serve the mayor in a method that’s not concerning the paperwork however a couple of man serving to out a colleague, he grabs it.
How does that have an effect on the commissioner?
Solely in that he goes again to his objective as a cop as he reminds himself and anybody who would pay attention that he was nonetheless principally a cop. So when a cop has the chance to go get the dangerous man, he’s going to take it. That’s the place his skillset nonetheless lives.
There’s a photograph launched with the Reagan clan in full pressure at a funeral that has followers guessing who has died. With out naming the individual, what does that scene imply within the context of the sequence finale?
To sound highfalutin, and forgive me for that, one of many guiding rules of the present’s storytelling over most of its life—and as we went on, it sharpened—is that each victory has to return with a loss. It’s so simple as that. The tales that have been most shifting we discovered have been the place, sure, the Reagans individually or collectively had a victory, nevertheless it got here at a price.
To melt the loss, are you able to say there’s largely a contented ending for the Reagan clan?
Joyful’s a reasonably subjective time period. I believe there’s a satisfying ending for all of the Reagans. It’s a household individually and collectively who take care of loss and loneliness and good versus dangerous. , the solar doesn’t come out and all of the stuff that they take care of goes away, that might not be true to 14 years of storytelling. However our hope is that it satisfying for the viewers.
Blue Bloods, Sequence Finale, Friday, December 13, 10/9c, CBS