Followers of Blue Bloods have been bummed when CBS introduced that the long-running police drama concerning the Reagan household was wrapping up for good in late 2024, leaving an enormous gap within the 2025 TV schedule. The solid, together with star Tom Selleck, weren’t thrilled both. Plainly even at 80 years younger, Selleck nonetheless loves placing in critical time on set.
It’s no shock that final week, rumors emerged that Selleck might be returning to considered one of his most beloved characters, Detective Jesse Stone. That’s nice information, and it has me hoping that one other character from creator Robert B. Parker may additionally get a reboot.
Spenser Was Parker’s Important Character
Earlier than Parker died in 2010, he wrote 40 novels a few Boston detective named solely “Spenser.” A surname or first identify was by no means given, so it’s as much as us to guess which Spenser was. The books have lengthy been a favourite of mine, going all the best way again to my teen years. I’ve learn all 40 and a forty first, as Parker’s remaining novel was unfinished on the time of his demise at age 78 and later completed by Parker’s agent, Helen Brann.
In distinction, Parker wrote 9 Jesse Stone novels. He additionally had a 3rd character, Sunny Randall, although she has by no means been tailored. So, Spenser is de facto Parker’s most vital character, and years earlier than Selleck first starred as Jesse Stone in a TV film, Spenser: For Rent was tailored from the Spenser novels.
Spenser Has Been Tailored A Few Instances Earlier than With Combined Outcomes
Robert Urich starred as Spenser on the ABC present Spenser: For Rent for 3 seasons within the Nineteen Eighties. The present was a modest hit for a short while and even led to a continuation spinoff about Hawk, performed by Avery Brooks, referred to as A Man Referred to as Hawk. Hawk can be a foremost character within the books as Spenser’s right-hand man.
Between 1999 and 2001, Joe Mantegna performed Spenser in a collection of TV motion pictures on A&E, although if I’m sincere, these have been pretty forgettable, sadly. Nonetheless, they have been higher than what occurred subsequent when, in 2020, Mark Wahlberg starred within the Netflix unique film, Spenser Confidential.
Spenser Confidential was extremely disappointing. I and different Spenser followers have been excited when the challenge was introduced, however the film actually missed the mark in loads of methods. For starters, each Spenser and Hawk’s backstories have been utterly rewritten and had mainly nothing to do with the literary counterpoints. Wahlberg wasn’t a very good match for the character in any respect, and the film, which opened with Spenser in jail, was utterly divorced from the unique character.
The enduring reputation of Jesse Stone is evident, and authors Ace Atkins and Mike Lupica have continued the Spenser saga in print, so clearly there may be nonetheless an actual urge for food for the favored character. Now’s the right time for him to return in a collection that stays true to the books.