Tom Selleck, star of the recently concluded series "Blue Bloods," described the show's ending as "very frustrating," noting that the cast had already agreed to a 25% salary reduction in an attempt to ensure its continuation. Despite these sacrifices and the show ranking sixth among broadcast programs, it was ultimately canceled after 15 seasons and 293 episodes.
Selleck, speaking on the "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" podcast with Ted Danson, emphasized the collaborative and positive atmosphere on the "Blue Bloods" set. "Maybe people don't realize, but a lot of shows become miserable to work on. You get a lot of egos... and it's miserable. It's absolutely miserable," he said. "But 'Blue Bloods' was never like that."
As the patriarch of the Reagan family, Selleck felt it was important to set an example for the cast. He stated that at their last family dinner before the cancellation, everyone expressed a desire to return for more seasons. "We'd already taken a 25% cut in salary. We'd already done all sorts of things to keep the show going," Selleck explained. He found the cancellation particularly disheartening because "Blue Bloods" was consistently performing well, holding the sixth position in viewership in its final year.
Selleck highlighted the rarity of maintaining the same cast for such an extended period, attributing it to the strong familial bond among the actors. He suggested that the cast might have made different choices if not for this close relationship, noting the difficulty in replacing key characters like Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) or Jamie Reagan (Will Estes).
Two years prior, after filming the series finale, Selleck had expressed similar sentiments to TV Insider, calling the show's cancellation frustrating given its sustained success. He recalled that "Blue Bloods" was consistently able to win its Friday night time slot for the network, making its end difficult to comprehend. The actor admitted that it would take time to process the end of the series, as he was still accustomed to preparing for future episodes even after production wrapped.
While Selleck expressed openness to possibly reprising his role as Frank Reagan in a future spin-off, he also indicated a desire to move on. He told Hour Detroit last November that while he wants "Blue Bloods" to hold a significant place in television history, he doesn't necessarily see it as his ongoing role to play Frank Reagan.