Why Tom Selleck Thinks CBS is “Conflicted” about the End of ‘Blue Bloods’
Just like all of us, Tom Selleck isn’t ready for Blue Bloods to come to an end.
The long-running police procedural premiered in September 2010 and after 14 incredible seasons—nearly a decade and a half of air time—it’s set to say farewell in fall 2024. But is it really?
In an interview with TV Insider ahead of the season 14 premiere, Tom Selleck, who stars as police commissioner Frank Reagan and is an executive producer on the show, revealed that he’s not quite ready for a departure from the Friday-night series.
“CBS will find an awful lot of people aren’t ready to say goodbye to it,” Selleck said while discussing the end of an era. “We’re certainly not out of ideas.”
What’s more, he’s not ready to retire—despite being 79 years old. “I’m not counting the days so I can do something else,” Selleck told TV Insider. “I love the work. Sometimes the hours are a little harder because I’m older, but so what? I want work as long as they’ll have me.”
As it currently stands, with the series finale looming in the distance, the show’s ending remains to be determined. Ahead of the 14th and final season, executive producer Kevin Wade revealed to USA Today that the show’s writers had yet to land on the impending perfect ending for the series this fall.
“We’ll have to figure out how to deliver a satisfying and emotional final episode without spending three months trying to tee it up,” he admitted. “These characters need to move forward in their fictional jobs and grow. We have to deliver 18 good episodes.”
In that way, the end of an era might feel emotional to viewers but won’t be illustrated as such on screen. “Whatever happens, it’s not going to be a whole season of endless soap operas winding down,” Selleck told USA Today.
Notice how he said, “whatever happens”? Selleck still doesn’t seem to be convinced that this is the end. “They say it’s an eight-episode wind-down, and I say, ‘We’ll see,'” Selleck chuckled to USA Today. “Look, I’ll do whatever is best for the whole situation. But I love this show, obviously. And I think CBS is going to end up being very conflicted with their present plans.”
Selleck’s upcoming memoir (set to release May 7)—which he’s yet to finish but is currently available for pre-order on Amazon—is titled “You Never Know.” Is that a reference to what could happen with Blue Bloods, as well? Only time will tell.
