Summary
CBS' statement about the reason forBlue Bloods’cancelation contradicts the sacrifice the cast made to make season 14. The Tom Selleck-led drama about a family of Irish Catholic cops has been one of CBS' most popular series throughout its entire run. However, the network announced thatBlue Bloodswould end with season 14 despite its continued high ratings, and later confirmed that it was sticking to its decision despite amassive fan-led movement to saveBlue Bloods.
TheBlue Bloodscast continues to hold out hope that the series will continue, but there are currently onlyeight more episodes ofBlue Bloodsbefore the show leaves the airwaves for good. While CBS is reportedly considering aBlue Bloodsspinoff, no such thing is currently in production. CBS justified its decision to take the popular police procedural off the air by saying thatthe schedule needed to be refreshed afterBlue Bloodshad been on for so long, but this explanation doesn’t make sense in light of the circumstances of season 14’s production.
Why A Blue Bloods Spinoff Is Happening When Season 15 Was Canceled
CBS is reportedly in the process of developing a Blue Bloods spinoff, which is confusing after the network surprisingly canceled the original series.
Blue Bloods Cast Took a 25% Pay Cut For Season 14
CBS Previously Considered Cancelation On Financial Grounds
CBS took a long time to decide whether to renewBlue Bloodsfor season 14, which was surprising because the series was doing so well in the ratings. However, no new deal was inked until May of 2023. While it was disappointing thatBlue Bloodswas only renewed for one season, it seemed likely that CBS would again wait until the last minute but eventually renewBlue Bloodsfor season 15.
One of the reasons it took so long for CBS to giveBlue Bloodsseason 14 the green light was the series' cost. However, the cast and crew agreed to take a 25% pay cut for season 14 (viaTHR). This pay cut wasenough to offset the production costs so thatBlue Bloodscould continuefor another season. It is unclear what would have happened had the writers' and actors' strikes not delayed the 2023-2024 television season, however. The important thing is that season 14 moves forward.
How The Pay Cut Decision Contradicts CBS' Statement About Why Blue Bloods Was Canceled
It’s Clear The Major Reason For Blue Bloods' Cancelation Is Cost-Related
CBS' decision to cancelBlue Bloodswas upsettingfor those fans who had hoped their protest movement would change the network’s mind. CBS' stated reason was that the network wanted to refresh its schedule rather than keep the long-running series going (viaDeadline), which seemed to dismiss the millions of people who were hoping for a reprieve as unimportant. Additionally, this reason doesn’t make sense considering thatBlue Bloodswas almost canceled a year earlier because of financial considerations.
CBS has canceled shows to refresh its schedule before, most famously during the Rural Purge of 1970, so this desire could have been part of the decision even if it wasn’t the major reason.
If the problem was thatBlue Bloodshas been on too long, then it was illogical for the series to have gotten a one-year reprieve after the cast agreed to a pay cut. Thus, it is far more likely that the real reason was financial.Blue Bloodsis filmed on location in New York, which is more expensive than filming on a soundstage in Los Angeles. It has a large cast that includes well-known actors such as Tom Selleck, whose fame demands larger salaries, and many actors have been there since the first episode, adding to the expense.
Blue Bloodswas always an expensive series to produce. Meanwhile, networks have been struggling financially since the conclusion of the writers' and actors' strikes in early 2024. Thus, it’s understandable that whenBlue Bloodsresumed production, CBS realized it could not afford a fifteenth season and decided to end the show.
How Blue Bloods' Potential Spinoff Could Save Costs For CBS
A New Series Will Be Cheaper To Produce
There aremany possibleBlue Bloodsspinoffsthat would be cheaper to produce than the original series. An offshoot would presumably focus on a smaller group of characters, such as Danny Reagan and his son, or Erin and Anthony. Shrinking the cast in this manner would save CBS a significant amount of money, as the new series would not have to pay as many actors. Additionally, secondary characters could be played by people new to the franchise with smaller salaries. The challenge for anyBlue Bloodsspinoff would be to preserve the family values without including the entire Reagan family.
At this point, there is little to no hope that CBS will change its mind about the cancelation, especially considering the financial factors that went into this decision. If CBS truly wanted to refresh its schedule, it wouldn’t be considering a spinoff, which keeps the Reagan family alive despiteBlue Bloods’cancelation. also shouldn’t have accepted the offer of a pay cut for season 14.
Blue Bloods
Cast
Blue Bloods is a television drama series that follows the Reagan family, a family of law enforcement officers in New York City. Led by Police Commissioner Frank Reagan, the series explores familial and professional dynamics as they navigate police work and politics, guided by their patriarch, the former Chief, Henry Reagan.
