Why Tom Selleck Was Bitter About CBS Cancelling His Show

After 14 seasons on the air, CBS's "Blue Bloods" aired its final episode in December 2024, much to the disappointment of its leading man, Tom Selleck. Having led the fictional Reagan family for over a decade, the show's sudden cancellation was unexpected, to say the least.

During an October 2024 interview with TV Insider, Selleck was candid about the end of the show. "I'm kind of frustrated. During those last eight shows, I haven't wanted to talk about an ending for 'Blue Bloods' but about it still being wildly successful." Selleck, who reportedly made $200,000 per episode, later added, "My frustration is the show was always taken for granted because it performed from the get-go."

His frustration is also backed by the numbers. According to Deadline, the previous season of "Blue Bloods" impressively averaged over 8 million viewers. In the TV Insider interview, Selleck also said their show ranked ninth among the 100 most-watched shows of the 2023-2024 season — and it would've been sixth if football programs weren't included. Despite many viewers cancelling their cable subscriptions in favor of streaming, "Blue Bloods" continued to garner historic viewing numbers in the traditional broadcast format, making CBS's decision to end the show perplexing for many, including its cast.

"Blue Bloods" revolves around a family of law enforcement officers, and over the course of its 14-season run, the actors developed an off-screen relationship that mirrored their characters. Tom Selleck revealed to TV Insider how the "Blue Bloods" cast "is as close as the Reagan family and the characters that they play." Bridget Moynahan, who portrays Erin Reagan, echoed Selleck's sentiment. "We've created such a family on set with each other and the crew," she revealed during an April 2024 appearance on "The Drew Barrymore Show." For Moynahan, whose favorite part of filming "Blue Bloods" is when the cast came together for the dinner scenes, no longer working with her co-stars would be harder than no longer playing her character. Both Selleck and Moynahan's comments underscore how the cast's tight-knit bond made the series finale especially bittersweet.

Selleck also insists that the cancellation wasn't driven by the show's cast. In fact, "Blue Bloods" maintained its core cast throughout its 14-year run, and according to Selleck, "[There] isn't a single one of them who didn't want to come back" (via TV Insider).

While fans brace for the end of an era, there may be a silver lining to look forward to. During an interview with Deadline, the president of CBS Studios, David Stapf, hinted at the possibility of a "Blue Bloods" spin-off. Although nothing is set in stone as of writing, this news offers a glimmer of hope that we may see the Reagan family return to the screen after all.