As the calendar turns to 2026, fans of classic television mysteries and character-driven procedurals have reason to celebrate. Tom Selleck is set to reprise his iconic role as Jesse Stone in a new installment widely reported to be titled Jesse Stone: The Last Call 
though some early reports and fan discussions continue to reference it as The Last Watch. However it is ultimately named, the project marks the tenth film in the long-running franchise based on Robert B. Parker’s bestselling novels, arriving more than a decade after the ninth entry, Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise (2015).
With Blue Bloods having concluded its historic run in late 2025, Selleck now in his early 80s finally has the freedom to return to the quiet, introspective world of Paradise, Massachusetts. The result may well be the definitive farewell to one of television’s most enduring and understated detectives.
The Jesse Stone saga began in 2005 with Stone Cold, a CBS TV movie that introduced audiences to a lawman who was equal parts noir archetype and deeply human everyman. Adapted from Parker’s nine-novel series (which began with Night Passage in 1997 and concluded with Split Image in 2010), the films follow Jesse Stone, a former LAPD homicide detective who relocates to the coastal town of Paradise after a failed marriage, alcoholism, and professional burnout. Hired as police chief, Jesse investigates small-town crimes murders, assaults, corruption while wrestling with personal demons: his lingering love for ex-wife Jenn, his struggle with sobriety, and a profound loneliness that defines the character.
Selleck’s portrayal has long been praised for its authenticity. Parker himself once called the films the most faithful adaptations of his work. While the novels place Jesse in his late 30s, the films embraced an older, more world-weary interpretation, allowing Selleck to age naturally into the role. His performance is built on restraint minimal dialogue, meaningful silences, and a moral compass that bends but never breaks. Familiar elements became hallmarks of the series: Jesse’s dry wit, his devotion to his dogs Boomer and later Reggie, his therapy sessions with Dr. Dix (William Devane), and his complex relationships with fellow lawmen, including State Police Captain Healy.
After 2015, the franchise went dormant. CBS stopped ordering new films, and a later Hallmark entry failed to spark immediate follow-ups. Selleck’s long-standing commitment to Blue Bloods understandably took precedence, yet he repeatedly voiced his desire to return. In interviews surrounding the show’s 2025 finale, Selleck revealed that fans regularly asked about Jesse Stone and even hinted at developing scripts himself.
What makes The Last Call so anticipated is its promise of closure. From the beginning, Jesse Stone balanced crime-solving with introspection therapy sessions, baseball metaphors, and a hero who never fully healed. Now, with Selleck bringing real-life gravity to a character nearing the end of his watch, the story feels uniquely poised to reflect on aging, legacy, and unfinished business. Rather than explosive action, the series thrives on subtlety: a glance held too long, a sigh before a decision, the quiet weight of duty. The new film could explore Jesse’s retirement, mentorship of younger officers, or one final case tied to his past in Los Angeles or to the life he never quite reclaimed.
As 2026 approaches, Jesse Stone: The Last Call represents more than a revival. It stands as a testament to enduring storytelling in an era dominated by reboots and spectacle. Jesse Stone has never been flashy. He is steady, flawed, and deeply decent and that’s precisely why audiences have stayed with him.
Whether this chapter truly closes the book or quietly leaves the door ajar, fans can take comfort in one thing: the man with the baseball cap, the measured drawl, and the unshakable sense of justice is back on duty.
Watch for official premiere announcements, likely from Hallmark, where a Sunday night return to Paradise may feel less like an event and more like coming home.