Donnie Wahlberg is firmly standing by his decision to extend the Blue Bloods universe through its spin-off, Boston Blue.
When Blue Bloods was canceled in 2024 and officially concluded in December, the cast made little effort to hide their disappointment. After 14 seasons, the long 
running CBS drama had built a fiercely loyal fan base, and its abrupt end left many viewers and stars hoping for more. That hope ultimately materialized in Boston Blue, which revives Danny Reagan’s story and is set to premiere on October 17.
While some fans have expressed disappointment that several original cast members including Tom Selleck will not appear in the new series, Wahlberg recently offered insight into why continuing the story felt essential to him.
Speaking on CBS Sunday Mornings on October 12, Wahlberg made his feelings clear. “I love Blue Bloods. I fought tooth and nail to keep it on the air, and here’s an opportunity to keep this character alive,” he said. “Once I started looking at it through that lens, it was like, ‘How do I not do this?’”
Wahlberg also acknowledged the pressure that comes with carrying forward such a beloved franchise. “If all of those millions of Blue Bloods fans don’t show up and love it, then I know we put our best foot forward,” he added.
Like its predecessor, Boston Blue centers on a multigenerational law enforcement family this time based in Boston and stars Sonequa Martin-Green, Maggie Lawson, Ernie Hudson, Gloria Reuben, Mika Amonsen, Marcus Scribner, and more alongside Wahlberg.
Addressing his relentless work ethic, Wahlberg reflected emotionally on his career. “People say to me, ‘Gosh, when do you sleep?’ You want me to complain? Everything I’ve ever wanted, I’m doing it,” he said, tearing up. “I want to work harder. I want to be worthy of the gift that so many people give me their time and their love. How can I not work my ass off to repay them?”
Sonequa Martin Green, who stars opposite Wahlberg as Lena Silver, also spoke recently about stepping into a series that follows such an iconic show. Appearing alongside Wahlberg in a CBS video, she acknowledged the legacy they are inheriting. “We’re obviously standing on the shoulders of the Reagan family and the culture that was already established,” she said.
Still, Martin Green emphasized that Boston Blue is forging its own path. “We’re going to get close with another family the Silvers who are also a prominent law enforcement family,” she explained. “They couldn’t be more different from the Reagans, but in some ways they’re also very similar.”
She went on to describe Boston itself as a defining presence in the show. “Boston is a character in and of itself, and you have Danny, who understands a family like this,” she said. “It’s crime, it’s doing the right thing, it’s sacrifice all the things we loved about Blue Bloods for so long.”
Wahlberg echoed that sentiment, reassuring longtime fans that the heart of the franchise remains intact. “No matter who you were as a Blue Bloods fan, you could relate to the family,” he said. “Whether your family was in law enforcement, whether it was big, or whether you didn’t have a family at all you could live vicariously through the Reagans.”
“There was always that connective tissue,” he added. “So many families across the country have generations in law enforcement, and the Reagans were inspired by families from towns and cities everywhere. Now that story is being told again. It’s a different city, but family is still at the core.”
With Boston Blue, Wahlberg is determined to honor what made Blue Bloods resonate while proving there’s still more story left to tell.