“Blue Bloods” to End on CBS with Season 14, Final Season Will Be Split Into 2 Parts
The news comes eight months after the series was renewed for season 14 — something that was reportedly made possible by the cast taking a “25 percent pay cut”
CBS Tom Selleck as Frank Reagan in ‘Blue Bloods’
Blue Bloods is coming to an end on CBS after its upcoming 14th season.
The network confirmed the news in a press release on Monday, noting that the long-running crime drama’s final season will be split into two parts.
The first 10 episodes will premiere on Feb. 16 while the remaining eight episodes are expected to air in fall 2024. The show will also be available to stream live on Paramount+.
“Blue Bloods will forever be a beloved part of CBS’ legacy,” Amy Reisenbach and David Stapf, the respective presidents of CBS Entertainment and CBS Studios, wrote in a joint statement. “It ruled Friday nights with unprecedented dominance since its premiere and established itself as a pillar of our winning lineup with an exceptionally devoted fan base.”
John Paul Filo/CBS The cast of ‘Blue Bloods’
They continued, “We’ll be forever grateful to the legendary Leonard Goldberg for developing this signature series and to the amazing cast led by Tom Selleck, who America embraced as family and watched as welcomed guests at the Reagan dinner table.”
“We also sincerely thank the incredible writing and producing teams guided by executive producer Kevin Wade, for years of compelling episodes as they conceive this final chapter that we expect to be the most satisfying season yet for our loyal viewers,” Reisenbach and Stapf said.
Selleck, who portrays family patriarch Frank Regan, paid tribute to his time on the show in a statement of his own.
“For the past 13 years it has been an honor and a privilege to work on a show that not only celebrates the men and women who protect and serve in New York City, but also displayed the importance of family,” he gushed. “Working alongside these incredible actors, writers, producers, directors and crew has been a dream come true and I’m grateful to have been a part of this extraordinary group for over 275 episodes.”
Patrick Harbron/CBS via Getty Images Tom Selleck as Frank Reagan in ‘Blue Bloods’
He concluded with a note of thanks to the network and the beloved series’ devoted fans, adding on behalf of the cast and crew, “We offer heartfelt gratitude to the fans who gathered with us for dinner every Friday night.”
Executive producer Kevin Wade also commemorated his time on Blue Bloods, saying in a statement: “It has been a tremendous privilege these past 13 years to fill the huge canvas that Leonard Goldberg imagined: a police procedural told from the point of view of four generations of a close-knit, fiercely loyal family. Blue Bloods will leave behind an enduring legacy that was collectively achieved by our extraordinary cast, our talented and tirelessly inventive writers, and the best crew in the business.”
Wade thanked CBS Studios and the CBS Television Network for allowing them to “tell our stories in multi-layered narratives that have gone on to resonate with millions of people,” before vowing to fans: “We look forward to giving fans an exciting and emotionally satisfying final season, and we are forever grateful for their enthusiasm and loyalty over all these years.”
Photo 12 / Alamy ‘Blue Bloods’
In addition to Selleck, Blue Bloods also stars Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Will Estes, Len Cariou, Marisa Ramirez and Vanessa Ray.
Before the CBS drama was renewed for a 14th season in March, Wahlberg spoke to PEOPLE about the possibility of the series getting canceled without a proper ending — and why he didn’t want that for fans.
“I love Blue Bloods, and I think if there weren’t a season 14, the loyal fans of the show would be very, very outraged,” noted Wahlberg, who plays Danny Reagan on the series. “They’re part of the Reagan family. The audience is the extended family.”
John Paul Filo. ©2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Tom Selleck and Donnie Wallberg in ‘Blue Bloods’
At the time, Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, citing sources close to production, revealed that the renewal was made possible by the entire cast and producing team agreeing to take “a 25 percent pay cut” to enable the cost of production.
He continued, “If the show were to go away without [the audience] having a proper sendoff … I think they would be mortified. So I suspect [we’ll] have at least another season.”
Blue Bloods, which follows a multigenerational family of cops, premiered on CBS in 2010. With season 14 and the end of NCIS: Los Angeles in May, Blue Bloods became the second-longest-running scripted series airing on CBS after NCIS, which was previously renewed for a 21st season.
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The first installment of Blue Bloods season 14 will premiere Feb. 16 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS, and stream live on Paramount+.
Read the original article on People.