Although Boston Blue has begun announcing some supporting cast, the Blue Bloods spinoff still has no replacement for Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck). Frank’s refusal to compromise his values was a large part of the original cop and family drama, and he was a fixture in Blue Bloods‘ Reagan family dinners, which were the centerpiece of each episode and contributed to the procedural’s enduring popularity. Blue Bloods’ biggest selling point was its unique focus on a family of cops who prayed and ate together, setting it apart from most other police procedurals.
Despite continuing to be popular after 14 seasons, Blue Bloods was one of the shows CBS canceled in 2025. However, the network announced in March 2025 that a Blue Bloods spinoff was on its way that would feature Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) moving to Boston and working with the daughter of a prominent cop family there. So far, Danny is the only Reagan expected to appear in the spinoff, but there has been widespread speculation about how the new show will preserve the family elements without the other Reagans.
Ernie Hudson Will Play Sonequa Martin-Green’s Grandfather, Reverend Peters
The Ghostbusters Star Will Play The Family Patriarch
Ernie Hudson has joined Boston Blue as the patriarch of the Silver family (via Entertainment Weekly). Not much is known about his character other than that he is a Baptist pastor and the head of a prominent law enforcement family in Boston. Although casting is still underway, Reverend Peters is known to have at least one daughter and two granddaughters. Lena (Sonequa Martin-Green) will be Danny’s partner, while her stepsister Sarah (Maggie Lawson) is the Boston PD supervisor. There will also be a male character who is a rookie cop, and one of Peters’ daughters will be the district attorney.
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Danny’s Spinoff Reclaims 1 Specific Blue Bloods Signature Trait That CBS Failed To Replicate
The plans for Boston Blue include at least one of the things Blue Bloods did that made the show a phenomenal success for the past 14 years.
Interestingly, this makes him similar to several Blue Bloods characters, although Frank Reagan is not one of them. His status as a pastor gives him a calling and job in common with Frank’s friend, Archbishop Kevin Kearns (Stacy Keach). That said, he comes from a different religious background than the Archbishop. In a more direct sense, the grandfather role makes Peters a strong analog for Len Cariou’s Henry Reagan.
Boston Blue’s Reverend Peters Sounds More Like Henry Reagan Than Tom Selleck’s Frank
He Is A Beloved Grandfather Who Is Not An Active Cop
While the family patriarch role is reminiscent of Frank Reagan, Reverend Peters has more in common with Henry. Like Henry, he is a grandfather who is considered the head of a prominent cop family. However, while Henry was a retired former commissioner who still longed to be involved in law enforcement, it’s unclear whether Peters ever served as a cop like his New York counterpart, and his work as a pastor suggests that he has had little involvement with the daily operations of the Boston PD beyond his ties to his family members in the force.
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Tom Selleck’s Blue Bloods Spinoff Replacement Makes Danny’s Boston Show More Exciting
Danny’s Blue Bloods spinoff, Boston Blue, finally has a replacement for Tom Selleck’s Frank Reagan, which makes the new show even better.
Conversely, Frank Reagan was a powerful figure both at work and at home. He often butted heads with his staff because he refused to engage in activities that would help the department politically but would require him to embrace policies he believed were bad for the rank-and-file officers under his command. He also had to err on the side of caution so that he didn’t give any favorable treatment to his sons on the job, which sometimes caused conflicts at home despite his insistence that everyone keep the peace during Sunday dinner.
Why Boston Blue Still Needs A Frank Reagan Type Of Character
Frank’s Presence Was An Important Part of Blue Bloods’ Success
Blue Bloods’ Frank Reagan is arguably irreplaceable. Frank’s personal integrity and refusal to compromise his values were a strong part of Blue Bloods‘ appeal, and it will be challenging to create a sequel that is as compelling without bringing Frank on board. Unfortunately, Boston Blue is unlikely to include Frank. It wouldn’t make sense for him to be in Boston regularly when he is the NYPD commissioner; additionally, Tom Selleck is a well-known actor who commands a high salary, making it harder for CBS to afford a show that includes him.
Boston Blue will not be successful if it tries to replace the Reagan family from Blue Bloods with generic characters who happen to be in law enforcement.
If Frank isn’t going to appear regularly, Boston Blue needs a character who is as forceful a leader as he was. Blue Bloods‘ appeal wasn’t just because there was a family at the center — the Reagans all had distinct personalities that made them feel real. Boston Blue will not be successful if it tries to replace the Reagan family from Blue Bloods with generic characters who happen to be in law enforcement. Instead, it needs a character like Frank who has strong opinions that drive conflict forward without being so rigid that they become unlikable.
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Donnie Wahlberg’s Blue Bloods Spinoff May Not Really Be About Danny Reagan
Although Boston Blue is supposed to be an expansion of the Blue Bloods universe starring Donnie Wahlberg, it may not be about Danny Reagan.
Additionally, the political storylines in Blue Bloods served its secondary mission of showing the NYPD in a positive and fair light. This focus on the NYPD as an honorable institution made the series popular with real life members of law enforcement. Boston Blue could do the same thing for the Boston PD if it includes similar stories related to running the Boston PD. Hopefully, Sarah’s position as Supervisor will be equivalent to Frank’s Commissioner job. Otherwise, the series needs to create another character that can step into Frank’s role.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
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