​Donnie Wahlberg returns in ‘Blue Bloods’ spinoff, but with a new co-star

Donnie Wahlberg joins Boston Blue

Donnie Wahlberg returns to CBS this fall in Boston Blue, a spinoff of Blue Bloods. His character, Danny Reagan, leaves New York to join the Boston Police Department. The series follows him as he begins work in a new city after Blue Bloods ended in 2024.

Boston Blue was announced just two months after the cancellation of Blue Bloods. CBS confirmed that Wahlberg is leading the new series. Brandon Sonnier and Brandon Margolis are the writers. The show keeps the Friday 10 p.m. time slot.

Sean Reagan recast for the spinoff

Mika Amonsen replaces Andrew Terraciano as Sean Reagan in Boston Blue. Terraciano played Sean for 14 seasons on Blue Bloods but will not return. Amonsen has previously guest-starred on Suits and Reacher.

No official reason was given for the recasting. Terraciano has not commented publicly. His final appearance was in the Blue Bloods finale, which aired in December 2024. People confirmed Amonsen’s casting. Sean now starts as a Boston police patrolman alongside his father, Danny.

Terraciano posts final goodbye

After filming wrapped in 2024, Andrew Terraciano posted a farewell on social media. He thanked the cast and crew and called the experience “fantastic.” He wrote that he would never forget what he learned on set.

Terraciano appeared in 292 of 293 episodes of Blue Bloods. In his message, he ended with “Sean Reagan, I let you go.” He has not shared further details about leaving the role. His exit came after 15 years on the show, starting as a child actor.

Boston Blue timeline and setup

Blue Bloods ended in December 2024. By February 2025, CBS confirmed Boston Blue. The network moved quickly to keep the Reagan family story going with a new show.

Danny Reagan now works for the Boston Police Department. Sean Reagan, also in Boston, has joined the police force. According to CBS, Sean moved to Boston to follow the family legacy on his own terms. This new setting separates the story from New York and the original NYPD characters.

New supporting cast revealed

Boston Blue introduces several new cast members. Sonequa Martin-Green will play Lena Silver, a detective in the Boston PD. Gloria Reuben, Maggie Lawson, Marcus Scribner, and Ernie Hudson also join the show.

Ernie Hudson plays Reverend Peters, a pastor in Boston. He is the father of District Attorney Mae Silver and the grandfather of Lena Silver. Hudson is known for roles in Ghostbusters, Quantum Leap, and Miss Congeniality. CBS confirmed that these characters are part of the Silver family.

CBS cancels Blue Bloods

CBS canceled Blue Bloods in 2024 despite the cast’s efforts to continue. The series aired from 2010 to 2024 and ran for 14 seasons. It ended with 293 episodes.

Donnie Wahlberg and Tom Selleck both expressed disappointment. Selleck said, “Everybody wanted to come back.” CBS initially ordered 10 final episodes but later added 8 more. The final season aired in two parts. The decision surprised many, including the cast and longtime fans.

The finale episode was called End of Tour

The final episode of Blue Bloods was titled “End of Tour.” It featured the death of Officer Louis Badillo in an ambush by a local gang. The cast filmed a funeral scene to close the story.

Showrunner Kevin Wade posted a photo of the call sheet on June 20, 2025, to mark one year since filming ended. The episode aired on December 13, 2024. Cast and crew remembered the shoot as one of the most emotional moments in the show’s history.

Final scene was a family dinner

The last dinner scene filmed on Blue Bloods featured the entire cast. Donnie Wahlberg said they knew it was the end but stayed quiet when the final take was called.

Tom Selleck read the poem Love is Not All by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Wahlberg said the crew of about 300 people didn’t make a sound. The moment hit everyone hard, and many cast members started crying after the last take was finished.

Cast reflects on one-year mark

On June 20, 2025, cast members shared posts marking one year since the final day of filming. Donnie Wahlberg posted the final call sheet with the words “Last day of an era.”

Marisa Ramirez, who played Maria Baez, also posted. She shared a photo in uniform and said she missed the cast, crew, and fans. Fans responded with comments saying they missed the show and looked forward to seeing the cast in other roles.

Original show faced early doubts

Tom Selleck said Blue Bloods was nearly passed over in 2010. CBS picked it as the last of 10 pilots that year. It went on to become the highest-rated of the group.

Selleck remembered the network gave it the 10 p.m. Friday slot, which wasn’t popular at the time. Despite low expectations, the show stayed in that slot for 14 years. Wahlberg and Selleck said the show’s success surprised many at the network.

Show’s first scene was in Toronto

Filming for the Blue Bloods pilot began in Toronto. Tom Selleck met Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, and Will Estes for the first time there. The group formed the core Reagan family.

Selleck lived in Los Angeles and commuted to filming locations for 15 years. He said the family dinner scenes were important to him. The dinner scene was included in every episode of the series, becoming a key part of the show’s identity.

Selleck fought to keep format

Tom Selleck told producer Leonard Goldberg that CBS might try to cut the dinner scenes. Goldberg promised to protect them. The network kept the tradition throughout all 14 seasons.

At one point, the show wanted Frank Reagan to stand in front of a computer for scenes. Selleck rejected the idea and insisted on a more grounded approach. He said the original concept didn’t reflect how a real police commissioner works.

Wahlberg was on tour at launch

When Wahlberg was first contacted about Blue Bloods, he was on a New Kids on the Block cruise with 3,000 fans. He was told to be in New York the next day for the upfronts.

He said he almost missed the announcement. The timing was sudden, but he made it. Wahlberg has said that from the beginning, the show had strong values and focused on family. He called joining the cast a lucky break.

Selleck finished filming early

Selleck finished filming his scenes four days before the rest of the cast. He said it felt like the real ending for him. He appeared with Wahlberg on The Talk to reflect on it.

Wahlberg said they tried to stay professional but knew the show was ending. After the last dinner scene, nobody wanted to speak. He said they were all hoping someone would walk in and say the show would continue.

CBS split the final season

CBS originally ordered 10 episodes for the final season. Tom Selleck persuaded the network to add eight more episodes. He said it would cost less overall.

The network agreed and split the season into two parts. The first 10 episodes aired in spring 2024, and the final 8 aired in the fall. The series finale aired in December. Selleck said the show deserved a proper send-off after such a long run.

The global crime drama wrapped up this May. See how the FBI: International series concluded after four seasons.

Donnie says Reagan is always nearby

In an April 2025 interview with Fox News Digital, Donnie Wahlberg said Boston Blue is not just about Danny. He said, “There’ll always be a Reagan a phone call away.”

He also said Danny would not abandon the Reagan family traditions. Wahlberg did not confirm who might appear from the original show. As of now, Sean is the only Reagan confirmed besides Danny. The rest of the family’s status has not been announced by CBS.

Want to get the latest on Harry Potter casting? Check how Harry Potter series unveils Dumbledore’s face.

Donnie’s back, but Sean’s got a new face! Drop your thoughts in the comments.

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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.