“Tom Selleck Declines to Accept End of ‘Blue Bloods’ in Final Season 14: ‘I’m Not Done'”
Tom Selleck is not ready to say goodbye to “Blue Bloods.”
On a chilly, rainy January day at his 65-acre ranch about 40 miles west of Los Angeles, the 79-year-old TV icon avoids discussions about departures or emotional endings. This comes despite CBS’s announcement in November that “Blue Bloods” will conclude after its 14th season.
Selleck, who serves as an executive producer and stars as police commissioner Frank Reagan, is keen to continue producing episodes that have made “Blue Bloods” a Friday-night staple for its dedicated older audience. He remains hopeful that the fan response might influence CBS executives to reconsider the show’s ending after Season 14 begins on Friday (10 EST/PST). “I see a lot of very upset people out there. We’ll see what happens,” Selleck says about the upcoming final episodes. He assures that if the show ends, it won’t drag on indefinitely. “Whatever happens, it’s not going to be a whole season of endless soap operas winding down.”
Selleck’s thoughts about retirement, either for Reagan’s character or himself, are far from his mind as he arrives at his 1910 hunting lodge in a Can-Am Defender off-road vehicle. Without any handlers, Selleck steps out of the rain in an unzipped fleece and a denim shirt, his famous mustache still looking robust. He apologizes for being late to the interview (though he is actually early) due to weather-related delays on his brief commute from the nearby house where he lives with his wife of 36 years, Jillie.
Since “Blue Bloods” premiered in September 2010, Selleck has been commuting to New York City to film his scenes with an ensemble cast that includes Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Len Cariou, and Will Estes. The show features a multi-generational NYPD family, with Moynahan’s character being the only legal professional in the district attorney’s office.
“At the time, lasting 14 seasons wasn’t even conceivable,” says Selleck. Yet, the family-centered drama became a consistent ratings success, marking his second long-running hit after “Magnum, P.I.” ended in 1988 after an eight-year run.
Selleck acknowledges the contributions of producer Leonard Goldberg, who perfected the show’s formula with intertwining family storylines culminating in the Sunday Reagan family meal. (Goldberg passed away in 2019.)
“That meal, at the end of the episode, and Leonard’s casting gift are probably why we’re still around,” says Selleck. “I love the role. And he’s not done. I’m not done. And I think there’s plenty of room for the show.”
Reflecting on “Magnum, P.I.,” which made Selleck a household name in the 1980s, he notes that he had to be persuaded to return for a seventh and final eighth season. At the time, he was eager to start a family in Los Angeles and had secretly married actress Jillie Mack in 1987.
Despite missing out on roles like Indiana Jones in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” due to his “Magnum” commitment, Selleck enjoyed a successful movie career, including the hit comedy “Three Men and a Baby.” He explains, “Whenever somebody mentions that ‘Magnum’ was canceled, I’m quick to point out that it wasn’t canceled. It was wildly successful. I wasn’t tired of it; I was tired from it because I was in every shot.”
Following “Magnum,” Selleck starred in passion projects such as the Jesse Stone TV movies and gained “Friends” fame with his recurring role as Monica’s older love interest. He admits to occasional regrets about ending “Magnum,” but stands by the decision.
The 2018 reboot of “Magnum, P.I.,” starring Jay Hernandez, did not entice Selleck to make a cameo. “There was no way I was going to do a cameo,” he says. “The show was a real dilemma. I didn’t want anything to do with it.” He compares his feelings to those of a neighbor who, having lovingly built a perfect home, declined to assist the new owner’s redesign.
Looking ahead to “Blue Bloods” Season 14, executive producer Kevin Wade states that the writers have yet to finalize how the show will end in the fall. “We’ll have to figure out how to deliver a satisfying and emotional final episode without dragging it out,” he says. “These characters need to move forward in their fictional jobs and grow. We have to deliver 18 good episodes.”
Selleck promises that the first two episodes of the final season are “phenomenal,” and Episode 3 will include a tribute to Treat Williams, who played Frank’s former partner Lenny Ross and died in a June motorcycle accident.
