CBS debuted Boston Blue on Friday, October 17, introducing viewers to the latest chapter in the Blue Bloods universe. The spinoff follows Donnie Wahlberg’s character Danny Reagan as he starts over in a new city, still reeling from a recent family tragedy. Joining Donnie Wahlberg was Marisa Ramirez, who made a surprise cameo in the premiere, reprising her Blue Bloods role as Detective Baez. When Blue Bloods wrapped its 14-season run in December 2024, fans were left wondering whether Danny and Maria’s partnership had finally turned romantic – especially after he suggested grabbing a pizza together in the final season. In the first episode of the new series, Danny gets a call while in New York City as he was getting out of bed with Baez, confirming they are, in fact, a couple.
"Absolutely knocked it out of the park! Excited to follow along and see more cameos this season, as it was GREAT seeing Byaz and Erin! Need to see Pops and the Commish soon," commented one fan on X after the episode aired. I loved it. It has the same vibe of Blue Bloods but still very different. The family dinner was perfect. I hope that remains a part of every episode. The family dynamic will be interesting to see unfold for sure. Bravo!" tweeted another.
" I don't know how, but this was better than I expected. It was a smooth transition from NYC to Boston, family dinners are still present, cast is incredible, & the storyline was solid. Congrats! Proud of you!" another wrote in response to a message from Donnie, thanking viewers for tuning in.
"Thank you for watching the Premiere of #BostonBlue! I truly hope it was all that you wanted and more! I’m so excited, and thankful! Can’t wait for you to see what’s next this season and to finally have our Friday Nights back — together again!" wrote Danny. Bridget Moynahan also returned as Danny's sister, Erin Reagan Boyle.
© CBSDonnie had been teasing the series all wee, and took to Instagram days earlier to share a teaser of the new series.
"The next chapter. Here’s a peek at Boston Blue premiering Friday on CBS!" he penned alongside the video. The show's fans flocked to the comments section to gush over Donnie's return. "I'm here for all of it," penned one social media user. "DANNY REAGAN, YOU HAVE BEEN MISSED! Can't wait to see you!" added another follower. "I’m so excited to see Danny again," penned a third fan.
© CBSIn an interview with Country Living, Donnie opened up about CBS’ spin-off and reflected on 14 seasons of Blue Bloods. "I thought it was going to work from the moment I read the script. When we shot the pilot, Tom [Selleck] said, 'What do you think?' and I said, 'We’ll be here 10 years.' These days, that’s wishful thinking, but I never questioned the show or doubted it would be successful," said Donnie.
The actor also discussed how much he grew over the seasons of the show. "I just learned to really trust. As a means of survival, when you're on a procedural drama for that long, you have to approach the job a little differently. I couldn't take the work home with me every night. I would show up, do a take and not think twice about it before moving on to the next thing," he added.
He continued: "I'd like to think I tried to make Danny more like Donnie, not the other way around! You'll see that in Boston Blue a little more. There's more opportunity to have a little fun and bring more of my personality into Danny in this new world that he's in."
Donnie went on to discuss how he felt after the cancellation of the show, sharing: "[People ask] 'Why did you stop doing Blue Bloods?' and it’s like, 'I didn’t stop anything.' I would have given up a lot – I did give up a lot – to keep doing Blue Bloods.
"But sometimes there are inner workings that people don't understand on the outside. Nobody in the world loved Blue Bloods more than me, so for those who are sad to see it go, you aren't more sad than the cast or crew. We were gutted. We were absolutely devastated."
