Blue Bloods is likely to end after season 14. That means the popular cop drama can’t feature a story featuring Donnie Wahlberg’s replacement.

Blue Bloods may be ending after season 14, leaving it unable to do a story featuring Donnie Wahlberg’s potential replacement. Wahlberg plays Danny Reagan, the oldest surviving son of Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) on the popular CBS police drama. His character is a homicide detective who gets significant air time during each episode, often butting heads with his sister Erin (Bridget Monihayan), who is an assistant district attorney, while trying to put the person responsible for murder behind bars.

CBS planned to end the series after season 14, but there has been a massive fan-led campaign to save Blue Bloods. The public protest against the show’s end, especially given that several stars have signed on to the campaign to save it, leaves its future up in the air. If CBS goes ahead with canceling the series, several things must happen before Blue Bloods ends. Unfortunately, one important storyline involving Danny’s future replacement can’t be done properly if the series is canceled.

Blue Bloods Has Set Up Sean Becoming A Cop Like His Dad

Danny’s Youngest Son Can Represent The Next Generation of Reagans In Law Enforcement

Sean and his brother Jack have grown up throughout Blue Bloods’ 14-year run. When the series began, they were young children. Now, Jack is away at school and Sean is a college student who isn’t sure yet what he wants to do with his life. Sean’s position as a young adult about to enter the real world makes him the perfect person to carry on Danny’s legacy by becoming a cop. Neither his brother or his cousin Nicky (Erin’s daughter) decided to carry on this family tradition, so it falls to Sean to do it.

Sean’s decision to become a cop would be an emotional storyline that would make a perfect ending for Blue Bloods, as it would reassure those fans who are heartbroken about the series’ cancellation that the Reagan family tradition will go on after the credits roll for the final time. Additionally, it would create symmetry among Danny’s children, as Jack is following in their late mother’s footsteps by pursuing a medical career and Sean would be following his father into law enforcement. This storyline would take time to set up and execute properly.

Blue Bloods Season 15 Not Happening Would Waste Sean’s Potential

There Isn’t Enough Time To Do This Story Justice in Season 14

Time is running out for Blue Bloods to create a proper story around Sean’s future career path during season 14. Sean has not been a big part of the season, often appearing only at the dinner table. The only movement the series has made toward his potential decision to become a cop is a scene in which he showed his family a drawing he made of them depicted as superheroes and explained that cops are heroic because they risk their lives every day.

There are only four episodes left in the first half of season 14, with eight more to come in the fall of 2024. If Blue Bloods season 14 is the series’ final year, that leaves very little time to develop a meaningful storyline around Sean’s decision to pursue a career in law enforcement. Any such storyline would feel rushed or contrived, which would destroy its emotional power. Thus, Blue Bloods needs a season 15 to do this important storyline justice, and anything less would waste Sean’s potential as the character most likely to carry on the Reagan legacy.

Why There Is Still Hope For Blue Bloods Season 15

The Beloved Series Could Still Get a Reprieve

CBS’ cancelation plans aren’t necessarily written in stone. Donnie Wahlberg’s response to Blue Bloods season 14 being the final year for the series suggested that CBS could possibly agree to another season, and Tom Selleck has also indicated that he would be happy to continue if CBS finds a way to continue production. CBS also recently changed its mind about canceling SWAT, another long-running series that has twice been on the chopping block before being saved at the last minute, so it’s possible CBS will also reverse course on its plans for Blue Bloods.

Currently, Blue Bloods’ fate remains uncertain, with CBS not having committed to another season but several stars suggesting that season 15 could happen. Wrapping up the series properly requires another season, especially if the ending includes Sean deciding to follow in Danny’s footsteps and become a cop. Sean is the perfect replacement for Donnie Wahlberg’s character at the end of the series, but that can’t happen properly unless CBS comes through with a last-minute order for season 15.