I Doubt Boston Blue Will Survive with Only Danny Reagan

With so many things working against the new Blue Bloods spinoff, Boston Blue, I’m doubtful it will survive.

So far, Boston Blue is all about Danny Reagan, but the magic of Blue Bloods has always been in how the family survived this business together.

Blue Bloods was about the family business, while Boston Blue looks more like a traditional procedural format. Here is why I think that the lack of family and familiarity could hurt Boston Blue.

CBS Has Its Work Cut Out For It With the Blue Bloods Spinoff

CBS has a big undertaking trying to spin off the beloved cop family procedural.

Spinning off new incarnations of shows like FBI or NCIS is rote by this point, but Blue Bloods has a different format. Sure, it follows cases like these other shows, but they also add real-life and personal issues.

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This new Blue Bloods spinoff features hot-headed detective Danny Reagan, the son of NYPD commissioner Frank Reagan. Supposedly, he’ll continue his journey on Boston Blue even though he doesn’t have much of a story beyond his family and job.

Danny’s move to New York makes no sense if you are an avid Blue Bloods watcher. He always made it a point to talk about his love for his family, job, and the city. Even when he tried to quit after his wife died, they wouldn’t let him, so they will have to address it. How will that work?

I will admit that I started watching Blue Bloods because I was a fan of Donnie Wahlberg and his group, New Kids on the Block, cheesy as that sounds. The show became a personal favorite as it had a great cast and interesting storylines.

Donnie Wahlberg will again reprise his iconic role in Boston Blue as a character unafraid to bend the rules in his quest for justice and truth.

His character is gritty and serious, which can be tiring after a while — this is true of every procedural drama, which is fine if you have the right characters to balance it out.

It seems like they are borrowing the character to attract the loyal Blue Bloods fans, but it’s unlikely to work.

Boston Blue takes Danny away from his family of fellow law enforcement pros that viewers love, including the great Tom Selleck‘s patriarch, Frank Reagan.

The Reagan Family Dynamic Was at the Heart of Blue Bloods

It was the family that made the original such a hit series. They were relatable. The Reagans were a dysfunctional family with more dangerous jobs.

One of the best things about Blue Bloods, outside of the police work, was their weekly family dinners. Since all their jobs were intertwined, they could talk openly, even if it was hard to discuss. The Reagans became our TV family.

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There will be a family of cops in Boston Blue, just not the Reagans. That is disappointing because bringing in another family will copy Blue Bloods without all the aspects that made them special.

Blue Bloods was the only cop show that had family dinners every week with the entire family. It was one of the only shows with family dinners, period. It didn’t matter what they had going on; everyone showed up, even if it was to bicker.

For the 14 seasons Blue Bloods aired, the show’s family dinners were immersed in tradition. I like how it allowed the characters to have weekly check-ins as they each had dangerous and stressful jobs. The practice became Blue Bloods’ signature.

What made the show so good is that, at its heart, these characters are not just cops or detectives, lawyers or commissioners; they are fathers, brothers, and mothers. They were real people, which I liked, along with their faith and love for family.

This new show will have some big shoes to fill on the family dynamic front. We’re used to the family butting into each other’s cases. Often, Danny or Jamie would help Erin with a case. They would work together to get the job done.

Also, it would be unfair to those actors because they are stepping into big shoes.

Danny Will Get A New Partner on Boston Blue, But Will It Pale in Comparison to Maria?

While there may be a small Reagan presence on Boston Blue, the series looks more focused on Danny’s professional life. On Blue Bloods, he grew really close to his partner, and it’s like he is starting over.

Maria Baez was the next best thing to Danny’s family. They were paired together for most of the series and grew close.

He trusted her like family, confided in her, and even considered a romantic relationship with her. A new character would be hard-pressed to fill that role.

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Boston Blue will pair Danny with Lena Peters, also part of a prominent cop family. Will Boston Blue attempt to replace the Reagans with the Peters?

The writers may think her background will compensate for the lack of Reagans because they still have a cop family on the show. I liked Maria Baez; she brought a nice balance to Danny, which is what the character needs.

Honestly, I am interested in how they try to create a new cop family without tarnishing the original. I’m not sure it’s possible because an exceptional, once-in-a-lifetime cast made it believable.

As it stands, Boston Blue may not survive with just Danny Reagan. Maybe I will be proven wrong. It will be a massive success or a colossal flop; we must wait and see.

Over to you, Blue Blood Fanatics.

What are your thoughts on Danny Reagan being the main character? Do you think there should be more Reagan?

Hit the Comments, and let’s discuss this below!

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