Summary

• Despite strong ratings, CBS decided to end Blue Bloods due to high production costs and actor salaries.
• Fans and cast members are protesting the cancelation in hopes of a last-minute reprieve for season 15.
• Blue Bloods' final season is airing in two parts, with the last episode scheduled for December 2024, allowing time for a possible reversal.

CBS recently announced that Blue Bloods would end in December 2024, but there is still a chance that the network reverses its decision. The Tom Selleck-led series about a close-knit family of New York City cops has been one of CBS' flagship shows for the last 14 seasons. CBS is airing Blue Bloods' final season in two parts, with the first half close to wrapping up and eight more episodes airing in the fall. The fall episodes are considered part of season 14 rather than a shortened season 15.

There has already been a massive fan-led effort to save Blue Bloods. Participants have signed petitions, written letters and emails to CBS, and used the hashtag "#SaveBlueBloods" on social media after each new episode airs. Despite these efforts, CBS confirmed Blue Bloods' cancelation when it unveiled its 2024-2025 schedule, which suggests that there is little to no chance of saving the show. However, neither those fans participating in the protest nor cast members have given up on the possibility of the decision being reversed.

Why Blue Bloods Was Canceled After Season 14

Ratings Are Still Strong And Weren't The Main Culprit

Blue Bloods is still one of CBS' strongest-performing programs and new episodes tend to be the highest-rated show of the evening across networks. However, strong ratings were not enough to convince CBS to continue with season 15 because Blue Bloods is expensive to produce. The series is filmed in New York rather than Los Angeles, which ups the production costs considerably, and actor salaries are also a consideration. The cast has not changed much over 14 years, so the actors come with a higher price tag than those on other series.

Two notable departures from the original cast are Jennifer Esposito, who left after season 3, and Amy Carlson, who left after season 7.

It would be cheaper for CBS to take a chance on a new series than renew Blue Bloods, but this doesn't necessarily mean the series cannot score a last-minute reprieve. The strong ratings and massive upset about the cancelation could put enormous pressure on CBS to renew the series, or they could be a selling point if the producers decide to shop for a new network to broadcast season 15.

Stars joining the fan-led protests gives Blue Bloods a better-than-average chance of scoring a reversal.

The high price tag is not necessarily an insurmountable obstacle. CBS could decide to negotiate with the cast and crew to make season 15 affordable if they decide to continue the series. There is some history for this, as the cast and producers took a 25% pay cut ahead of season 14 to secure the renewal (via THR).

Blue Bloods' Stars Still Want Season 15 To Happen

Several Prominent Cast Members Have Spoken Out About The Cancelation

Despite rumors that Tom Selleck wants to retire, the actor has been vocal about his desire to keep working on Blue Bloods. Tom Selleck's comments on the matter show that he has not given up hope that CBS will reverse its decision. His co-star Donnie Wahlberg's response to Blue Bloods ending has included his hope that CBS will change their minds and his disappointment that the series hasn't been given the opportunity to air for as long as Law & Order: SVU.

Stars joining the fan-led protests gives Blue Bloods a better-than-average chance of scoring a reversal. Additionally, the cast's passion for the series means that if it is renewed, the actors will return for season 15 and give the same high-quality performances they have all along. The cast's excitement about the series is a strong sign that there is still life in it, though the final decision still rests with CBS.

There's Still A Long Time Before Blue Bloods Actually Ends

The Final Episode Won't Be Broadcast Til December 2024

Blue Bloods season 14's split into two parts means that the final eight episodes will air in the fall, making them feel more like an abbreviated season 15 than a continuation of season 14. This is good news for those fans who are hoping that CBS reverses its decision to cancel Blue Bloods because that gives the series seven months to broker a new deal for season 15. Ideally, these episodes could get high enough ratings for CBS to decide to extend the season through May instead of wrapping the series up in December.

If CBS won't budge, the producers might be able to sell Blue Bloods to another network between now and December. This has happened with other CBS shows. The reboot of Magnum PI also was canceled by CBS but picked up by NBC, where it ran for an additional two seasons. A deal with another network would also take time to put into place, especially since CBS would have to agree to sell it to a different network. Fortunately, Blue Bloods has that time available due to the way its final season has been scheduled.

CBS Has Uncanceled Shows Before - Could It Happen With Blue Bloods?

The Network Has Famously Uncanceled SWAT Twice

It is rare that CBS reverses a cancelation decision, although it has happened before. In the 1970s, CBS famously uncanceled Cagney and Lacey after a fan-led letter-writing campaign, and more recently, CBS confirmed SWAT had been renewed for season 8 after declaring that the series was done. This was the second time CBS uncanceled SWAT, suggesting that it's possible the network will also undo the cancelation of Blue Bloods.

Uncancellation decisions are exceedingly rare, however. Once a network has decided that they are no longer going to broadcast a series, most of the time they stick to that decision. Fan-led campaigns do not generally move the needle much. Every series has devoted fans that mount pressure campaigns when their series is removed from the schedule, and networks must make decisions based on what's best for their business. Thus, the chances of Blue Bloods scoring a reversal are still slim despite the cast's determination to keep doing the show.

Blue Bloods has a passionate cast and crew behind it, along with a massive fan-led movement to reverse the decision to cancel the series. The chances of CBS changing its mind aren't promising to say the least, but they are far from non-existent. The producers have seven months to broker a new deal with CBS or another network so that they can keep the popular series on the air for season 15.

Blue Bloods airs on CBS on Fridays and streams on Paramount+.

Source: THR