Blue Bloods‘ Amy Carlson Breaks Silence on Hasty Exit, Laments Linda’s Tragic End: ‘I Wouldn’t Have Done That’
Like many Blue Bloods fans, Amy Carlson was not fond of her character Linda’s hasty exit.
“I feel badly that she dies the way she dies,” Carlson told our sister site Deadline in her first full-length interview since her off screen demise in September’s Season 8 premiere. “I did not know they would do that. I was surprised. I wouldn’t have done that.”
Although Carlson did not discuss the circumstances that led to her departure, the actress revealed that she “was not invited” to appear in the opener. Had she turned up in the episode, it might’ve cushioned the blow for fans, she posited. “It would’ve been nice for the fans to see her demise, to be a participant in it,” she lamented. “That was my vote for the fans… I hear from them all the time, ‘We really want you to come back.’ And I’m like, ‘That’s impossible.’ But they also say [they] wish [they] could’ve mourned the character.”
Carlson noted that she would be amenable to making a brief return to bring her storyline to a more satisfying conclusion, either via a dream sequence or perhaps a flashback showing Linda’s helicopter demise. “Of course I’d be open to that,” she shared. “It’s been hard on the fans. I never wanted it to end that way, so I feel sad for the fans because everyone wants closure.”
I said it before that I really think they missed a great opportunity by not showing Linda’s death and the aftermath of that. It would have made for some awesome episodes.
My biggest complaint about the show is that nothing bad ever happens to the Regans (or at least nothing bad that actually lasts more than 1 episode). Showing her death would’ve given the show some stakes which it completely lacks right now.
ummmm The show started in the aftermath of the death of older son Joe which has gotten mentioned from time to time over the years.. I’ve been waiting for a flashback episode to show what really happened which might be tough now 8 years later because of the children in the show.. This is a procedural show so stuff gets wrapped up..
Precisely my point. The show started well after Joe’s death. During the run of the series nothing bad happens to these people (that lasts more than the current episode). The one time that the stakes could’ve been raised, they copped out and let it happen off screen. LAME.
If you are a regular viewer, you would know that Sonny Malevsky and the crooked cops of the Blue Templar murdered Joe. It is fully explained in Season 1, Episode 22.
Yep,I agree.
They should show joes death as well
Totally agree
I really don’t think they should of killed Linda off. Miss her and I also agree with your comment.
They really missed the boat here. Linda was an important character from the beginning and having her death occur between seasons was a disservice to the show, the fans and the actress. Plus it would have made for really compelling TV – something Blue Bloods has been missing lately.
Probably the only off-screen death to ever work in a TV show that I can think of is the famous one from MASH, and even then they didn’t wait until a new season to reveal what had happened.
Not surprising as most off-screen deaths are probably because the actor is no longer available for one reason or another.
One I can think of that worked perfectly: The Sopranos finale. :)
That is a pretty divisive finale. Glad it worked for you though.
She should come back . Bring her back that it was a dream that Danny had .
That’s a good idea ☺
Yep, that’s what they did on “Dallas.” This ending is so unlike the thoughtful and caring Reagan family who have established a rock solid code of how things are done. This episode was not even close to what the viewers were used to.
I agree with Wrstlgirl, I think they missed an opportunity for some really emotional scenes. I think Linda was a very important member of the family and us fans do not like the way her death was handled.
Could she look any more as if Jessica Capshaw and Sasha Alexander had a baby? Wow!
After all the years She was on Blue Bloods they should have dedicated an episode to her death. It has all of disappointed. I don’t think the writers for this season aren’t so great. Not sure if I’ll continue to watch. Maybe burned out on subjects. ERIN should could use some form of a man interest. The stories with Frank and t he Mayor need to end. It’s boring. Also Danny needs to get the boys a German Shepherd puppy. How come none of that whole family doesn’t have a pet. Maybe Frank needs the dog. Needs more exciting edge on your seat episodes.
Frank probably doesn’t have a dog because he had a K9 partner when he was younger who was killed on the job, and he never got over it. :(
It would have been nice to have closure for the wife of Danny and mother of children.I don’t know who came up with that story line.Season opener of Blue Bloods but it was very bad.For the show and fans.
The exit was her choice and they really didn’t have anywhere else they could go with it. Only other option would have been divorce. Had they known she didn’t want to return at the end of filming last season, she could have just died in the fire.
Where did you get that it was her choice?
She didn’t say anything about it in her Instagram post. She wouldn’t discuss what led to her departure here.
That she “wasn’t invited” for the season opener implies on the contrary that she was ready to return at least in some capacity, and the show didn’t want her.
Confirmed on a recent red carpet: https://tvline.com/2017/10/17/blue-bloods-linda-dies-amy-carlson-leaves-season-8/
Sorry, but I read that article and it quotes her ex-castmates, not her directly.
Articles here and on other sites. Seems like she’s just trying to make sure all the blame goes on the show, network, etc. even though it was her decision to leave. Just reading the quotes and I can feel the tension. There’s nothing that can annoy show runners and writers more than getting last minute notice for this kind of stuff when they’d already set up the following season.
Agree totally Iris. Also, just a FYI to those “thinking” she didn’t want to return …. shortly before the new season opener, there was a short clip on “on demand” (cable) showing the whole family and Amy (Linda) was proudly voicing the return of the new season had “all the original staff returning” which is clearly no indication that she “did not want to return.” I think it’s sad that when a good show runs for many years (e.g. NCIS) that the producers feel they can just cut the parts out of vital actors with no concern of its viewers. Back to the original topic, I think Linda’s role was crucial to the show. She will be so missed.
“Her choice” only in a manner of speaking.
The “DeHavilland Rule” (named after a lawsuit Olivia De Havilland won against the studios decades ago) requires that service contracts cover no more than 7 years of work,and so all the cast members had a chance to renegotiate after Season 7.To pay for everyone else’s raises someone had to be let go…and it was Amy Carlson.What they offered her wasn’t enough for her to accept.
It already sounds like she left with some bad blood between her and the producers, so I wouldn’t expect any calls to bring her back for some closure.
It’s not the same without Linda (Amy Carlson) on Blue Bloods. She was Danny’s wife and played a big part. Wish she would return. Could say that they mistook somebody else’s body as her. She got out and had amnesia.
Good idea Janice. I keep expecting something like that to happen lol. It just isn’t the same without her character. I admired the marriage of Linda and Danny so much. Also, the comment left by Donnie W. totally convinces me that something took place “behind the scenes” between Amy and the producers that resulted in this completely unfair chain of events. Hopefully, they can see that this is having a huge impact on the series and will be big enough to correct it and “invite her back.”
More than likely the cast got a big salary increase and wanted her to be able a big pay cut to pay for it. Hated the way the writers cut Linda out. See so disappointed and the story lines this season really suck especially between Frank & the new mayor. She’s a complete idiot.
They definitely could have used the money they are paying the new mayor’s character, to instead have increased Linda’s pay for a year. Maybe the mayor could die in a helicopter ride, and we could get a new character for her spot.
You’re spot on, Linda. Earlier there was posted at least one complaint from Amy that she was not get enough coverage compared to all the others. I noticed it, too. They could easily have written an episode that centered on her character as a nurse .. perhaps saving the life of some big wheel politician .. or big-name racketeer. All the others have had at least an episode about .. them. But, not Amy.
The character really didn’t have that much to do, let’s be honest. We saw her at the hospital once or twice. I am forgetting the actress who plays Eric’s daughter, she even has less to do
I agree with Mark, she had small parts, you see her at the dinner table and at work. Never actually seen her work. They could have used what she do to help out with cases. No one ever got shot, went to the hospital and her role help link the case together. She never got kidnapped, the hospital never got a bomb threat. The grand daughter or grandsons life has never been in danger. Not that you want bad things to happen, but maybe if they use some of Criminal Minds ideas, and see how the Ragans deal with it the show may be worth watching. Getting bored and predictable.
I want Linda back! The show isn’t the same without her. Danny isn’t himself without Linda. Please give her a come back….
Who Cares? Baez is FAR MORE IMPORTANT!!
Haven’t you noticed how they have moulded Baez into a real bebe lately? They’ve dolled her up for … some … reason. Standby .. any day now.
Just read the Deadline article and we definitely don’t know the entire story. Hopefully the truth will come out because Amy Carlson was very careful about who she talked about and praised CBS. The way she was written out was very severe and not at all respectful of all her years on the show.
I do wish Linda could be back but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. Linda’s death should have been mourned for both storyline and fans. It’s difficult to watch Blue Bloods without Linda. PLEASE BRING LINDA BACK!!!!
I was shocked when I saw the first episode … I thought I missed one last season. I agree that this wasn’t handled correctly for the fans. We need closure too. It was so vague showing no accident, no funeral, etc. I feel so sad to see Danny Reagent without her.
Getting tired of all this misplaced mourning. ‘Blue Bloods’ is a favorite for me, and I really liked Amy’s role, but let’s move on already. A fictitious character died, not Amy.
amen to this comment.. It’s fictional TV… I bet many NYers today wish they had Dr. Melphi as the mayor of NYC for 4 years but that’s their problem today… It’s like many people might wish that Conrad Dalton was in office ( POTUS on Madam Sec)…
Or Tom Kirkman from Designated Survivor…
Finally, reality.
I miss Linda and yes I did cry when i found out that she wasn’t there and the way they took her out of the show..i would love to have her back!!
I agree, they really missed on opportunity. Even more surprising is that last season ended with their house being burned down. She could’ve died in the finale and it would’ve made complete sense.
To tell the truth I’ve completely lost interest in BB now?! It just doesn’t feel like the same show I’ve loved & watched for years?! Linda was a integral part of the dynamic. And the way they killed her off is just wrong on so many levels. Sucks
Sounds like somebody is learning what show business is like when you choose “other opportunities”
I liked Amy, she added a good presence to the show, unfortunately she was more limited to end scenes whereas better stories went to Marisa and Bridget. Please bring Amy back!!!!!!!!
I don’t mind the way her character’s death was handled- her contract was up and she chose not to renew so the show must go on. It’s not like she was a major character anyway and it opens up future storylines for the Reagan family anyway as Danny goes it alone.
Amy Carlson already had one great character death on her resume, why be greedy? She left “Third Watch” in pieces and it was pretty awesome.
I was actually just thinking about this yesterday and that I was surprised Blue Bloods didn’t get more flack for the Kevin Can’t Wait-esq offing. Thought they could have shown her just with her husband throughout the episode and revealed at the end she was dead. At least give the character something.
It is not the same as Kevin Can Wait at all. The wife there was fired. On Blue Bloods it was Amy Carlson’s choice to leave. Death was a more honorable option than having Linda divorced or separated from Danny.
Her contract reached the maximum allowed length of 7 years…everybody from the starting cast had a right to renegotiate and to pay for raises for everyone else someone had to be let go.She chose to leave because they were not prepared to offer her what she’d accept.
It would have been nice to have done things different instead of just killing linda off like they did but I guess that the way it is.