'Frustrated' Tom Selleck rips CBS over 'Blue Bloods' cancellation

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Tom Selleck is giving network executives over at CBS a piece of his mind following the cancellation of Blue Bloods after 14 successful seasons on the air.

In a new interview with TV Insider, the veteran actor didn’t hold back as he spoke of how the popular crime series “was always taken for granted.”

“I’m kind of frustrated. During those last eight shows, I haven’t wanted to talk about an ending for Blue Bloods but about it still being wildly successful,” the 79-year-old said.

Selleck went on to explain that Blue Bloods still ranks as one of the most-watched programs on a weekly basis.

“In a Top 100 Shows of 2023-2024 (in total viewers, we were number 9 out of 100), if you discount the three football shows, we’re #6 !  I’m not going to turn into a bitter old guy saying, ‘Get off my lawn!’ I don’t believe in holding grudges, but if you were to say to the television network, ‘Here’s a show you can program in the worst time slot you got, and it is going to guarantee you winning Friday night for the next 15 years,’ it would be almost impossible to believe,” Selleck said.

Selleck has been vocal about wanting CBS to reconsider its decision to axe the show.

In an interview with CBS Mornings in May, Selleck said he was holding out hope that the network would “come to their senses” and reverse its plan to end the show later this year with Season 14.

“We’re the third-highest scripted show in all of broadcast. We’re winning the night,” Selleck said. “All the cast wants to come back. And I can tell you this: we aren’t sliding off down a cliff. We’re doing good shows, and still holding our place.”

Without the steady gig, Selleck worried that he could even lose his ranch.

“That’s always an issue,” Selleck said. “If I stopped working, yeah. Am I set for life? Yeah, but maybe not on a 63-acre ranch!”

But in his new interview with TV Insider, the Emmy winner was still puzzled as to why CBS was in such a rush to cancel the series since it has “performed from the get-go.”

“So how do I feel? It’s going to take a long time to sort all of this out,” he said.

The long-running show follows multiple generations of the Reagan family working in New York law enforcement and stars Selleck as New York Police Commissioner Frank Reagan. The cast also includes Donnie Wahlberg (Det. Danny), Bridget Moynahan (ADA Erin Reagan), Will Estes  (Sgt. Jamie Reagan), Len Cariou (PC Henry), Jennifer Esposito (Chief of Police Jackie Curatola), Steve Schirripa (Det. Anthony Abetemarco), Marisa Ramirez (Det. Maria Baez) and Vanessa Ray (Officer Eddie Janko).

When it ends, Blue Bloods, which debuted in 2010, will rank among the 10 longest-running CBS scripted series of all time.

Last November, CBS announced that it was ending the show in the fall of this year with a two-part final season.

“For the past 13 years it has been an honour and a privilege to work on a show that not only celebrates the men and women who protect and serve in New York City, but also displayed the importance of family,” Selleck said at the time. “Working alongside these incredible actors, writers, producers, directors and crew has been a dream come true and I’m grateful to have been a part of this extraordinary group for over 275 episodes. Thank you to CBS Studios and the CBS network for their steadfast support, and we offer heartfelt gratitude to the fans who gathered with us for dinner every Friday night.”

With the final episode already shot, Selleck recalled what his last day on set was like in his chat with TV Insider.

“I remember after the weekend (of the final episode’s shoot), I said, “I’ve got to get to bed early tonight because I have to do my dialogue for Monday.’” Well, there was no Monday. It’s just going to take a while,” he said.

Selleck, who had already had a TV hit in the 1980s with the original Magnum, P.I., said he would miss his Blue Bloods castmates the most now that the show has wrapped.

“The family of actors is as close as the Reagan family and the characters that they play.  There isn’t a single one of them who didn’t want to come back. Most shows don’t end that way — there’s petty jealousy and all sorts of things– and we seemed to overcome that. It’s something for everybody to hang their hats on and be proud of,” he said.

But Blue Bloods might not be done quite yet.

During a shareholder meeting in June,Paramount Global co-CEO Brian Robbins hinted that a new Blue Bloods spinoff could be on the way. 

“In TV, new franchise extensions are coming for Dexter, Billions and Blue Bloods,” he said.

The second half of the final season of Blue Bloods airs on CBS beginning Oct. 18, 2024. Past seasons are available to stream on Paramount+.

mdaniell@postmedia.com