After its suspicious absence from CBS' list of renewed shows last month which raised eyebrows, Deadline has now reported that contrary to fears, Blue Bloods will be back for another season. The cop drama has since its premiere been one of the most successful primetime shows on the network. However, its fate hung on a balance after it failed to make the list of similarly successful shows renewed on the network last week. We're now learning that there was a reason for the ommission and that the renewal only came after the show's producers and actors agreed to make a small compromise.
Blue Bloods has continued to deliver thumping numbers for CBS as far as ratings go. It remains the network's most-watched program in the Friday lineup and ranks third among broadcast dramas with a whopping 9.54 million viewers recorded per episode. Live +35-day multi-platform viewing further raises that number to 11 million. In spite of those figures, it's a given that veteran shows naturally become more expensive as they age, and the linear ratings also tend towards decline. Thus, to keep business profitable, CBS had to seek a concession from producers. Deadline reports that in order to secure a Season 14 renewal for the show, its crew and cast had to agree to a 25% cut in wages. It's a weighty cut, however, it was one that had to be agreed upon to save the livelihood of hundreds of production staff who work on the show.
“Blue Bloods has dominated Friday nights since its premiere and remained an important anchor for CBS’ winning lineup,” CBS Entertainment President, Amy Reisenbach said in a statement. Further adding; “Led by the outstanding Tom Selleck, and an incredible cast and creative team, viewers continue to embrace the Reagan’s, their law enforcement family, and the series’ dramatic storytelling. We can’t wait to pull a chair up to the Reagan family dinner table for another fantastic season.” Blue Bloods now joins a host of other previously renewed shows including Bob Hearts Abishola, NCIS: Hawai’i, So Help Me Todd, Young Sheldon, and CSI: Vegas which will all be back for the 2023-2024 TV season. Blue Bloods now leaves behind S.W.A.T. and East New York in the list of shows still awaiting their fate to be decided by the network.
Blue Bloods Will Welcome Back All of Its Original Cast Members
Fans can expect a full table at those Reagan family dinners as no major cast members have been announced to be departing the show. Tom Selleck will be back to ensure the family bond remains strong as patriarch, Frank Reagan. Also returning are Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Will Estes, Len Cariou, Marisa Ramirez, and Vanessa Ray. Blue Bloods follows the professional and personal lives of the Reagan family all of whom have ties to the NYPD.
The show continues to rank in the Top 10 list of programs on Paramount+ in terms of total minutes viewed and ties with NCIS: Los Angeles as the second-longest currently running series at CBS.
CBS airs new episodes of Blue Bloods on Friday nights at 10 p.m. ET/PT. You can stream all episodes of the series live and on-demand on Paramount+. Watch a sneak peek of the show below: