Is It Time For Detective Danny Reagan To Retire? What Blue Bloods Star Donnie Wahlberg Thinks
With the WGA writers’ strike seemingly coming to an end, the hope is now for the SAG-AFTRA actors’ strike to be resolved pleasingly, and then the shows we all know and love will come back. Amongst those on hiatus for who-knows-how-long is Blue Bloods, which will kick off Season 14 when it returns, after CBS took a while to renew the long-running cop procedural earlier this year. The drama hit 250 episodes during Season 12 and is fast approaching 300, with Donnie Wahlberg having filled the sheos of Detective Danny Reagan since the beginning. But will it soon be time for him to retire the badge?
Donnie Wahlberg previously opened up about what the future of Blue Bloods looked like, noting he’d rather live in the present than worry about where the series is a year or two from now. That doesn’t mean he isn’t thinking about it. When it comes to longevity, the New Kids on the Block founding member admitted he looks at shows like Law & Order: SVU, which is going on 25 seasons. He tells ET that he only hopes Blue Bloods has that kind of success:
SVU, I mean, Ice-T and Mariska Hargitay have been going for, gosh, so many years, and we hope to last as long as they have…
While it may be hard to match the success that SVU has, Blue Bloods seems to be right on track. It also sounds like Wahlberg has no plans to slow down any time soon, but he does occasionally think about hanging up the badge, which makes sense. He has been doing this for almost 14 seasons. Though, if Mariska Hargitay and Ice-T can continue playing their characters for over 20 years, that is a good roadmap to look at. If Danny were to retire and leave, then Blue Bloods would have to end, because it’s hard to imagine the show without Wahlberg, right? Well maybe not have to end, but still.
Blue Bloods has continued to remain a staple on CBS and has dominated Friday nights for so many years now, it's hard to conceive of primetime without the Reagan family dinners. But luckily, at least for now, fans won’t have to worry about that any time soon, at least once the show returns. There is no indication that Wahlberg or the rest of the cast are planning on leaving Blue Bloods, and CBS doesn't seem ready to pull the plug yet either. It is very possible that the series could be going on for another several years, maybe even hitting Season 20 and joining a club that is still pretty exclusive.
It is going to be an agonizing wait for Season 14, but Blue Bloods fans are still keeping plenty fed. CBS is asking for the Blockhead family's help as they will be airing classic episodes of the procedural on the 2023 TV schedule for the fall. Fans will be able to vote for their favorites on social media, choosing between fan-favorite moments, guest stars, and much more. With the classics re-airing, CBS is keen on keeping the Blue Bloods fans tuned in as the show remains on hiatus.
It's always hard to tell how much longer a show will be on, especially in this day and age where no show is safe, no matter how long it’s been on. The hope is always that it goes on for seasons and seasons, or, at the very least, gets a proper closure, even if it’s soon. With a show like Blue Bloods that has been on for 13 years, you never know what could happen. Fans will just have to keep tuning in to the Reagan family to keep them on the air. Make sure to sign up for a Paramount+ subscription to watch all 13 seasons of Blue Bloods while the show’s on hiatus.
