Despite claims that CBS has no interest in extending “Blue Bloods,” it looks like the drama is set to be franchised into a spin-off. Now that leaves just one question — which long-lived, long-suffering character deserves to have their own show?
It’s not guaranteed that the series will end up following patriarch Frank (Tom Selleck), or give us flashbacks to the youth of grandpa Henry Reagan (Len Cariou). Even the show’s minor characters are worth a second look for such a project. After all, it might even be fun to watch Anthony Abetemarco (Steve Schirripa) run around New York City doing his thing. But there are several “Blue Bloods” audience favorites who would be absolutely fascinating to follow, whether they be college students, politicians, young marrieds, or single mothers looking for a way to make their favorite city a better place. These are the characters who could ably helm an entire “Blue Bloods” spin-off all by themselves.
Danny Reagan
This may be an obvious choice, but it’s a sturdy and reliable idea. Donnie Wahlberg wants to continue playing Danny Reagan, and the show continues to revolve around his wounded heart and well-meaning ways. Ergo: Moving Danny to a new city and letting him go wild on criminals is a license to print money for “Blue Bloods” fans.
Everyone wants Danny to figure out his romantic and professional life — and how easy would it be for him to do so in another place, in another job, far away from his family and the grown sons who have given his life direction? A spin-off could answer that question without sacrificing a bit of his hard-boiled, all-action, take-no-nonsense ways. Whether or not Danny ends up at the top of the heap or the bottom of the pile in some new city, spinning him off is an easy answer to a big question about who to center a new show around.
Sean Reagan
There have been plenty of jokes about CBS launching a Young Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) spin-off in the wake of the success of “Young Sheldon” and the hopeful success of the upcoming “NCIS: Origins.” There’s a way to do a “Blue Bloods” spin-off that thinks younger, but it doesn’t involve a prequel — it involves a spin-off involving one of the show’s youngest characters. Spinning Danny’s son Sean (Andrew Terraciano) off into his own show also allows the drama to go into entirely unique directions when it comes to fresh genres and new ideas.
Sean Reagan is a college student with an artistic bent. Following him to school would give the character a number of options for his future trajectory. Maybe he could take up amateur detective work while attending school, using his creative eye and artistic ambiti ons to apply himself to the situation; maybe the story could be about how his artistic ambitions make him unique among the rest of his family. In any event, following him in his already-established world of higher education might be fun — and could even give audiences fresh insights into life for the younger generation.
Erin Reagan Boyle
Erin Reagan (Bridget Moynahan of “I, Robot”) has kept the political side of the show’s plot structure running. A spin-off involving her would be interesting because it would take the show away from police work and policing and put it into a political sphere. Think something like “The West Wing,” only on a much more local scale.
One could easily follow Erin as she tries to change city politics in a better way — or gets transplanted to a new country, or a new state, having run afoul of New York’s city hall. She could go back to practicing law or even deeper into big city politics and even make a climb toward higher office. There are different angles the show could hit. With a romantic life that’s always been up in the air and a fearless spirit, Erin could anchor a whole lot of plots that could take the typical “Blue Bloods” formula into a fresh direction. Plus, an Erin series might mean a visit from her daughter, Nicky (Sami Gayle), and other relatives. Who could ask for anything more?
Jamie and Eddie Janko-Reagan
Is it cheating to list two characters in a single slot? Maybe so, but Jamie (Will Estes) and his wife, Eddie (Vanessa Ray) are pretty inseparable, so it suits. As they’re partners in life and on the field, spinning them off would either require they go off as a package deal into the future. A new show could also confront audiences with trauma similar to what Gloria (Sally Struthers) went through on her “All in the Family” spin-off and start with a divorce. Let’s eschew the latter idea and go with the former.
Why not plant Jamie and Eddie out in the country and subject them to the ultimate clash of cultures? Why not plunge them into witty plots filled with banter — make them detectives, give them banter and a shared objective, and watch the chemistry color the crime. Whenever “Blue Bloods” chooses to center an episode around them their plotlines always carry a sense of fun, intelligent teamwork that can escape other corners of the narrative. They could even branch out and raise a family of their own in an entirely different and yet Reagan-apropos way. A Jamie and Eddie spin-off may be the easiest series to conjure to mind — and an easy way to progress their relationship beyond what “Blue Bloods” has shown – but it might also be the most satisfying one possible.
Maria Baez
She’s a no-nonsense, take-no-prisoners single mother who believes in justice and can kick the butt of almost any criminal she comes across. Yet she’s vulnerable enough to bend and not afraid to show weakness. That’s one irresistible television-ready package,and one can’t help but think that if “Blue Bloods” had launched sometime in the 1990s, Maria Baez (Marisa Ramirez) would have been spun off into her own program a decade ago.
A Maria-centered spin-off should probably plant her where she’s been growing but expand her world outward. In New York, moving to a different borough is like moving to an entirely different universe — the show could well keep Maria in New York City but move her across town, putting her in league with a different group of colleagues and plunging her into different political climate. With a growing Elena beside her and a whole host of romantic and occupational options, Maria may not be the most obvious character to put in a new series — but she may be the best hope “Blue Bloods” has to keep itself running into the 2030s.