Tom Selleck, the star of BLUE BLOOD, made an eye-opening revelation that shed light on why Magnum P.I was forced to retire.
Tom Selleck, the star of CBS’ procedural drama Blue Bloods, portrayed the patriarch of New York’s multi-generational police family, Frank Reagan. The actor, who also appeared in the network’s Magnum P.I., explained why the show was cancelled.
Blue Bloods debuted in 2010, and it has continued to dominate the network’s ratings, with a season high of 6.11 million total viewers in the live+ same day tally.
The long-running drama also reached a significant milestone this month, as it aired its 250th episode.
The episode was also the season 12 finale, titled ‘Guilt,’ and while the cast celebrated off-screen, it was business as usual for the Reagans.
In the episode, the family sat around their dining room table as they celebrated St. Patrick’s Day and an Irish blessing.
Despite his extensive career in the television industry, Selleck’s achievement was unprecedented.
In a recent interview with TV Insider, the actor discussed what the 250th episode meant to him, and in his response, he made an interesting revelation.
“I never thought I’d be lucky enough to do a show th at had that long a run,” Selleck said.
“Perhaps Magnum, P.I. could have gotten to that number because no one wanted to cancel it.”
“I was the one who caused the divorce,” he admitted.
“I’d done the number one film in the United States, Three Men and a Baby, and I wanted to start a family.”
“The number of series with as many episodes as Blue Bloods is a tiny, tiny percentage; this is proof that we’re all fighting the good fight.”
“All of the actors are completely dedicated to their roles.” So it’s a number that rewards the professionalism of the entire cast,” he said.
Magnum P.I. was a popular action series that followed ex-Navy SEAL Thomas Magnum (Tom Selleck) as he became a private investigator after returning from Afghanistan.
He applied his finely honed skills to excel in his new role as a security consultant for a well-known novelist.
After eight seasons, the show, which premiered in 1980, was cancelled in 1988.
Since the show’s conclusion, CBS has ordered a remake, with Jay Hernandez playing Thomas Magnum.
Selleck also opened up about why the show has remained popular after so many years on the air.
“Because it’s a character-driven show, the cop drama serves as a backdrop for the lives of the five main characters,” the actor explained.
“Because the audience is so immersed in the minds of these characters, the biggest danger in our show is often when one of the relationships in the Irish Catholic family appears to be unraveling.”
“The best family dinners are when we argue,” he added. When the family gathers, the audience is usually aware of the character’s problems, so they’re thinking, ‘Boy, if he brings that up, that’s not going to sit well with Erin.’ The key is that they want the Reagans to be happy.”