As one of the most iconic and influential procedurals to have aired in the past decade or so, Blue Bloods was a huge hit for CBS. Across 14 seasons, the show was acclaimed for its storytelling, character dynamics, gritty depiction of inner-city crime, political machinations, and themes of police corruption. Blue Bloods’ strong ensemble cast is led by Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg, and Bridget Moynahan, and the show achieved some of the highest ratings on CBS, which is why it came as such a shock when it was canceled in December 2024.

To compound this frustration, the show has picked up success again since its cancellation, and, with a spinoff in the works, it begs the question: why would CBS cancel it? Shows like Blue Bloods have maintained popularity because they have managed to remain relevant and explore prominent social and political issues through fictional storytelling. Here is how the show has fared since its cancellation, adding to disappointment and frustration over its premature end.

Blue Bloods Has Found New Success On Streaming

The Show Continues To Impress On Its New Platform

Blue Bloods has found success during its streaming debut and has continued to impress since it became available for audiences. Blue Bloods has performed very well since it debuted on Paramount+, ranking as one of the most-watched shows on the streaming platform. The show has ranked in the top 10 charts in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia and has been on the charts for close to three weeks now.

Streaming is a good test for any show, and with Blue Bloods performing so well, it is a testament to the immersive and compelling nature of the worldbuilding and writing. Being able to watch a show like this on streaming allows for binge-watching, and it increases convenience, meaning long-running shows with lots of episodes are accessible to enjoy right away. Blue Bloods‘ strong ensemble cast and combination of episodic and serialized storytelling resonates with streamers and is helping it to perform well on Paramount+.

Blue Bloods’ Streaming Success Reinforces Its Popularity That Could Have Saved It From Cancelation

There Is Clearly Still An Appetite For The Show

Blue Bloods‘ Paramount+ streaming success shows that the show still has a strong audience and a dedicated following, and this could have been the case if the show had been renewed. The fact that Blue Bloods is posting this kind of streaming record so soon after its cancellation suggests that a new season might have achieved similar success, and this is another reason a renewal would have made sense. According to Popcorn Cinema Show, Blue Bloods season 14 ranked as the 9th highest-selling DVD in the UK for the week of March 9, 2025, illustrating its global popularity.

Indeed, the final season of Blue Bloods was still posting strong ratings, and this, coupled with its streaming performance, suggests its cancellation was a mistake by CBS. It would have been great to see how the show might have evolved if Blue Bloods season 15 had been renewed, and though the series was largely wrapped up nicely, there is plenty that could have been explored if the show had continued.

CBS Is Continuing Blue Bloods Through Its New Spinoff (But It Still Won’t Be The Same)

Season 15 Might Have Made More Sense Than A Spinoff

Nonetheless, Blue Bloods is going to continue through the spinoff show Boston Blue, which will follow Wahlberg’s Detective Danny Reagan as he moves to the Boston PD. The show could be a success and would be expected to hit the ground running since it’s following a show as successful and prominent as Blue Bloods. It won’t feel the same, and there is certainly a school of thought that Blue Bloods season 15 would have made more sense.

Having said that, Boston Blue has the chance to fix a Blue Bloods problemby achieving a more diverse cast and exploring marginalized stories in more detail, and this could help to freshen the franchise up slightly. This could make for an exciting and interesting show, but it won’t feel the same as having all the legacy behind Blue Bloods and audiences having to connect with a largely new cast of characters. While Boston Blue could be a long-term success, I can’t help but feel frustrated that CBS hasn’t chosen to continue the franchise by renewing Blue Bloods.