Originally premiering over ten years ago on CBS, the episodic procedural drama that surrounded the Reagan police family calledBlue Bloodsinstantly found success on cable television. The long-lived series wasn’t only praised for its on-location shooting all across New York City, but also for its cast. This included actors such as Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, and Tom Selleck who charmingly filled in the roles of detective Danny Reagan (the eldest son), assistant district attorney Erin Reagan (the only daughter), and police commissioner Frank Reagan (patriarch of the family), respectively.
These characters have not only stopped all sorts of crimes and injustices across NYC but have also cordially invited the viewer to come to dinner with them and the rest of their family at the dining room table. In this intimate setting, the entire Reagan family discussed everything that was happening in that specific episode with different perspectives and opinions. These sequences always reflected poignant issues and relevant topics that existed in the real world.
With such a long-running series that balanced the duties and responsibilities of police officers with anintimate familial dynamic, loyal fans ofBlue Bloodswere shocked this month to hear that the upcoming fourteenth season would actually be the last. With CBS coming to a definitive decision right after the SAG-AFTRA strike ended, the first ten episodes of the conclusion will begin airing in the middle of February, while the latter entries will premiere sometime in fall 2024.
As with any other show that has been on the air for so long and become a staple in many people’s weekly television schedules, the absence of the Reagan family will cause a shockwave in the entertainment world. As for those who strongly gravitated toward Frank Reagan (and more importantly, Tom Selleck) and want to see the American actor in similar types of stories, don’t worry, there is a series of films out there that just might be of interest to you.
Blue Bloods
Jesse Stone Patrols The Small Town Of Paradise, Massachusetts
Originally released as sequential detective novels in 1997 by late author Robert B. Parker, the story of the rough and tough fictional character known asJesse Stonehas lasted for over ten years. Going from his high-profile job in the Los Angeles Police Department, he was transferred to the police department in the small and foggy town of Paradise, Massachusetts because ofhis alcohol abuse. Interestingly enough, the original nine novels have all been adapted into movies that cast Tom Selleck in a similarly hardened role as he had in CBS’sBlue Bloods.
From 2005 to 2015, every live-action adaptation actually premiered on the same channel as the aforementioned cop drama. Even with the eighth film calledBenefit of the Doubtgarnering thirteen million viewers, the latest release,Lost In Paradise, made its premiere on The Hallmark Channel. Throughout this series of TV movies, viewers clamored on the edge of their seats as Stone and the rest of his small yet dedicated law enforcement team valiantly took on cases that revolved around thrill killers, money laundering operations, immoral cops, and even child molesters. The team in question has included the likes of Viola Davis and Kohl Suddeth over the years.
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All nine of these movieswere actually filmed on location in coastal Nova Scotia, which helps convey the intimacy of a small town while also depicting a landscape where criminals could easily go about their business without getting caught. Well, that is until Jesse Stone arrives in town.
The Movie Format Creates Slower-Paced But More Detailed Stories
While the pacing of these live-action retellings is slower than the cop and robber chase sequences seen inBlue Bloods, the Stone movies definitely shine when it comes to dialogue and visual detail. Especially in the earlier movies likeNight PassageandDeath In Paradise, the impact of seeing the victim in a way that truly attests to how they were killed really drives home an emotional impact for the viewer. Even though these movies are aimed towardan older audience, conversations that stem from the entire main cast (along with all of Stone’s love interests) flow naturally and quickly. Character chemistry is abundant, which pulls both younger and older audiences into the rapid-fire dialogue sequences.
Related:Every Jesse Stone Movie, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes' Audience Score
One of the most notable highlights of these underrated Tom Selleck movies is the antagonists. While they are all devilish in their own right, the same character who ushers Stone into Paradise also becomes one of themost pivotal villainsas the movies progress. Played by Saul Rubinek (Warehouse 13alumni), Hasty Hathaway is a corrupt banker who deals in all sorts of illegal activities to verify he keeps his social standing in the town. Present in five out of the nine movies, Rubinek provides a suppressed but haunting performance.
If you are distraught at the thought ofBlue Bloodsleaving the airwaves after all these years and not being able to see Tom Selleck play the role of a distinguished police commissioner any longer, do not fret. All the Jesse Stone movies are not only easily available to stream on various platforms, including Prime Video and Apple TV, but there was also a DVD box set released by Sony Pictures in 2018 that collects the nine films, which is a great convenience for both collectors and fans of the crime genre.
