Each member of the family represents a different aspect of police work or the legal process: Frank as the commissioner, Danny as the detective, Jamie as the beat cop, and Erin as the prosecutor.

Erin is divorced and has one daughter, college graduate Nicky (Sami Gayle), who lived with her mother until accepting a job in San Francisco in season 10.

[18][19] Original series executive producer Leonard Goldberg has said he was inspired by the Norman Rockwell Freedom from Want painting to combine the themes of a police drama and family.

[23] Robert Clohessy, whose father was a New York police officer and brother is a detective, has said he was the "only Irish-Catholic person born and raised in NYC on the show.

[35][36][37] According to Deadline Hollywood, the Blue Bloods pilot was a "dark horse" that made it on to the CBS schedule due to a strong audience response during test screenings.

"[42][43] Selleck played a key role in bringing together and encouraging the three cast members who came to form his character's core inner circle at 1 Police Plaza by season 5.

[44][45] In a 2024 feature for Emmy Magazine, Wahlberg recalled helping to convince Moynahan to take the role as his sister after previously working with her on an unsuccessful TV pilot called Bunker Hill.

[47][48] Selleck mentioned that he was drawn to the project because of the strong pilot script and that he was concerned about becoming involved in an ongoing series because he did not want to compromise his commitment to the Jesse Stone television movies.

[73][74] Former NYPD officer James Nuciforo has been the technical advisor for the series since the first season, and also has a recurring on-screen role as part of Frank Reagan's security detail.

In New Zealand, the show premieres on July 13, 2013, on TV3 replacing CSI: NY in a primetime Saturday slot after Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

On October 20, 2012, CBS announced that Jennifer Esposito was being dropped from the series, with her character, Detective Curatola, being placed on indefinite leave of absence.

[82][83] Tony Terraciano departed from his weekly recurring role[84] in season 9 to focus on his college studies, while still making occasional guest appearances.

[114] In a video about the two 2024 TV Guide covers, Wahlberg in particular praised Ramirez for making her own mark on the show in taking over the role as his character's partner, remarking that "now everyone wants these two to be a couple, because she's so awesome.

[14] In a February 2024 podcast interview, Gregory Jbara said it was possible the show could be extended to the spring 2025 season and beyond 300 episodes depending on viewership and initiative by Tom Selleck.

"[134][better source needed][135][136][137][138][139] Wahlberg paid tribute to the fans' efforts during his regular live-tweeting during the airing of the show and in an Instagram video featuring other cast members.

[151] In comments livestreamed and recorded after production completed on season 14 in June 2024, Wahlberg recalled the disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic and stated that "God willing, we'll get some more time together to do something magical again ...

"[154][better source needed] In July 2024, Wahlberg hinted to fans of his band New Kids on the Block that he might be involved in some sort of follow-up to the series after its "apparent" final season.

"[171] In a separate October 2024 interview Hawk said that "I think there's always hope that once ... these final episodes start airing CBS may go you know even though like the set's gone, the props are gone but like that those things can be rebuilt and if you have the entire cast and crew totally ready and willing to continue I think it's possible that the conversation may happen.

"[180] Asked about participation in a possible spin-off, Selleck said he was "open to suggestions because I love Frank Reagan," but added that he did not see the character retiring and going off to a small town.

[181] Wahlberg said in December 2024 he and other cast members still have the feeling of "hoping someone from 'Blue Bloods' is chasing me down the street saying, 'Wait, we're going to do one more season'" and added that ""until we know that there's absolutely no way this show can be resurrected somehow, I think we're all walking forward... but taking a peek back.

"[185] Nick Venable wrote for Cinemablend of the finale ratings, including the projected 11.4 million 7-day viewership equal to the live viewership of the Yellowstone finale, "one would think and hope that such impressive numbers would light a metaphorical fire under CBS execs to stick with this series, at least as far as the previously announced franchise-expanding project concerned...I can’t imagine Selleck will ever stop voicing his dismay anytime he’s asked about it, so perhaps we can hold out hope for the characters to return in the future at some point when network execs need a new Friday night staple.

[205] Following the conclusion of Season 14, Congressman King wrote a column for the Long Island Herald praising the show, his interactions with the core cast members during his visits to set, and questioning its cancellation by CBS.

[234][235] One early review of the pilot from Hitfix praised the show's commitment to filming in New York City and suggested it could flourish if allowed to develop like The Good Wife and to be more character-driven than procedural.

The website's consensus reads: "Blue Bloods features charismatic performances from Donnie Wahlberg and Tom Selleck, intriguing plotlines, and compelling doses of family drama within its police procedural trappings.

[240][failed verification] In late 2014, the magazine Slate's Laura Hudson criticized the show downplaying or apologizing for systemic racism in law enforcement.

"[249] In an opinion piece published in the Washington Examiner, Jesse Adams wrote that, "In this atomized age, with more and more viewers lonely and isolated, the Reagans and company feel more like a lot of people's real family than their actual relations... As a sign of respect, and a lucrative opportunity to syndicate some more episodes, let's hope CBS sees reason and greenlights season 15 for a proper farewell.

"[252] Reviewing the Season 14 finale, Newsday and TV Line praised the performance of Tom Selleck opposite guest star Edward James Olmos as gang member Lorenzo Batista, with TV Line additionally highlighting Eddie and Jamie's pregnancy announcement, the "adorable" scene between Erin and her ex-husband Jack and noting that Danny's partner Baez responded "with just the right amount of warm but knowing smile" to Danny's invitation to a pizza date.

[268] In TV Insider, Matt Roush wrote that the finale aimed to "give viewers a sense of continuity and a hint at where [the characters] are heading, in most cases happily.

The analysis further stated that though "Blue Bloods has become one of CBS’s lowest-rated shows on the linear schedule in the key Adults 18-49 demo ...[it] is still allowed to go out with the dignity of being one of only seven dramas across the broadcast networks to average above 5 million viewers Live + Same Day this season.

[301] After CBS' full new Friday schedule aired in February 2025, TV Line reported that "leading out of NCIS: Sydney, Fire Country delivered 4.2 million total viewers, up 15% from last week.