Let’s face it, folks — the Blue Bloods series finale was nothing short of a whirlwind. For those who tuned in on December 13, the action hit the ground running almost from the very first second. Fans of the long-running police drama were treated to an hour-long finale packed with drama, emotion, and major plot twists. Some viewers, though, felt like it was all too much crammed into such a short time frame.
One fan took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice their frustration: “How did this show not get a 2-hour finale? It’s been your standard bearer for 14 years. Talk about a dirty deal. #bluebloods @CBS shame on you.” And honestly, can you blame them? Fourteen years of storytelling deserve a little extra breathing room, don’t they?
From Start to Finish: A Breakdown of the Final Episode
Right off the bat, the episode threw us into the chaos with the tragic death of Luis Badillo and the shocking shooting of Mayor Peter Chase. With the mayor sidelined by his injuries, Frank Reagan stepped up to fill the void, determined to track down the elusive gang leader Ramirez. Meanwhile, Erin and Jack made the heartfelt decision to tie the knot once again, proving that love conquers all. On the other side of the family, Eddie and Jamie shared some incredible news: they’re expecting their first child together, adding a touch of joy to the otherwise turbulent storyline. And as the credits rolled, the Reagan clan gathered around the dinner table one last time, savoring those final moments together.
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Of course, not everyone was entirely satisfied with how it all went down. One viewer noted, “I have to say I wasn’t impressed with this #BlueBloods series finale. 1 hour long episode wasn’t enough, should have been allocated a two-hour time slot. One thing I noticed was how Eddie was in rage over Badillo’s death… However in the premiere of the previous season in 13 when her husband was shot and almost paralyzed the writers failed to show Eddie in rage to man who shot her husband.” Another fan chimed in, saying, “This really should have been a commercial-free hour! But I guess they are at least giving us a moment to catch our breath and wipe away our tears. #BlueBloodsFinale #BlueBloods.”
Showrunner Kevin Wade Weighs In
Showrunner Kevin Wade opened up about the challenges of wrapping up 14 years of Blue Bloods in just one hour. “Look, if you’re running for 14 years and almost 300 episodes, you have, by osmosis, an idea of what feels like it works in the editing room and feels like it works on Friday night at 10,” he explained in a December 13 interview with Deadline.
Wade went on to explain that the finale was designed to be a “Greatest Hits” compilation of sorts, showcasing the best of what made Blue Bloods so beloved. “The combining factor is the ones that we felt worked best and biggest as finales, had all of them pointed at the same case, dilemma, peril, jeopardy, whatever it was. We had talked about it a lot, especially Siobhan and I, and that’s what we came up with,” he revealed.
The Final Curtain Call
Interestingly, Wade admitted that he hadn’t planned an ending for Blue Bloods from the beginning. When CBS pulled the plug on the series, he turned to other iconic shows for inspiration. “We looked at what we felt were successful series finales for long-running shows, comedies and dramas, and it seemed to me that the thing that they pretty much had in common was not beating you over the head with this is the last one,” he shared.
“What they did was they gave you a really good episode, obviously, with a tip of the hat from the start,” Wade elaborated. “Then, for, let’s say, the last five minutes of the show, wrapping it up with that sense of anything we do from here on is going to be in your imagination. Anything you see in the last five minutes; we’re inviting you to imagine the show after the show is no longer on.”
