Tom Selleck addresses whether he’ll leave Blue Bloods

Blue Bloods may be about to start Season 12, but Tom Selleck isn’t ready to give up yet.

Even as Frank Reagan faces new challenges as the head of the NYPD, the veteran actor is prepared to continue pushing the popular series to new heights. 

Frank vs the mayor as Season 12 begins

Unlike other TV shows, Blue Bloods never ends a season on a big cliffhanger but instead the Reagan family coming together for a Sunday dinner. Speaking to Parade Magazine, Selleck states that Season 12 continues that as they go for a simpler opening. 

“In the beginning of a season, we’re consumed with how do we start off a show that is consistent and isn’t a stunt first episode? Like, “Oh, my God! They’re going to blow up the Reagan house and everybody’s going to die!” That won’t work,” he stated. “I’m very, very enthused about the first few scripts. I know young Sean [Andrew Terraciano] is leaving. He’s going to college. That presents issues for Danny [Donnie Wahlberg].” 

The Season 12 premiere has Frank clashing with Mayor Chase (Dylan Walsh), who wants to give New York City a better image to restore tourism to pre-pandemic levels. This means pressuring Frank to end a wave of shootings. 

“The first two shows are very Frank-centric in that his dilemma is huge,” he states. “The quality of life in his New York City, as well as New York City by all standards, has gone down. And he really gets sideways with the mayor, who has drifted to another point of view. He’s really at odds with Frank and that whole relationship is severely tested. You’re really dealing with a guy who can fire him.”

Selleck noted how Season 12 tackled the debate about police misconduct following national protests and is proud of the show balancing the two sides out. 

“What we decided, I think wisely, last season was we’re doing a fictional New York based on a certain reality. Our mayor is not Mayor de Blasio. In fact, he was originally pretty much a law-and-order guy. The first couple of episodes deal with real issues, but in a way that’s fictionalized and allows us to show multiple points of view of very real problems for the police, and, frankly, the city of New York. So, we’re dealing with it, but not in an issue-of-the-moment thing. There’s a climactic effect to law enforcement. No one would argue that, no matter what side they’re on.”

Selleck also touched on how Frank would love to see Erin run for District Attorney but is aware of the public image of a “Reagan dynasty” despite how the father and daughter are often at odds on issues.

“I know it sounds pretty dry of an issue, but we don’t start with issues; we start with people. We’re character-driven,” he added.

Could Frank be dating?

Fans of the series know that while he has flirted with a few women now and then, Frank has mostly avoided dating anyone. Selleck sums up that romance is often the last thing on Frank’s mind but he wouldn’t mind if he were to find some new love. 

“Frank’s a little senior. He’s also still wearing his wedding ring. We’ve never gone into it. Maybe it’s too self-centered a story about the why of all that. He’s pretty much wrapped himself in his work. The hardest thing about it is, especially with someone who is obviously as vulnerable as Frank and probably scared of relationships, you can’t just bring somebody on the show and do an episode about it. It takes a lot of planning. He’s attracted to women all the time, but dating’s a different thing. I don’t know how you get to a date in one episode. They have to hire somebody who’s willing to, No. 1, make a leap of faith, like I did on Friends—there was no script—and have a significant arc. That’s the only way to do it.”

Obviously, the question rose if Selleck would leave the series after too many Los Angeles to New York commutes and his contract salary rising. Thankfully, it sounds like he’s more than ready to keep going as long as CBS wants him. 

“I’d never say there’s a point where I wouldn’t say enough. Mainly because that puts me in a very bad negotiation position with CBS. Do I love the show? Yes. Do I want to continue on the show? Yes. And while I think they’d be crazy to cancel the show that’s the No. 3 scripted show in all of broadcast television, you never know in this world.

I’m always looking out there for what’s next. I can tell you this: I plan on staying an actor as long as I’m wanted. I want to stay with Blue Bloods. There’s a lot of careers involved, so everybody seems to want to stay with Blue Bloods and I’m just thrilled, put it that way. Everybody’s coming back.”

Those last words are no doubt great for fans who are eager to see Frank Reagan continue on the job for a long time to come. 

Blue Bloods Season 12 premieres Friday, October 1 at 10/9c on CBS. 

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