Warning! SPOILERS Ahead for Blue Bloods season 14, episode 15, "No Good Deed"
One of Frank Reagan's lines in Blue Bloods season 14, episode 15, "No Good Deed" made the case for its best spinoff. Blue Bloods' cancelation is disappointing news because the long-running procedural about a family of New York City cops is still popular. However, CBS has suggested that a spinoff could be in development, which could soften the blow of losing the series. That said, a spinoff would only work if it were similar enough to Blue Bloods to keep the attention of its audience, including those who are heartbroken about the original's cancelation.
There are several strong ideas for a Blue Bloods spinoff. The new show could focus on any one of the characters and their families; shows about Jamie and Eddie, Danny and Baez, or Erin fighting for justice in the legal system are all viable possibilities, as is a show about Abigail or another member of Frank's dream team. Alternatively, a new Blue Bloods show could follow a different family and not the Reagans, such as the new fire commissioner and his family. One popular idea is a prequel series about Frank's life as a young beat cop, and "No Good Deed" made this suggestion even more exciting.
Frank's "Been There, Done That Line" Sells The Idea Of A Blue Bloods Prequel Series
It's A Reminder That He Was Once A Beat Cop
Frank asks Eddie for her input on whether rank-and-file cops are upset about the residency policy, which requires police officers to live in the neighborhoods they are patrolling. He is trying to gauge whether it's necessary to support a change in policy even though he believes the residency requirement is a good idea and wants to hear from cops that he trusts. However, when Eddie points out that she and Jamie are "living paycheck to paycheck" even though they've both been on the job for over a decade, Frank responds, "Been there, done that."
This line not only points out that low pay has been a problem for police officers for decades but is also a reminder that Frank was once a beat cop trying to support a family on a comparatively meager salary. He does not often share details of his experiences as a beat cop, so his vague reference to it is intriguing. The lack of knowledge of Frank's earlier life generates the type of curiosity that would spark interest in a prequel series featuring a younger Frank on the beat.
CBS' Frank Reagan Prequel Will Preserve Everything Great About Blue Bloods
It Would Include Family Dinners, Police Stories, And Two Beloved Characters
A Frank Reagan prequel to Blue Bloods would be the closest thing to a fifteenth season of the popular series. It would feature Frank as a beat cop or detective raising four children with his wife, while Henry would be the commissioner. Thus, Henry would occupy the role that Frank does now, while Frank would be similar to Blue Bloods' Danny, who is a father as well as a career cop.
Additionally, this prequel would use almost all the characters the audience is familiar with, although they would be in different stages of life. Frank's kids would be children or young adults and could be featured similarly to Jack and Sean in the early years. This prequel also would allow the audience to get to know a character who was only talked about in Blue Bloods: Joe Reagan.
The death of Blue Bloods' Joe Reagan occurred off-screen before the series began, and the Reagans grieved the loss, investigated what happened, and remembered Joe over the series' 14 seasons. However, a prequel could feature a young Joe. Featuring Joe would make the loss even more poignant, as he would become a beloved character rather than merely the name of a member of the Reagan family who died.
Tom Selleck Can Continue Reprising Frank In The Blue Bloods Prequel
His Role Could Be Similar To Mark Harmon's in NCIS: Origins
It's common for prequel series to include voiceover from the older version of the character. This idea is not confined to comedies like Young Sheldon or The Wonder Years; Mark Harmon provides voiceover narration as the older Gibbs in NCIS: Origins. Thus, Tom Selleck could still be involved in a Blue Bloods prequel as the narrator. He could also appear a the beginning or end of each episode to demonstrate that he is writing his memoir or telling this story to his grandchildren.
Featuring Selleck in this manner would honor his role in Blue Bloods' success, and it would be a nice nod to reality for Frank to be writing a memoir, as Selleck recently published one in real life. Additionally, Selleck's presence is part of what makes Blue Bloods popular, so any spinoff is more likely to succeed if he is involved with it than if it uses an entirely new cast of characters.
