Even 13 seasons in, Blue Bloods is still a ratings success. The CBS procedural hit 250 episodes last season, meaning that the series is inching closer and closer to the milestone of 300 episodes. Star Tom Selleck is now opening up about his long career, and how Blue Bloods exceeded his expectations following Magnum P.I.
Before Tom Selleck was Frank Reagan, he portrayed the titular private investigator in the original Magnum P.I. in the ‘80s. The series ran for eight seasons and nearly 200 episodes on CBS. Selleck opened up to ET about his run on both shows and how lucky he is to have found another great series following Magnum’s original run:
We did eight [seasons] on Magnum [P.I.], and I thought I’d never get that lucky again, and now we’ve done 13 and going strong. It’s hard to say you’re gonna go 13 seasons, and we're approaching 300 episodes, but I’ve always thought the show had enormous potential because there’s police work, but it was a character-driven show. And I think my experience on Magnum was the same thing -- being character-driven, the story could keep evolving and change when people get older, and all those things add to your ability to tell stories. We're not out of ideas yet.
Tom Selleck has a long filmography spanning multiple decades, and Magnum P.I. was definitely a big part of his career. Now that Blue Bloods is approaching 300 episodes, the actor is feeling more grateful than ever that he got to be a part of not just one long-running show, but two.
There’s also the fact that the Magnum P.I. reboot is about to find new life on NBC as part of the 2023 TV schedule, so Tom Selleck's legacy with that iconic procedural lives on. Although he hasn't appeared in the reboot, fans are still able to look forward to him every week on Blue Bloods and taking part in Reagan family dinners.
Meanwhile, Blue Bloods’ long-lasting legacy just keeps going, and there seems to be no end in sight. The series has managed to last without big story arcs or cliffhangers, which is different compared to the majority of dramas these days. Even 13 seasons in, Blue Bloods is fixing plot holes and still doing first-time storylines. Despite Magnum P.I. not being on for as long as Blue Bloods, it’s clear that the series is still very near and dear to Tom Selleck’s heart, even if he won't appear in the reboot.
Blue Bloods is still a ways away from hitting 300 episodes, but if it’s renewed for the next couple of seasons, the series shouldn’t have any problem hitting that number. While it has been on the bubble the last few years in terms of not knowing whether it will be renewed or not, with the Season 11 finale planned as a series finale, hopefully, Blue Bloods will be able to hit that 300 before it ends.
To see why Tom Selleck is so lucky to have Blue Bloods, be sure to watch the series on Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS. All episodes of Blue Bloods are also available to stream on Paramount+ with a subscription. Also, check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule to find other shows to watch from week to week during the remainder of the year.
