- MAN: Alpha mark.
- Yeah, we all set? Good.
[VOCALIZING BLUE BLOODS THEME SONG]
Let's talk Blue Bloods.
WILL ESTES:
What's the line? What do I say?
[LAUGHTER]
It's New York. It's Blue Bloods.
- Who wants to say grace?
- DIRECTOR: Action!
Let's go. [LAUGHS]
NISCHELLE TURNER: As the prime-time
drama prepares to say goodbye...
You never really expect
...tonight the Blue Bloods
cast comes together...
How are we feeling emotionally? Yeah.
...to reflect on 14 seasons...
I mean, that... it changed my life.
...with stories from behind the scenes.
Where's my flip phone?
I'll show it to you.
Donnie will eat
the entire scene.
I have laughed so much.
I have new laugh lines thanks to Donnie.
NISCHELLE: What you never
knew about their start as strangers...
TOM SELLECK: The first scene we shot,
I was scared.
We only just met.
NISCHELLE: ...and the moments
that made them forever family.
- Get out of here, you animal.
- [LAUGHING]: Sorry, sorry, sorry.
GREGORY JBARA: This
work environment is a miracle.
We really, uh,
pinch ourselves all the time.
NISCHELLE: Plus a
look at the last day on set.
If I talk about it anymore, I will cry.
You're trying to get me emotional.
NISCHELLE: Why the finale is
a love letter to fans.
This is getting really personal now.
That was memorable.
♪
Family, honor, service.
Blue Bloods has delivered
all of that and more.
Welcome, everybody,
I'm Nischelle Turner.
And tonight we are
celebrating that legacy
as we prepare to say goodbye
to the Reagans.
♪
I got a lot to be thankful for,
starting with everybody at this table.
TOM: I love the show...
we all love the show
who work on it... and, uh,
what is so special to me
is the relationships you form
and the family you form.
And I mean that
in the broader sense... our crew,
our writers,
our cast.
DONNIE: The show has
blessed me in so many ways.
And, um, I'm... you know,
I'm a little teary-eyed
right now and emotional,
but more so it's just grateful,
it's not, uh, sad.
This is where all the fun happens.
[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]
NISCHELLE:
These moments behind the scenes
of the final season say it all.
From police procedural
to legal drama to big city politics,
Blue Bloods hits on every level,
but at the heart of it, it is a family
whose dinner table we all want
to be invited to.
BRIDGET MOYNAHAN:
I don't think I realized
it was gonna be that important
of a scene that resonated
week after week.
WILL: People always come up and say,
"I love the family dinner scenes."
Um, I think probably has something to do
with the values of the show.
Reagans say grace.
Name of the Father,
the Son, the Holy Spirit.
TOM: I think family dinner was...
you can safely say
it's most of the audience's
favorite part.
NISCHELLE: 14 seasons, 293 episodes,
and an ensemble cast that's been
together since the very beginning.
It's a success story no one saw coming,
especially in 2010
before the series
even started production.
We love the show. It's
character-driven police drama.
It's three generations of cops.
Bridget is a prosecutor.
- BRIDGET: I got the brains in the family.
- TOM: Yeah.
- And the height.
- She's a smart lawyer.
- And the looks.
- [LAUGHS]
- We got nothing.
- She got the brains and the looks.
DONNIE: I used to walk around and say,
"Oh, seven years, easy, seven years."
And, um, we doubled it, so...
I couldn't have predicted that.
I believed in the show.
I'm not sure I would have
done it otherwise.
And I also believed in the cast,
that we had the right group
and the right show and the right timing.
BRIDGET: I'm excited to see it all,
all put together
in front of other people besides
my parents, who, you know,
are thinking it's gonna be a huge hit,
but they're my parents, so... [GIGGLES]
what else are they gonna say?
I'm actually surprised that I said that.
I don't think anybody
really had that idea
that it was going to be the hit
that it was and still is.
WILL: It felt good from the beginning.
It felt like we were
doing something good,
but you never really expect
Yeah, I think that would be, uh,
that would be an arrogant expectation.
NISCHELLE: So just how do you create
a fan-favorite series like Blue Bloods?
Well, first you take
a tried-and-true TV legend...
[MAGNUM, P.I. [THEME SONG PLAYING]
...add one pop star...
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh-oh. ♪
...throw in a cast of seasoned actors,
and you've got a hit show
that defied the odds.
We owned Friday night.
GREGORY: Blue Bloods did own the night
on Friday night historically
for its entire run,
which is a major accomplishment.
TOM: A lot of people thought,
"God, they put 'em on at 10:00
"Friday night?
That's, that's a death spot." [CHUCKLES]
And it turned out
that if we build it, they came.
And, uh, that was
a big surprise for everybody.
And that was a very big surprise when
people not only came and watched it
but it dominated.
It dominated Friday nights for 14 years.
You see, most series
don't survive Friday nights,
but this cast and crew
found massive success,
consistently charting
as the top show of the night
and ranking among the top
scripted series in television.
They got a pretty famous fan base, too.
WILL: Bill Clinton came
to family dinner once.
The Fonz came in
and was like, "I love this show."
One time I saw Ron Howard... he's like,
"I love your show,"
and I was like, "What?"
Let's have some fun.
- [LAUGHS]
- Give me that mic!
DONNIE: We had something different
and something special. Um, you know,
a lot of TV over the last
two decades has
moved away from a family
like the Reagans.
And suddenly, here was this show coming
that in some ways seemed
like it was past its time
but in reality it was perfect time.
You know, it was right on time.
Um, people missed that type of show
as an option on the menu.
NISCHELLE: But it all could
have looked very different.
For starters, part
of the pilot episode was shot
in Toronto, not New York,
and it wasn't always called Blue Bloods.
LEN: No,
it was originally called Reagan's Law.
What a terrible title.
Boy, I don't think we should've been
saddled with Reagan's Law. [CHUCKLES]
NISCHELLE: And while
the show takes great pride
in representing
the men and women in blue,
the family dynamic is
what really sets the show apart.
It's something Tom felt
very strongly about,
so when the series started
veering away from that
in the first season,
he made sure to bring it back.
Suddenly, there was a,
a difference in the tone.
And some new people had been brought in,
and the show was more procedural.
I kind of met with the other actors
and, and said, "Look,
"you can stay out of this.
"I'm gonna have to have
broad enough shoulders for this,
"but if you agree with me
"and you liked the pilot
"and not the way the show was beginning,
"then, um,
I'm gonna see what I can do."
I called some people at the network,
I called my agent and said,
"This isn't gonna work."
And we were on episode two, and I said,
"Look, I don't think
I belong in this show
if that's what they're gonna do."
And... but that was done in,
not in a threatening way
but in a businesslike way.
And, uh, um...
it worked out pretty good.
BRIDGET: He rallied us
and included us, which was
great because, you know,
it-it showed that he cared that, um,
we were all in this together.
Um, you know, it just brought s
together tighter as a family.
DONNIE: What we all gravitated towards
was the connection between the family.
And that connection had to be protected.
Tom was really... he used his experience
and his, you know, influence to ensure
that we could protect the integrity
of the show that we all signed up for.
TOM: You know,
you commit to a series like that,
everybody's future's on the line,
and it affected them as much as me.
When we started Blue Bloods,
I asked for fourth billing.
I was kind of a supporting character
for what was happening in their lives,
so it was as much their future as mine.
It was an ensemble show which
I was delighted to be a part of.
It would have been remiss
if they weren't in that meeting.
NISCHELLE: And when it
comes to impactful stories,
some of TV's most shocking
and heartfelt moments have
taken place on these sets.
FRANK: I'll ask again.
Who shot my boy?
Vinny...
VANESSA RAY: I think that we've
tackled issues, um,
that are current, you know,
current events to an extent.
At the end of the day,
we're really telling a story
of family working
in an industry
and the, the highs and lows.
I can't do this without my wife.
Linda's death wasn't your fault.
So, whose fault was it?
GREGORY: And the subject matter is...
I think they are very courageous
in what we discuss and...
but we don't preach.
And I think that really,
uh, allows anyone,
no matter what side
of the argument they are on,
it makes everyone feel heard
on a particular topic.
- The laws are there for a reason.
- HENRY: Yeah.
- To protect the criminals.
- ERIN: No.
- To protect society from a police state.
- Oh.
NISCHELLE: But the real
secret to Blue Bloods' success,
well, it's the relationships
on- and off-screen
that have kept fans coming back.
We're rolling!
[QUIETLY]: I love bossing them around.
[LAUGHS]
A lot of TV and a lot of actors,
they're not very nice.
You can cut that out,
but don't cut it out.
All right? They're not very nice.
They're not who you think they are.
Here, they're as nice
as you think they are.
It's family.
And I think that's what the
audience sees and feels.
ROBERT CLOHESSY: We really,
uh, pinch ourselves all the time,
we-we-we laugh all the time,
we are so grateful.
MARISA RAMIREZ: I think
a lot of people can relate
to Blue Bloods 'cause they see
all of our characters
as just real, genuine human beings.
ABIGAIL HAWK: These are real people.
These are people who are messy.
These are people who are flawed.
You know, they-they do things wrong.
They do many things right.
And it's relatable.
DONNIE: I'm so thankful
to be here and to be part of this show
that I've never lost that gratitude
in 14 seasons. I've never lost it.
I'm excited every day, um,
which helps, you know,
when it's... when we're chasing
bad guys out in the cold
at 3:00 in the morning
on a Friday night.
After a long week of work, it's rough.
And I think the crew
feeds off of that energy,
and-and, um, we all kind of
lift each other up.
TOM: Everybody's work ethic
and the ethic to...
making every show
as, as good as you could,
that never left us.
The work was preeminent.
That means an enormous amount to me.
If you spend that much time of your life
working on a television series,
you ought to make the ride
as good as possible,
and we've had a great ride.
NISCHELLE: Still ahead...
DONNIE: Them eyebrows is what gets me.
- [INTERVIEWER LAUGHING]
- He got, like,
scary-a*s eyebrows.
NISCHELLE: ...Donnie's nickname for Tom.
- Plus...
- VANESSA: The belts that we were
are a third of the weight
of what actual cops wear.
NISCHELLE: ...behind the badge.
How the cast prepared to play
real-life NYPD officers.
STEVE: I mean, I couldn't handcuff
a 95-year-old woman.
[VOCALIZING BLUE BLOODS THEME SONG]
[LAUGHTER]
[BELCHES]
[CONTINUES VOCALIZING]
WOMAN: Whoo!
Yeah, we all set?
We-we closed up and quiet?
Good.
Let's go. [LAUGHS]
- Is someone gonna say action?
- DIRECTOR: Action!
[BOTH LAUGH]
It's not my fault
we've been here for nine hours!
- We kind of did it. We kind of did it.
- [MUTTERS HAPPILY]
Dad, I'm really on the edge
- of not coming back.
- [LAUGHTER]
ANDREW TERRACIANO: Oh, God.
- TOM: It's happening again.
- DONNIE: Uh-oh.
This is going well.
MAN: Ready, mark.
This is the squad room.
This is where me and Marisa
hold down the fort
with the amazing background
actors of 14 years.
- Everyone...
- [ALL CHEERING]
NISCHELLE: 14 seasons of love,
laughter and a lot of hard work.
The Blue Bloods cast
spent more than 2,300 days
sh**ting on set,
and they aren't shy
about spilling secrets,
including one of the most
frequently asked questions.
What is it really like to work
with Mr. Magnum himself,
Tom Selleck?
Without further ado...
People may or may not realize
that, you know,
he's about six-foot-four.
And, um, he's just
he's such a, he's such a presence
when he comes into a room.
He's physically imposing,
his eyes are very serious...
You know, people talk
about his mustache.
Them eyebrows is what gets me.
- [INTERVIEWER LAUGHING]
- He got, like,
scary-a*s eyebrows.
They're scary, right?
Well, at least you got that right.
AMY CARLSON: Some things
that you might not guess about Tom
is that he's very funny.
- Can you say that again?
- BRIDGET: Okay.
I was laughing, so...
That's all the faces I have in me.
He's taught me poems,
he's taught me jokes.
- Just bear with me.
- Don't worry, Tom...
Sorry, it's my first day.
VANESSA: I think Tom Selleck is like
the, the original influencer.
And I'm always like,
"Well, whatever Tom says,
I'll try it."
Thank you, it's great to be iconic.
[LAUGHTER]
What you see is what you get,
a lot, with Tom.
He's the leader on-screen
and he really is
our sort of, you know,
our-our leader off-screen as well.
Off-camera,
I only refer to Tom as "Dad."
KEVIN FRAZIER: Donnie calls you "Dad."
And I call him "son."
W... Every time I see him,
his dressing room's right down...
a couple doors from mine,
and I'll walk by and I'll go,
"Hello, son."
He goes, "Hello, Dad." [CHUCKLES]
DONNIE: It's really sweet.
We have a mutual affection
and respect for each other.
It's been really fun building
a relationship with him.
NISCHELLE: And while the cast
knows they could count on Dad
to keep them on track,
they could always count on this guy
to bring a whole lot of energy...
Ah. Speak of the devil.
[LAUGHS]
[GROANS, LAUGHS]
- Oh, geez, oh, geez, oh, geez.
- NISCHELLE: Oh, here he comes.
...and, of course, dance moves.
♪
♪ I like the remix, baby. ♪
How long do you have to talk
about working with Donnie?
TOM: Donnie is fun
and always positive.
WILL: I always want
more scenes with Donnie.
- What's the line? What do I say?
- [LAUGHS]
BRIDGET: He's always goofing off.
Sometimes I'll turn to him
in the middle of the scene
and he'll have, like,
string beans coming down like fangs
and... or, y-you know, little Altoids,
his little Chiclets teeth.
So he's-he's quite the prankster.
All right. Thank you.
- [LAUGHS]
- It was her. That wasn't me.
[LAUGHTER]
I... have laughed so much.
I have new laugh lines thanks to Donnie.
[LAUGHING]
NISCHELLE: And there's
something else Donnie brought to set
starting from day one:
thousands of New Kids on the Block fans.
DONNIE: Yes,
they build little mini-camps
and stuff, they bring me lunch
some days, they'll set up
a barbecue and stuff.
And Tom goes right over
and says hi to them all
and takes pictures and...
I mean, he's-he's great.
TOM: I am now.
I love 'em. I have all their albums.
I made that up.
I-I love 'em, but I don't have
all their albums.
DONNIE: I've snuck in lyrics
from New Kids songs
and song titles and references
throughout all the 14 seasons.
Could you take us through
what happened? Step by step?
♪ Step by step ♪
♪ Ooh, baby. ♪
So, no more games.
♪ No more games is about positivity. ♪
DANNY: Or "Please Don't Go Girl."
- JACK: Yeah.
- SEAN: What does that even mean?
It's an oldie but goodie.
Forget about it.
♪ Please ♪
♪ Don't go, girl... ♪
DONNIE: My band mate Jordan Knight
was a background actor at one point.
Yeah, we snuck him
in the background of a scene.
NISCHELLE: Donnie was
often spotted on set Face Timing
with wife Jenny McCarthy.
And did you know that she almost
had a role on the show
playing his high school girlfriend?
But they didn't want to blur
the line for fans,
so she passed.
But Donnie didn't pass on the chance
to get to direct an episode.
All right, ready?
And action.
Bridget directed three.
And while there's a real sense of joy
and camaraderie on set,
there is one thing the entire production
takes very seriously:
the accurate portrayal
of the real men and women
of the NYPD.
Police. Don't move!
We have a great technical
advisor on the show.
That's Jimmy Nuce.
Do you know who Jimmy Nuce is?
He's a cop, and he retired
and he works on Blue Bloods.
Well, Jim Nuciforo is like...
holds all of our hands.
ABIGAILL: Everything
is authentic with Jim.
Um, his expertise is invaluable.
JAMES: So, I've been a tech consultant
on Blue Bloods since day one.
I was actually on the
show before it was a show.
NISCHELLE: Jim Nuciforo
is a former NYPD detective
who started his law enforcement
career in 1982.
Sometimes you'll see him
on the show playing himself.
- I'm here if you need me, boss.
- Thanks, Jimmy.
I have given them many stories.
In almost every episode
that we do, there's either
a story of mine
or a piece of a story of mine.
DANNY: g*n! g*n!
NISCHELLE: Jim also works
closely with the cast
on everything from weapons
training to mastering
the movements and mannerisms
of real police officers.
MARISA: I feel like, after each take,
I'm looking for him to see
if he's gonna give me the thumbs-up.
sh**ting a g*n,
he tells you how to hold a g*n,
uh, where to put the badge.
JAMES: They've become so good,
they can be cops.
They can go out on that street,
and nobody would question.
NISCHELLE: Still, there's one thing
you'll rarely see
the stars do on-screen.
Put your hands behind your back.
Handcuffing somebody
is one of the hardest things
you will ever have to do.
I mean, I couldn't,
I couldn't handcuff a 95-year-old woman.
JAMES: So the most that we'll do
is put one handcuff on...
if we do that... and then the other cuff
they will hold in their hand.
NISCHELLE: Another challenge
for the actors? The gear.
VANESSA: The belts that we wear...
are a third of the weight
of what actual cops wear.
And, you know, we're talking like,
that's like 25 pounds on your hips
and pushing on your hips
throughout the day.
It's like the number one
question I ask real police officers
when I meet them. It's... I'm like,
"What do you do with the belt
"when you have to use the restroom?
"What do you think about the pants?
"Like, the pants are,
like, tight and loose
in all the wrong places."
Like, I just drill them about
everything about what's on my person.
- [SIRENS WAILING]
- [TIRES SCREECHING]
NISCHELLE: Still ahead...
Somebody please pass me
something that's bad for me.
You got to eat something
or you're cheating.
NISCHELLE: ...from banned foods
to plastic forks, family dinner secrets
straight from the Reagans' table.
WILL: There's infamous meals.
[LAUGHS]
TOM: I did lose it one time
a couple years ago. [CHUCKLES]
[LAUGHTER]
TOM: Today on Blue Bloods?
Today's family dinner day.
DIRECTOR: And action.
Donnie eats like a, like a madman.
DONNIE: I've eaten about
six cannolis right now.
You're going at your food
like it's trying to escape.
TOM: I don't think I
would have been attracted
to that script
without this family dinner scene.
LEN: I have a lot of people say to me
when they, when they see me
on the street,
"I love having dinner with you
on Friday nights."
I feel very lucky...
to have you all here.
If we didn't have that,
like, connective tissue,
it would probably just be
like any other procedural, I suppose.
NISCHELLE: It's the heart
and soul of the series,
the weekly Sunday dinners
where the Reagans come together
to share their hopes
and celebrate their triumphs,
even if they don't always agree
with each other.
I mean, our best family dinners
are when we fight.
Absolutely correct.
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]
NISCHELLE: But here's
something you may not know.
The first time this family sat down
to break bread in 2010,
they were virtual strangers.
TOM: Our first family dinner,
uh, was our first day
of sh**ting on the pilot.
Boys, guys, dinner.
TOM: I met Donnie
the day before,
and Bridget and Will,
I think, the day of.
DONNIE: It was scary,
but it worked.
You know, the good... it was easy for me
because I didn't have
to get along with anybody.
- Blah, blah, blah, blah.
- Such a jerk.
- Hey, screw you, Erin.
- No, screw you.
- No, screw you.
- You know what I had to...
It's Sunday dinner.
NISCHELLE: Since then, the cast
has sat down at this table
a total of 286 times.
A few times meals were at the hospital
or a hotel, but no matter the location,
filming family dinner
is anything but a piece of cake.
There's a lot that goes
into making them happen,
starting with how long
it takes to sh**t.
A day in the life on the set is,
the dinner scene takes forever.
[LAUGHS] Like, about eight hours.
DIRECTOR: And action, Len.
Okay, who wants to say grace?
VANESSA: The directors have a bit
of a competition among all of them,
- like, who can get the best time.
- The record is like...
- There's a record.
- ...three hours and,
like, 45 minutes or something?
- Yeah, and shirts were made.
- Shep would know the exa...
- There was shirts with the...
- No!
- ...with the record time.
- Yeah.
TOM: The hard part, of course, is
you got to go all the way
around the table.
You got to be doing the same
thing in each take and you have
to make it look like it's the
first time you've ever done it.
The other cast mates all have
their own approach to eating at dinner.
TOM: I eat as little as I... possible,
but you got to eat something
or you're cheating.
AMY: Tom...
...butters the-the roll.
I do butter rolls,
but doesn't everybody?
One dinner scene, Tom wasn't there,
and we all argued over
who was gonna get to butter the roll.
Hey, what more could you need?
Bridget likes to mix up
her mashed potatoes a lot.
DONNIE: Bridget, she looks like
she's eating, but she never eats.
You swear she's eating.
BRIDGET: It took me a couple
seasons to learn not to actually eat
the food, so that's my new trick,
is I just don't eat the food. [LAUGHS]
Donnie eats the most.
He eats things I'd never eat
like green beans and...
string beans and cucumbers.
DONNIE: I'll start eating
during the first take.
And then it tastes good.
And by the end of a dinner
scene taping, I may literally have
eaten, like, the equivalent
of 12 pork chops.
You gonna let
that pork chop go to waste?
'Cause if you are, you know,
I'll take it off your hands.
NISCHELLE: Zach Badalucco
is the prop master for Blue Bloods.
He took over the role in 2021
and knows it's a big responsibility.
Before I got here,
chicken cutlets were banned.
Somebody broke their fork.
'Cause the chicken cutlet was so hard.
TOM: I did lose it one time
a couple years ago.
[LAUGHS] We were having chicken cutlets.
And they were overcooked.
And they were like metal.
And we often used plastic, uh,
knives and forks
'cause it doesn't make noise.
And I just lost it a little bit.
It wasn't a tantrum.
But I just tossed it
like a Frisbee out of the room
to make a point, uh... [LAUGHS]
- Okay, so can we eat?
- Yeah!
NISCHELLE: To keep
the continuity on camera,
the props department is
super busy in between takes.
Each scene you cut your food, you eat,
the plate's a bit of a mess,
but then you're going back to
the beginning of the scene, so
they have to put everything back
on the plate the way it was.
- Cheers to that.
- HENRY: Cheers.
NISCHELLE: As for the alcohol,
well, the wine is really
grape juice and water.
And the whiskey,
that's iced tea, except...
TOM: If you're doing a whiskey pour,
you don't want to pour tea into a glass.
'Cause you know what?
Tea gets little bubbles.
You can't drink it.
But you want to pour
real whiskey, but that's
just inside information.
NISCHELLE: Something else
you may not have noticed?
DONNIE: All of the seats...
...so we can be tall enough
in the chair, everyone...
- have a massive cushion.
- [LAUGHS]: Oh, my God!
DONNIE: It's partially
to make sure we're,
you know, high enough...
above the table for everyone
to make the shots look great,
but it's also 'cause we're here,
like, six hours,
and people's butts start hurting.
So we need the cushion.
All that time it takes, um...
we were having a ball.
Everybody's kidding around.
Nothing was bad about family dinner.
I came to so look forward to 'em.
One thing I know for sure,
on Sundays I'll be right here.
And I hope all of you will be, too.
NISCHELLE: Coming up...
Sometimes you get
an occasional N-New Yorker,
and he'll say,
"Shut up, I'm walking here."
NISCHELLE: What it was really like
filming on the streets of New York Cit.
Plus a flashback to the very beginning.
This pilot came along,
and two weeks later we shot it.
NISCHELLE: And who initially
passed on their role?
DONNIE: I said, "You got to do it.
"This will be great for us
to do together."
NISCHELLE: Blue Bloods: Celebrating
a Family Legacy will continue.
This is CBS.
- MAN: Background.
- DIRECTOR: And action!
DONNIE: When I hear the sirens
in the background,
on a take, on an interview, I'm like,
"It's New York, it's Blue Bloods.
Why are we stopping the take
for a siren?"
It's like...
"The ambulance is coming,
more cops are coming.
Keep rolling, let's go."
[CAR HORNS HONKING]
There is nothing quite like New York.
But if you ask this cast
and crew, they'll tell you
the city they've called home
for 14 seasons
isn't just a sh**ting location.
It's an essential part
of what makes Blue Bloods,
well, Blue Bloods.
♪ Start spreading the news ♪
- ♪ I'm leaving today... ♪
- WILL: A lot of people,
the powers that be fought hard
to sh**t a New York cop show
here in New York.
It's a character
in the show, and we, um,
I think we were all lucky
to be able to sh**t
an NYPD cop show here in New York.
♪ It's up to you ♪
♪ New York, New York. ♪
You can't make anywhere
look like New York
except itself.
BRIDGET: It's the energy,
it's the skyline.
It's all the stories
that come with the city.
NISCHELLE: From One Police Plaza
to the Reagan family home
to the precincts, authenticity
is the law of the land
on these Brooklyn sets.
But out on the streets of New York...
DIRECTOR: Three, two, one, action.
[CHEERING, CLAMORING]
...sometimes things can get
a little too real.
[TIRES SCREECHING]
Hands up!
Sometimes you get
an occasional N-New Yorker
who doesn't want to cross the street
to not walk through
the middle of the scene,
and they'll just walk right through it.
And if you ask them to go around,
you know, they'll say,
"Shut up, I'm walking here."
You know, it's New York.
What are you gonna do?
MAN: Hey, yo, I'm walking over here.
WILL: I was standing there
one time in uniform,
and this guy came up to me,
had a briefcase,
very upset, and he said,
"Let me ask you something.
Can they really do this?"
And I said, uh, I said, "I...
I don't know, I don't know,
I don't know." [LAUGHS]
Let's go! Somebody get a net
for this whack job, huh?
Hey, pipe down, okay?
- We're taking care of it.
- Come on!
MARISA: There'll be
a random person who's angry
about, you know, taking up the parking
on the street or something, but that's,
that's gonna happen anywhere.
VANESSA: There was one time
where Will and I
were on the street, someone goes,
"Yo, I'm standing here,
Jamie Reagan's right here.
and his partner." [STAMMERS]
Dead in the eye, down the, like...
"And his partner...
I don't remember her name.
"But, yeah, they're just standing here,
right here, right now."
[LAUGHS] You know, it's great.
NISCHELLE: Of course,
fans tune in to see landmarks
like Madison Square Garden
and Grand Central Station
just as much as they do to watch
the Reagans catch the bad guys.
But while everyone plays
a native New Yorker,
not everyone's from the city.
ROBERT: I'm the only person
born and raised in New York.
That's the only reason I'm on the show.
Because I legitimize the accent.
[LAUGHS] That's what Donnie says.
But, boss, now we got this travesty.
Don't be so dramatic, Sid.
New York City is...
a central character in the show.
I got to say, Donnie relocated
to sh**t in New York.
Bridget relocated, Will relocated.
And I relocated.
Everybody knew that the city
was as much a part
of this as anything else.
And we owe a lot to the city.
The city is home.
We all have friends and family here.
NISCHELLE: For Tom, being
commissioner meant commuting
to work from his home in California
every week
for the entire run of the show.
It's a commitment he was willing to make
with the help of executive producer,
the late Leonard Goldberg.
He said, "If we sh**t an eight-day show,
"bring you in,
say the last four of one show,
"and the first four days
of the next show,
"and then you can get home
uh, for about half your time."
And I said, "Well, I'm sure willing
"to try that because this show belongs
in New York City."
I have such a-a love for New York now.
I've never been a big New York
fan before Blue Bloods.
I've fallen in love with New York
thanks to Blue Bloods, and I,
I have such a love for this city.
There are eight million stories
in the naked city
and there's probably about...
eight million selfies going around, too,
of me, uh, with the people of this city.
And I'm very grateful for them.
And grateful... [INHALES DEEPLY]
...for the time I've had with them.
NISCHELLE: And it's
not just about the city.
The uniforms are as accurate
as you can legally get.
WILL: They make us cover up
because, you know,
it's ill*gal to impersonate a cop,
so we can't really,
like, walk off the set.
So they, like, chase us down,
they make us, you know,
put on a coat or something.
Um, that-that always felt dicey
in the beginning, you know?
Because they'd lock us up... [STAMMERS]
I'd have to run down
a-a New York City block
you know, like, a long block,
with my plastic g*n out,
you know what I mean,
in uniform.
Police!
And I'm like, this could, this
could go sideways, you know?
Um, but, um...
we, um, you know, we haven't
had any major problems.
NISCHELLE: But one of the
biggest perks of sh**ting in New York:
There's no shortage
of world-class guest stars.
Love you, Lenny.
I love you too, Frank.
Oh, my goodness, we've had
so many amazing people pass through.
LOUIS: My boys will be men
when I get out.
I hope they turn out like you.
WILL: I was just blown away that we got,
you know, Lou Diamond Phillips and,
um, you know, Chazz Palminteri.
I mean, the li...
the list goes on, yeah.
- DIRECTOR: Action!
- Ah, okay.
Can we start over? [LAUGHS]
I was hoping for a romantic, uh,
interlude with maybe Bridget Moynahan,
but that didn't work out,
so, um, you know,
I got to work with Tom Selleck,
that in itself is great.
Bebe Neuwirth was also a fun one.
I mean, come on.
Lyle Lovett is... amazing.
♪
[GRUNTS]
And Whoopi Goldberg, too.
Come on, Regina, don't...
My people don't trust the police.
This is an issue for you.
NISCHELLE: Yet the most
important part of sh**ting in the city
is representing
one of the oldest and largest
police departments in the country.
Honoring the men and women in blue
is a responsibility this cast
does not take lightly.
One of the ultimate compliments
for me was... [LAUGHS]
...you know, if I was walking
down the street,
and a uniformed cop saw me,
I'd get a salute from them,
or, "Good afternoon, Commissioner."
WILL: When they love it
and they tell us that, you know,
"You get it... you get it right
more than anybody else,"
or, you know, that,
"You guys, that's what
it really feels like,"
you know what I mean?
And, "We don't see that on TV."
You know, like, um, th-that,
that's huge, you know?
STEVE: When I was on The Sopranos,
uh, I used to get advice
from a lot of fat, sweaty guys
with cigars.
When you go out to dinner,
they would give you advice on...
you know, maybe how to choke someone.
I'm dead serious.
And, uh, I'd much rather
have advice from an NYPD.
And I ask cops all the time,
"Do you believe me?"
"Absolutely."
And that's all that matters.
You know? Means a lot to me.
NISCHELLE: Coming up...
I already have a minivan
for it, and we're ready to go.
NISCHELLE: ...what the
cast plans to keep from the set.
Plus, a sneak peek
at the emotional finale.
I will tell you what he said.
But not to leave this room.
Good scripts are hard to find.
I spend a lot of my time, in life,
reading bad scripts.
This pilot came along
and two weeks later, we shot it.
NISCHELLE: Back in 2010,
Tom was hand-picked
for the role of
Police Commissioner Frank Reagan
by EP Leonard Goldberg.
But here are two things
that you may not know.
First, Tom almost shaved off
his iconic mustache for the role.
But network execs wanted to keep it.
And second...
The night before
we were supposed to sh**t,
the director says, "I think he
should try a New York accent."
Well...
I didn't have a New York accent
in my bag of tricks.
That's something you have
to work on for weeks.
Boat leaves in ten minutes, Pop.
I've never been late
in my life, Francis.
NISCHELLE: A lot has
changed for the Blue Bloods cast
over the past 14 years.
Gosh, I mean, I met my wife...
uh, doing a talk show
promoting Blue Bloods.
Uh, we started dating while
I was doing Blood Bloods.
So much life has been lived.
Get me mushy, you're trying
to get me emotional.
NISCHELLE: But one thing's for sure:
They will never forget what it felt like
when they first joined the series.
When I got the script,
I was like, "This is...
This character's too good to be true."
And usually when something's
too good to be true,
it turns out to be a disaster.
In this case, it's been everything
I hoped it would be and more.
NISCHELLE: Still,
getting his on-screen sister
Bridget Moynahan on board
was a challenge
that Donnie was up for.
I did talk Bridget
into doing the show, sort of.
[LAUGHTER]
BRIDGET: Yeah, Donnie and I
had done a pilot together,
probably the previous year.
It did not get picked up.
So when he... he took this,
he called me immediately
to, um, see if I would take it.
And I-I...
I had already kind of passed on it,
but of course when Donnie
calls and says,
"Let's do this together,"
I-I reconsidered.
DONNIE: She's my sister.
Like, on screen and off.
Mm.
I don't want to get emotional.
'Cause I-I... She's just...
I love Bridget a lot and, um...
I... We're not here without her.
Thanks, Sis.
NISCHELLE: Donnie's NYPD
partner, Marisa Ramirez,
was only supposed to be a guest star
for two weeks back in 2013,
and she came with a New Kids
on the Block connection.
I was "the girl"
in Jordan Knight's music video,
so... [LAUGHS]
♪ You know I can give it to you. ♪
So I got to, uh, to set and, um,
you know, sitting with Donnie in
the car, and then he turned to me
and he said, "You're the girl
in my boy's video."
Yeah. Hi.
So, my audition was for the episode,
um, right after the pilot, once we...
Once it got picked up.
It was really only
meant to be one episode.
TOM: You know, Abigail started having...
She had one line.
And she earned...
that position.
Tom advocated for me.
I mean, that... It changed my life.
NISCHELLE: But the memories aren't all
this cast is leaving with.
I'm making it very public and well-known
what I am taking with me.
It is that door
that is directly behind you.
Because I have let
so many people
in and out of that office.
I already have a minivan for it,
and we're ready to go.
Paul J. Brown, actual DCPI from the NYPD
gifted me these cufflinks
when my character was established.
And I've worn them every show since.
I'll be taking these.
I would like to get the, uh, football
signed by Boomer Esiason,
w-who was on the show.
You want me to confess on national TV
to stealing something from CBS?
I'm not gonna steal anything!
Or am I?
- NISCHELLE: Still ahead...
- TOM: I flew back.
I wanted to be there for the last day.
And I just got to watch.
NISCHELLE: The end of an era.
What it was like
those final days on set.
Plus, a look at scenes from the finale.
It's just getting really personal now.
We can check with Rachel.
You told me not to turn.
And then I was doing
something different.
This is a Blue Bloods scene?
What show is this?
Even my forget is better
than your remember.
How about, "You were right, Mama"?
- "Big Mama."
- [LAUGHTER]
- [LAUGHING]
- DIRECTOR: Action!
[LAUGHTER]
NISCHELLE: You only ever laugh like that
with your closest friends and family.
You know, the ones that you've
made lifelong memories with
and forged bonds with over time.
- [CHEERING]
- NISCHELLE: So saying goodbye,
especially for this tight-knit cast...
...it's bittersweet.
How I'm feeling is kind of a...
an ongoing process.
I mean, if you'd worked for 14 years,
it's a part of your life.
I miss my Blue Bloods family.
I know all the viewers...
will probably miss
the dinner scene most.
- Yes.
- And I bet most of the cast will.
But...
But I'll miss the squad room the most.
This is our... This is the
other Blue Bloods family.
[CHEERING AND WHISTLING]
This is the other Blue Bloods family.
Hey.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
How are we feeling emotionally?
Yeah, we're having, um,
we're having some issues.
It's been a bit of
an emotional roller coaster.
ROBERT: I remember when I came out
of the audition the first time
and 14 years has passed.
I mean, it's, uh...
It's unbelievable.
Why's it got to be, "Oh, my God,
I'm never gonna see you again"?
We all have phones.
I have my flip phone,
I could call people.
Hmm. I'm sad. I'm sad.
You know, this is...
A-And this is a miracle,
it's a gift, this job.
Where's my flip phone?
I'll show it to you.
Everyone's jealous.
They want this flip phone.
There you go.
NISCHELLE: But, you know,
it's not over just yet.
There are two episodes
of Blue Bloods left
to look forward to,
and we've got your sneak peek
at the series finale right here.
I think this is where you decide
whether you stay or go.
NISCHELLE: Exactly how
the family wraps things up
is a closely-guarded secret,
but we do know
the Reagans are facing
some tough decisions
before signing off.
MARISA: There's gonna
be a lot of surprises,
a lot of tears, happy tears, joy,
just so many...
so many great, great things.
We're really proud of it.
I always told you
not to bring the job home.
I know, leave it in my locker
after my tour.
But the problem now is...
That I don't have anybody
not to bring it home to.
DIRECTOR: Two, three.
NISCHELLE: Production on
season 14 fully wrapped in June,
with Tom sh**ting his final scene
four days before the rest of the cast.
My second to the last scene
was the last family dinner.
That was memorable. I did say something.
There was a poem that I was very fond of
and it related to family and that...
that seemed to open the floodgates.
And that meant so much.
Family dinner, I look at it as
my last scene in Blue Bloods,
and that's...
as it should be.
NISCHELLE: But just like any proud dad,
Tom made sure to be back on set
for the very last shot.
DONNIE: It was just so sweet.
You know, um, he's...
He doesn't often show his emotions,
but he couldn't really
hold it in that day
and, um, it just...
Yeah, the waterworks
were open for all of us.
It was a very, um...
very emotional day.
All good things must come to an end.
DONNIE: You know, my mom loved the show.
She never missed it, and-and...
In many ways, like, the show was, um...
...it was a special gift to her.
Well, there's nothing
left for me to do except...
to ask you to join me
in singing that wonderful song
the Reagans always sing
to celebrate special occasions.
Ready? Everybody.
[LAUGHTER]
Well, if we had one.
[LAUGHTER]
The legacy is family.
We have a couple that met
in the background, filming,
and now they're engaged
and they're gonna get married.
- Yay!
- [CREW CHEERING]
That's how... That's how many
amazing relationships
have been formed in all
the years in the squad room.
STEVE: Family, the biggest thing.
That's the legacy of the show.
How much they care for each other.
And have each other's back.
BRIDGET: It's been a
giant family for 14 years.
I think that's what will be
missed the most,
is that-that family aspect.
I hope it's a little bit
of a love letter
to, uh, New York City and the NYPD.
It's something that's, uh...
I'm very proud of.
And it's a legacy for me.
TOM: Throughout 290-some episodes,
is family.
And that... isn't a bad signal to send
in the culture we're living in now.
And, um, and that's a nice legacy.
I'm just incredibly grateful for...
all of it, I wouldn't change
a moment of it
and I wouldn't change any of the gifts
that have come my way, and most of it,
it has to do with people
and human beings.
You know? It's, uh, it's a great job.
But the best part of it is the crew,
the cast, the city,
the people I meet every day.
You know, getting a pat on
the back from a police officer
who says I did a good job, or...
You know, uh, knowing that my mom
was at home watching it all these years.
Uh, those things...
That's what I'll take away from it.
♪
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