Blue Bloods Showrunner Rejects Bill O'Reilly's 'Woke' Label for Spin-off Boston Blue
Blue Bloods showrunner Kevin Wade has pushed back against Bill O'Reilly's claim that the CBS spin-off Boston Blue is a "woke version" of the original series, saying he is "happy for them" and "roots for it."
In a conversation with O'Reilly, reported by Deadline and TheWrap, O'Reilly argued that Boston Blue is "woke" because it features characters of every ethnicity. He contrasted that with Blue Bloods, which he described as "Irish Catholic traditional down the line." Wade declined to take the bait.
Wade said Blue Bloods never carried a political agenda, even though it was perceived as a "maybe right-leaning show" about a family of white Roman Catholic Brooklyn cops. He attributed the series' longevity to building "a soapbox of equal dimensions" for both sides of any issue, so that viewers did not feel preached to.
He also praised Donnie Wahlberg, who reprises his Blue Bloods role as Detective Danny Reagan in the new series, saying Wahlberg is doing "a terrific job."
Boston Blue premiered on CBS in October 2025 and is described on the network's official show page as "a universe expansion of Blue Bloods." CBS Wahlberg stars alongside Sonequa Martin-Green, Ernie Hudson, Maggie Lawson, Gloria Reuben and Marcus Scribner. The show is a CBS Original available on Paramount+.
The cast represents a notable shift from the original series. In Boston Blue, the role of Danny's son Sean has been recast with Mika Amonsen, after Andrew Terraciano played the character in Blue Bloods. Gloria Reuben plays Mae Silver and Maggie Lawson plays Sarah Silver, according to TV Insider.
CBS gave Boston Blue an early Season 2 renewal in December 2025, with the new season set to return on 9 October. The spin-off moves Danny Reagan from New York to Boston, where he partners with Martin-Green's character within a new ensemble.
For fans of Blue Bloods, which ended its 14-season run, Wade's comments make one thing clear: the person who ran the original show is not lining up against its successor. He is watching from the same side as the audience.
