Donnie Wahlberg was a mainstay on “Blue Bloods” during its 14-season run, starring in almost 300 episodes of CBS’ great procedural series. Out of all those episodes, what is his personal favorite of the bunch? The actor behind Danny Reagan is a big fan of the pilot, which he believes has stood the test of time.
“I see it every now and again on re-runs, and it still holds up after all of these years, you know, getting to work with Tom [Selleck] and Bridget [Moynahan] and the cast, and it was an amazing experience,” Wahlberg revealed in an interview on the “Boston Blue” YouTube channel. “I just don’t know if we’ll ever be able to top it. I know we’ve come close because we’ve done some amazing episodes, but that one is an unexpected treat.”
The inaugural episode of “Blue Bloods” was important for the series. From establishing the characters, universe, and Reagan family dinner scenes, it introduces the hallmarks that ultimately defined “Blue Bloods.”
At one point, Donnie Wahlberg thought there wouldn’t be a Blue Bloods
“Blue Bloods” almost didn’t make it to the screen, according to Donnie Wahlberg in an interview with Variety. Recalling the show’s early days, the actor revealed that it was the last pilot to be greenlit by CBS that year — and when it was greenlit, the news came as a surprise.
“I was told on Friday before the upfronts it wasn’t going to go on the air. And then by Sunday, I got a call,” Wahlberg recalled. “I was with my band [New Kids on the Block] on our cruise with 3,000 fans, and they were trying to get me [on the phone] at sea, saying, ‘You need to be in New York at the upfronts tomorrow.'”
Ultimately, CBS’ decision to move ahead with the show paid off, as “Blue Bloods” was a consistent hit for the network. Since then, Wahlberg has reprised the role of Danny Reagan on “Boston Blue,” a spin-off that aims to honor “Blue Bloods'” legacy.