Boston Blue‘s Silver family is meant to be a substitute for the Reagans in the Blue Bloods spinoff, but there is one significant difference between the two families. Blue Bloods’ Reagan family was a key factor in the procedural’s success.
Although Blue Bloods featured stories about cops doing their jobs, it was unique in its focus on the family. The Reagans were a multi-generational cop family, and each episode’s conflict helped strengthen family ties despite conflicts between different family members.
For this reason, Blue Bloods was still popular as it headed into its fourteenth season, which made CBS’ decision to cancel it confusing. While the network decided it was time to let go of this popular series, it also hinted that a Blue Bloods spinoff was in development.
Boston Blue will have several differences from Blue Bloods, including Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) moving to Boston rather than remaining in New York. Danny will interact with the Silver family, whose prominence as a police family in Boston makes them analogous to the Reagans.
Boston Blue’s Silver Family Is A Blended One
There Are Stepchildren Involved In The Family
While the Reagans are biologically related, the Silver family is a blended family that includes one stepdaughter, Sarah (Maggie Lawson). This family structure differs from the Reagans’. The closest the Reagans came to a blended family was the introduction of Joe Hill (Will Hochman).
While Joe is biologically Frank’s grandson, he did not grow up with the Reagan family and first met them in adulthood, and he and the Reagans spend three seasons trying to adjust to one another’s presence. Conversely, Sarah is not biologically related to the rest of the Silvers but likely grew up with them.
Related
How Danny’s Blue Bloods Spinoff Can Include The Other Reagans
The new Blue Bloods spinoff puts Danny Reagan in a new city, but there are still several ways to include the New York-based characters.
Interestingly, Sarah is the police superintendent, making her most similar to Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck), who is still the NYPD Commissioner as of the end of Blue Bloods. Sarah is also the only white character among the Silvers, whose matriarch is Black.
Presumably, Mae Silver’s (Gloria Reuben) late husband was white, and Sarah is his daughter. She will likely have a perspective on policing that is somewhat different than Frank’s because of her experiences with how police have treated her step-siblings.
The Silvers’ Different Dynamic Makes Boston Blue Improve On The Family Aspect Of Blue Bloods
Boston Blue Will Retain the Idea of Family Being Central, But With More Diversity
Although the focus on family was refreshing, Blue Bloods did not offer diverse representation. All the Reagans except for Joe Hill grew up together, came from the same parents, and had the same racial background.
There was still room for diverse viewpoints, as every character had their own opinions, and Nicky (Sami Gayle) often provided a counterpoint to the family’s political beliefs during the first 10 seasons. However, the Raegans all shared the same basic experiences, which was somewhat limiting.
Sarah will have different experiences than the others, both because she is a stepchild and because she has different experiences as a white girl and woman than other family members.
Conversely, the Silvers will have a different dynamic. Sarah will have different experiences than the others, both because she is a stepchild and because she has different racial background.
This will lead to more robust debates around the dinner table. This dynamic is closer to what many real families today look like and thus is an improvement over the Reagans despite Blue Bloods providing a high-quality foundation for the franchise.
How Danny Fits Into The Silvers In Boston Blue
He Will Be The Outsider Instead Of A Member Of The Family
Danny’s inclusion in Boston Blue puts him in a new, more challenging position. In Blue Bloods, he was a beloved father, son, and grandson. His family knew he had a bad temper and accepted that about him, though Frank tried to guide him away from impulsive and self-destructive decisions.
Additionally, he had them to fall back on when Linda died. When he moves to Boston, however, Danny will be working with the daughter of a family like his rather than being part of the city’s most prominent cop family.
Related
Why Danny Is The Reagan Character With A Blue Bloods Spinoff (When Jamie & Joe Have More Interesting Futures)
Blue Bloods’ first spinoff has a reason for focusing on Danny, even though Jamie and Joe seem like more natural choices to carry a sequel series.
Danny’s position in Boston Blue will be more like Baez’s in Blue Bloods. He is a work partner who may become somewhat of an honorary family member over time, but he also will need to prove to them that he is worthy of their admiration.
Danny will have to adjust to this new reality, which will lead to some interesting developments for his character as the series progresses. It remains to be seen how he will fit in with the Silvers in Boston Blue, but his presence can only add to their existing dynamic, making for compelling stories.
Enjoy Screen Rant’s primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for our weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check “Network TV” in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.
SIGN UP NOW
