‘Blue Bloods’: Donnie Wahlberg Spills on How He Thinks the Show Can Evolve
It goes without saying that cop shows are going to need to change their approaches when the 2020-21 TV season begins. After the death of George Floyd last May, every cop show on TV had to make statements pledging they would do better to depict law enforcement in a more nuanced way. CBS’ Blue Bloods was at the forefront of it all.
Other cop shows might not be so lucky if going by the comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine. If those other shows have bigger writing challenges ahead, Donnie Wahlberg (who plays Danny Reagan) says that Blue Bloods is truly geared up to take on the headlines with full force.
How close is ‘Blue Bloods’ to reality?
According to Wahlberg, who was interviewed by TV Insider recently, Blue Bloods has often tackled things in the headlines, including social justice issues. However, he notes they perhaps never focused on it enough as they should have in the wake of what happened recently in America.
He sees the show doing deeper dives into these subjects in the coming year. Said Wahlberg: “It’s a good opportunity for us to really engage in a lot of what’s going on, but also maybe help the discussion and be a part of the discussion.”
How the show goes about this, of course, is still up in the air. Wahlberg addressing this as speculation proves he only wishes the show will take these subjects head-on. No doubt they will, but coronavirus (COVID-19) is currently wreaking havoc on production schedules.
When the 11th season of Blue Bloods will start filming again is also a big question mark. Once they do, will the show hone in on police brutality more intensely, especially with Danny Reagan often being accused of it?
Danny Reagan could face more police brutality charges
The discussions around the Reagan dinner table may grow tenser than they ever have next season. Danny Reagan has already shown signs of being on the edge in recent years after going through considerable turmoil. After all, he lost his wife a few years ago in a tragic accident, not including always being investigated for improper police conduct.
Most likely, Danny is still going to get into trouble due to his adamancy in his job as an NYPD detective. Will he face police brutality charges, bringing the headlines right into the family dining room?
This might be the best way to broach police brutality based on Danny’s controversial history. As far back as 2013, critics took Danny to task for killing people and often being let off the hook, according to HuffPost.
It only makes sense this is where Blue Bloods will go to bring the drama directly into the family circle. At the same time, Wahlberg notes that since the Reagan family always has diverse opinions, they may speak to the nation on their differing viewpoints.
Can ‘Blue Bloods’ lead the way for other cop shows?
Thanks to Blue Bloods already touching on subjects now in the everyday headlines, they may be the true leader on where all cop shows go. Many others are still waiting in the wings to see whether they can really survive this storm.
Despite other cop shows making statements about doing better (including donating to Black Lives Matter), Blue Bloods has the advantage of always staying grim in all subjects they tackle. Keeping this sober tone is the best way forward, along with including family discussions about reality.
Solving police brutality requires deep-dive discussions with everyone involved. Having a similar discussion taking place with the Reagan family may be a good starting point.
