Blue Bloods is the real deal. It has one of the most dedicated followings on network TV, and according to Deadline, it has remained one of the top 5 scripted dramas on CBS for years. It also ran into some trouble when it came time for renewal. Despite maintaining solid ratings, CBS was slow to green light the show for another season.
There was also talk of budget cuts, and a desire on the part of the network to axe members of the cast and crew so that episode costs were cheaper. Things looked pretty bleak for a while, but the cast and the producers of the show were able to make things work. They took a pay cut to ensure that the crew members could stay on, and the show was renewed for a fourteenth season.
Is Blue Bloods renewed for season 14?
This budget issue is not unique to Blue Bloods. All scripted shows get more expensive the longer they’re on the air, mostly due to the expanding casts and the ability of crew members to negotiate better deals based on years worked. It’s the reason 9-1-1 was cancelled by FOX, and then picked up by NBC.
Blue Bloods also has to contend with the writers and actors strikes. Both strikes have crossed the hundred day mark, and there doesn’t appear to be a clear end in sight. Networks like CBS have had to delay most of their scripted fall shows due to the fact that they can’t hire currently hire anyone, and have resorted to game shows and reality shows to fill the void.
The solution makes sense, but it also opens up the problem of air time. Blue Bloods is slated to return in 2024, at the mid-season break, but in order to allow room for summer programming, the show will only be able to air half the amount of episodes as usual. This means that season 14 will likely be 12-13 episodes, instead of the usual 22-24.
Between the budget cuts, the episode cuts, and the ongoing strikes, Blue Bloods season 14 will be the most difficult, production wise, to date. The chances of the show getting renewed for another season are lower than they’ve ever been due to these factors, but if it’s able to make it through the next year than anything is possible. Tom Selleck, the show’s anchor, told TV Insider that he would be thrilled to do fifteen seasons if given the chance. Let’s hope he is.