letterten 2010-11 fall preview | cbs

CBS Friday 10:00pm

debuts Friday, September 24, 10pm

concept from	Blue Bloods is a drama about a multi-generational family of cops dedicated to New York City law enforcement. Frank Reagan is the New York City Police Commissioner and heads both the police force and the Reagan brood. He runs his department as diplomatically as he runs his family, even when dealing with the politics that plagued his unapologetically bold father, Henry, during his stint as Chief. A source of pride and concern for Frank is his eldest son Danny, a seasoned detective, family man, and Iraqi War vet who on occasion uses dubious tactics to solve cases. The sole Reagan woman in the family, Erin, is a N.Y. Assistant D.A. and newly single parent, who also serves as the legal compass for her siblings and father. Jamie is the youngest Reagan, fresh out of Harvard Law and the family's "golden boy;" however, unable to deny the family tradition, Jamie decided to give up a lucrative future in law and is now a newly minted cop. Jamie's life takes an abrupt turn when he's asked to become part of a clandestine police investigation even his father knows nothing about, and one that could impact the family's legacy.
stars	Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg (Runaway, Saw II, III, IV), Bridget Moynahan (Six Degrees, Sex and the City), Will Estes (Reunion, American Dreams), Len Cariou (Damages), Dylan Moore
producers	Leonard Goldberg (Charlie's Angels), Mitchell Burgess, Robin Green
studio	CBS Television Studios

my take

Blue Bloods marks Tom Selleck's return to a CBS series since his Magnum days. (Hard to believe that Magnum, P.I. ended its run 22 years ago.) It doesn't appear to be a standard cop drama. All of the familial connections presented lead me to believe it's a family drama in a family that happens to be cops. I like that. Real life is seldom one dimensional, yet many dramas that take place in genres (crime dramas, legal dramas) tend to be. This doesn't feel that way. The cast is good, the slot is interesting: only 20/20 and Dateline NBC compete, but Friday at 10 is a tough time to launch a new show. Not sure they'll be enough eyeballs at that hour, but Selleck is still a draw. A slot swap with The Defenders would benefit both shows.