Blue Bloods Cast REVEAL Why They Really QUIT…
Welcome back to Screen Tremble. The cast of Blue Bloods is finally speaking out on the departure of former cast member Amy Carlson and David Ramsey. The series’ main actors gathered for a panel discussion as part of New York’s PaleyFest on Monday night, where they touched on topics ranging from the divisive political moment to the magic of shooting those Reagan family dinner scenes. But it was when the topic of Carlson’s abrupt exit from the show came up that the cast got frank about the major changes being felt on set. In a statement posted to social media shortly after the season 8 premiere, Carlson stated that she “loved playing Linda” and was “so grateful to the Blue Bloods cast and crew.” Deadline reported that Linda being written out was Carlson’s decision and that she “felt it was time to move on.”
While Tom Selleck’s Commissioner Frank Reagan is the most prominent name in the cast of the CBS series Blue Bloods, he is far from the only one. Following the story of the Reagan family as they intertwine with the New York police and associated forces in the city, the show is truly an ensemble piece, with performers such as Donnie Wahlberg and Bridget Moynahan in its main cast, and recurring characters played by performers such as Whoopi Goldberg and Bebe Neuwirth. Prior to his role in Blue Bloods, Ramsey was part of the main cast in the short-lived NBC legal drama Outlaw. In 2012, while still recurring on Blue Bloods, Ramsey got another main role, this time on the CW series Arrow. Playing John Diggle, Oliver Queen’s bodyguard turned confidante, Ramsey became an integral part of the show quite early on: he is the first person Oliver reveals his secret identity to, and as the channel’s DC slate grew with the addition of other shows like The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, Diggle’s prominence also rose. While Oliver was looked at for guidance in the ever-growing team, it was Diggle whom Oliver turned to when he was lost.
Linda Reagan’s abrupt departure from Blue Bloods was due to Amy Carlson’s decision not to renew her contract.
Linda Reagan’s character was quickly killed off in an off-screen helicopter crash, leaving fans without closure.
Amy Carlson expressed regret over the hasty and cold send-off of her character and remains open to a more satisfying closure in the future.
As Blue Bloods barrels toward its Season 14 premiere on February 16, 2024, many fans are still left wondering what caused the abrupt departure of Danny Reagan’s wife, Linda Reagan (Amy Carlson), between Seasons 7 and 8 of the hit crime drama. After all, Linda Reagan was an integral part of the TV series, graduating from a recurring character in Season 1 to a main protagonist by Season 5. The loving wife of Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) and the stay-at-home mother of Jack (Tony Terraciano) and Sean Reagan (Andrew Terraciano), Linda Reagan took on a much bigger role on the show when she returned to her profession as an ER Nurse at St. Victor’s Hospital in New York City.
Just when it seemed as if Linda was poised to take on a more significant character arc following Season 7, she was abruptly killed off in an unceremonious way that was barely mentioned in passing on the show. As such, avid and casual fans alike have been left to ponder what happened to Linda and why such a pivotal character would suddenly vanish from the show under such a strange, rushed, and controversial set of circumstances. While the answer to the central question is fairly straightforward, it’s worth explaining in detail how and why Linda Reagan hastily departed from Blue Bloods in 2017.
The chief reason why Linda Reagan was unceremoniously killed off between Seasons 7 and 8 had everything to do with Amy Carlson’s professional contract with CBS. After portraying the character of Linda Reagan on Blue Bloods for 155 episodes between 2010 and 2017, her contract with CBS to star in Blue Bloods expired after Season 7. Rather than re-upping her contract to remain as a series protagonist on the hit crime drama, Carlson opted not to renew her contract.
By all accounts, it was Carlson’s personal decision to leave the show behind. She was not forced out by the producers for any controversial reason. Carlson simply felt that her time was up on the show and actively chose not to continue participating in it. Carlson’s final appearance on the show came in 2017, in Season 7’s finale episode, “The Thin Blue Line.” Carlson has not been seen on the show since and is not expected to return in any capacity to the upcoming 14th season in 2024.
What Happened to Linda Regan in Blue Bloods?
