Donnie Wahlberg Breaks His Silence on Danny Reagan’s Big Move from Blue Bloods to Boston Blue (Exclusive)

When showrunners Brandon Margolis and Brandon Sonnier pitched a new police drama about a law enforcement family in Boston, CBS had one powerful idea – bring Blue Bloods’ Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) into the mix. The result: Boston Blue.

The challenge? Finding a believable reason for Danny to leave New York. That came through his son, Sean (Mika Amonsen), who joins the Boston PD during an NYPD hiring freeze. When Sean is injured, Danny rushes to help – and stays.

“One of the biggest struggles was figuring out what would make Danny stay,” Wahlberg tells Parade. “As a dad, I know the lengths I’d go for my sons. If his son needed him, of course he’d be there.”

In Boston, Danny partners with Detective Lena Silver (Sonequa Martin-Green) and meets her close-knit law enforcement family: District Attorney Mae Silver (Gloria Reuben), Police Superintendent Sarah Silver (Maggie Lawson), rookie cop Jonah Silver (Marcus Scribner), and Reverend Edwin Peters (Ernie Hudson).

“Meeting the Silvers gives Danny a place to belong,” Wahlberg says. “They took his son in before he got there – and the Reagans are only a few hours away.”

While Boston Blue echoes Blue Bloods, Sonnier says it’s inspired by his own family – and Wahlberg sees it as a tribute to real-life police families across America.

“I thought I’d be doing Blue Bloods for 35 years,” Wahlberg admits. “But this is a beautiful way to carry that legacy forward – to tell more stories about families like the Reagans and, honestly, to heal a few broken hearts. Mine included.”