Summary
Blue Bloods’emphasis on family values sets it apart from other police procedurals, but it has things in common with several other shows. The Tom Selleck-led drama focuses on a family of Irish-Catholic cops who support one another while dealing with tough situations on the job. TheBlue Bloodsfamily dinnerhas become an iconic part of the show, symbolizing the series' commitment to putting families first while also centering real issues that police officers face on the job and in their personal lives.
CBS chose to cancel this popular series despite amassive fan-led movement to saveBlue Bloods. The series only has a few episodes left before it wraps up, and once it departs, there will be few family-oriented dramas left on television. However, many shows center either the family aspect or cop aspect that madeBlue Bloodsso appealing. Thus,those fans who are heartbroken byBlue Bloodsgoing off the air have plenty of choices to help ease the pain of losing this beloved show.
The Reagan Family Tree In Blue Bloods Explained
Blue Bloods centers around the Reagan family, which is large enough that it needs a family tree to help reduce confusion and cement its legacy.
NYPD Blue
Cast
NYPD Blue is a police drama series set in New York City, focusing on the internal and external challenges faced by the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan. Featuring an ensemble cast, the series intertwines multiple storylines and explores complex character dynamics within law enforcement.
LikeBlue Bloods, NYPD Bluecenters around a group of New York City cops. Episodes feature a group of cops who work beats and solve cases in the fictional 15th Precinct in Manhattan. It starred many well-known actors, such as Jimmy Smits, Dennis Franz, and Mark-Paul Gosselaar. The series was both praised and critiqued for its gritty, realistic depiction of NYPD cops, and the premise was inspired by a real cop that one of the producers knew well.
UnlikeBlue Bloods,NYPD Bluewas filmed mostly in Los Angeles despite taking place in New York.
NYPD Blueis far less family-oriented thanBlue Bloods,although it did feature plenty of relationship drama between cops. When it originally aired, it was controversial because of the language used and an episode showing star Dennis Franz’s naked butt. However, it is one of the best police procedurals in the history of the genre. Thus, it is likely thatBlue Bloodswould not have been made hadNYPD Bluenot come first, as its depiction of cops' day-to-day lives was groundbreaking at the time.
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds follows an elite team of FBI profilers from the Behavioral Analysis Unit as they analyze the nation’s most complex criminal minds, led by experienced agent David Rossi. The team works to anticipate and prevent crimes by understanding the behavior of these dangerous individuals.
Criminal Mindsis not for the faint of heart. The long-running procedural centers around the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), which profiles serial killers and other violent criminals. Crimes are often depicted graphically before the team gets to work, using their knowledge of psychology to predict the perpetrator’s next move and catch them in the act. Although these crimes are disturbing, the violence is never gratuitous, and the team members care deeply about justice and about preventing harm to innocent people.
This series was so popular that it ran for 17 years before spawning two spin-offs on Paramount+. While it doesn’t offer the same type of family drama thatBlue Bloodsdoes, the BAU members become a family of sorts because of the unique experiences they share as part of this elite task force. The characters are memorable, making it easy to care about them, which is something it shares withBlue Bloods.
Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom follows 17-year-old Joshua “J” Cody as he joins his criminal relatives in a Southern California beach town after his mother’s death. Led by matriarch Janine “Smurf” Cody, the family’s intense dynamics unfold with members Baz, Pope, Craig, and Deran navigating their illegal enterprises.
At first glance,Animal Kingdommay seem likeBlue Bloods’polar opposite. The series' protagonist, J, moves in with relatives who are running a criminal enterprise after his mother’s death and gets sucked into a life of crime. AlthoughAnimal Kingdom’s J has some redeeming traits, he becomes a hardened criminal, making this series appear to have more in common with shows such asBreaking BadthanBlue Bloods.
However,Animal Kingdomleans heavily into the idea of a family that sticks together, even if in this case, it’s a dysfunctional family that is involved in criminal acts. It offers a fascinating parallel toBlue Bloods, as family values are seen through the lens of a family of criminals instead of the people whose job it is to get them off the street. Thus,it has appeal for those fans who are hungry for shows featuring families that always have each others' backs.
Rookie Blue
Rookie Bluecomes the closest of any series to matchingBlue Bloods’focus on showing cops in as positive, fair, and realistic light as possible. The show revolves around a group of rookie cops and the officers who supervise them as they go out on patrol for the first time. Its vibe is also similar toNYPD Bluewithout the off-color language, which might make it more compelling for those who enjoyed the wholesome family content part ofBlue Bloods.
Coincidentally,Rookie Blue’s final season was also split into two parts, and ABC later rebranded the second half as a separate, final season.
Like many police procedurals,Rookie Bluehad some soap opera-like elements, most notably the relationship between Andi and Sam. However, this is overshadowed by both the police procedural elements and the rookies' home lives, which often included family or friends who weren’t happy with their decision to join the police force.These elements might make the series seem comfortable and familiar, as they are similar to the wayBlue Bloodsblends family and work.
Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues is a groundbreaking police procedural drama set in an unnamed American city, focusing on the day-to-day lives of the officers and staff at the Hill Street Station. The series delves into various social and political issues while portraying the challenges and triumphs of law enforcement. Co-created by Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll, it is known for its serialized storytelling and ensemble cast led by Daniel J. Travanti and Veronica Hamel.
Hill Street Blueshas all the hallmarks of a great police procedural.It premiered in the early 1980s and was considered groundbreaking because it featured multiple, intertwining storylines and included personal and relationship storiesinstead of focusing solely on the police procedural aspects of each episode.Blue BloodsowesHill Street Bluesa debt; without the decision to blend personal and police stories, there would be no series about a family of cops.
Many episodes ofHill Street Bluesended with the main character discussing the day’s events with his wife before they went to bed, which could be considered a precursor to the Reagan family dinners.
Hill Street Blueswas well known for starting each episode with a roll-call scene that detailed which cases the cops would be working on. However, its legacy is one of presenting ethical dilemmas that had no easy answers.Blue Bloodshas continued this tradition, often presenting both sides of an issue Frank is dealing with as Commissioner of Police without writing it in a way that promotes any particular point of view over another.
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street is a crime drama series that aired from 1993 to 1999. It follows the detectives of the Baltimore Police Department’s Homicide Unit as they investigate gruesome murders while grappling with the complexities of their personal lives. The series is known for its realistic portrayal of police work and complex character development, featuring an ensemble cast led by Andre Braugher and Richard Belzer.
Homicide: Life On The Streets is a gritty, Baltimore-based police drama that set the tone for other such shows, including Blue Bloods. The series starred Andre Braugher as no-nonsense Detective Frank Pembleton, who was partnered with rookie detective TIm Bayliss; this was only one of many memorable work relationships on the series, which also was the first place that Law & Order: SVU’s John Munch appeared. The series showed the ins-and-outs of working in a homicide unit in a violent city as well as featuring complex relationships between the characters.
Homicide: Life On The Streetsis based on a book by David Simon about real-life Baltimore homicide detectives.
Pembleton’s wife and children were an occasional part of the series, especially after Pembleton survived a stroke in season 4, and there were many other personal storylines throughout the series' seven-year run. While there wasn’t as explicit an emphasis on family, these storylines are reminiscent ofBlue Bloods, andthis series shared a similar goal of depicting police officers realistically.
Law & Order: Organized Crime
Law & Order: Organized Crime follows the detectives of the Organized Crime Control Bureau as they strive to dismantle New York City’s most vicious and violent illegal enterprises, providing a deep dive into the complex and intricate world of organized crime. Released on June 20, 2025, it extends the Law & Order franchise.
Law & Order: Organized Crimeis the grittiest of all of the spinoffs. It featuresSVUalum Christopher Meloni, who reprises his role as Elliot Stabler, now older, more jaded, and working for New York City’s elite Organized Crime Unit. During the first season,Stabler was shown to be a hothead who was determined to bring his wife’s killer to justice, making him similar toBlue Bloods’Danny Reagan.
Although it was initially said thatBlue Bloods’Linda was killed in a helicopter crash, it later was revealed that the mob sabotaged the helicopter, making Danny and Stabler’s stories perfect parallels.
Law & Order: Organized Crimeis also a strong match forBlue Bloodsbecause of its emphasis on family. Although the writers haven’t been consistent about centering Stabler’s family, seasons 2 through 4 feature Stabler’s mother to various degrees, who has dementia and bipolar disorder, as well as his rebellious teenage son. Although a running subplot involves the question of whether there is anyhope for Stabler to have a romantic relationship withLaw & Order: SVU’sOliviaBenson, this is a small part of the series that doesn’t detract from itsBlue Bloods-like qualities.
East New York
East New York is a crime drama series that follows Deputy Inspector Regina Haywood, the head of the NYPD’s 74th precinct, as she attempts to win over the favor of her community and colleagues. Looking to change the status quo on the tumultuous relationship between the police and the community, Regina will attempt to bridge the gap between them and change their home for the better.
East New York,which sadly lasted only one season, wasa police procedural about a fictional precinct in a poor, mostly Black and Latino neighborhood in New York City. Newly appointed Deputy Commissioner Rita Haywood was the first Black woman given the job of overseeing this precinct; she wanted to reform the police department and improve relationships between the cops and the people who lived in the community. She dealt with a lot of political opposition to her positions and had an ally in Chief John Suarez, played by Jimmy Smits.
Smits was one of severalL.A. Lawalums to appear onEast New York.
AlthoughEast New Yorkis more political thanBlue Bloods, Regina is analogous to Frank Reagan, who is constantly squabbling with the mayor over police policy; the series also features cops going out on cases of the week and has some ongoing storylines involving their family lives. Its audience overlapped somewhat withBlue Bloodsfor this reason when it originally aired.
Yellowstone
Yellowstone follows the Dutton family, led by patriarch John Dutton, as they defend their expansive ranch against external threats from land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park. Released on August 02, 2025, this series examines the complex dynamics and violent conflicts surrounding the largest contiguous ranch in the United States.
Yellowstoneis a modern Western starring Kevin Costner as the head of a family that owns the largest ranch in their Montana town and consequentially has a lot of power. In many ways, Costner’s John Dutton is someone that Frank Reagan would dislike. He is a ruthless business owner and politician who often butts heads with his family. However, the series does emphasize family loyalty, and some of the subplots show John’s softer side, especially with his daughter, Beth.
The Western genre often features heroes who put their moral code above societal acceptance, which Frank also does onBlue Bloods.
Beth is a loose cannon who has serious problems because of her guilt over her mother’s death, but she is also devoted to her father, and in the early seasons she had a hard time dealing with John’s cancer diagnosis. These aspects give the series the same type of family vibe asBlue Bloodsdespite being a different type of series. Additionally, the Western genre often features heroes who put their moral code above societal acceptance, which Frank also does onBlue Bloods,and the Duttons' behavior becomes more understandable when viewed this way.
Madam Secretary
Madam Secretary is a political drama series that aired on CBS for six seasons from 2014-2019. The series stars Téa Leoni as Elizabeth McCord, who becomes the United States Secretary of State, after serving as a CIA analyst and political science professor.
Madam Secretaryfeatures Tea Leoni as the newly appointed Secretary of State who uproots her family to take the coveted Cabinet position. Although this has little to do with the NYPD or police in general, the premise is similar toBlue BloodsbecauseLeoni’s Elizabeth McCord must balance her responsibilities to the people she serves with the needs of her family. She has three children who are often in crisis at the same time as she is dealing with a serious problem on the world stage, and sometimes her job affects her children’s lives in unexpected ways.
During the shortened final season, Elizabeth becomes the President, but the series retains its title.
Blue Bloodsis as popular as it is because of its emphasis on family, andMadam Secretaryhas that same emphasis even though it is about a very different type of political situation. Elizabeth McCord is similar to Frank in that she tries to live by her values, though she doesn’t have the power to make final decisions like he does, as she works for the President rather than being free to run her department as she sees fit.
Blue Bloods
Blue Bloods is a television drama series that follows the Reagan family, a family of law enforcement officers in New York City. Led by Police Commissioner Frank Reagan, the series explores familial and professional dynamics as they navigate police work and politics, guided by their patriarch, the former Chief, Henry Reagan.
