Donnie Wahlberg is gearing up for the premiere of his Blue Bloods spinoff, Boston Blue, teasing that fans won’t be disappointed in how it starts.

“The first episode is going to blow people’s minds,” Wahlberg, 55, said on the Thursday, August 7, episode of Boston’s Billy & Lisa in the Morning. “I think people are going to be like, ‘Oh, my God,’ like, there’s some twists and turns in the first episode, and then we’re going to continue that.”

The actor, who will reprise his role as Detective Danny Reagan on the upcoming CBS show, confirmed that Boston Blue will “pay respect and honor” Blue Bloods as well.

He noted that during Blue Bloods’ 14-season run, the Reagan family, including Tom Selleck, who played his father, NYPD Police Commissioner Frank Reagan, were “my family and we’re very close.”

Without that familiar connection on Boston Blue, Wahlberg confessed it’s “a new world” for him, but promised, the new show will “stay connected with the old characters and they’ll be popping up from time to time.”

Wahlberg revealed that the upcoming procedural will also be working to tell stories of the “thousands and thousands of police families in America.”

He added, “And we want to let Danny explore, you know, be a fish out of water,” referring to the change of scenery from New York City to Boston.

Wahlberg played Danny on Blue Bloods from 2010 to 2024. The series focused on a New York family of public servants helmed by Frank (Selleck) and his father, former NYPD Police Commissioner Henry Reagan (Len Cariou).

Donnie Wahlberg hinted that the Blue Bloods spinoff, Boston Blue, is all about starting fresh. Wahlberg, 55, took to Instagram on Tuesday, July 8, to share a photo from the spinoff’s first table read, which he captioned, “A new chapter 💙.” The actor, who plays Danny, tagged his costar Sonequa Martin-Green as the cast prepares […]

The family also consisted of Danny’s sister, Erin Reagan (Bridget Moynahan), an ADA with the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, and their younger brother, Jamie Reagan (Will Estes), who became a police officer after initially planning to become a lawyer. Their eldest brother, Joe Reagan, died on the job before the series began.

The series ended in December 2024, with Danny leaving the door open to a possible romance with his partner, Maria Baez (Marisa Ramirez), after losing his wife seasons prior.

Wahlberg hinted at a possible spinoff while speaking with Us Weekly that same month, saying, “I love the character, and I certainly thought there were more stories that we could tell with him.”

The actor didn’t confirm anything for certain, adding, “I’m not saying there will be a spinoff, I’m just saying I haven’t closed the door on the character.”

In February, CBS announced that a Danny-led spinoff was ordered straight to series for the 2025-2026 broadcast season. The network confirmed that Danny would take a position in Boston and once there he would be “paired with detective Lena Peters, the eldest daughter of a prominent law enforcement family.”

Sonequa Martin-Green was later announced as Danny’s Boston partner, Lena, and Ernie Hudson will play her grandfather, Reverend Peters. Maggie Lawson has been cast as Boston Police Department superintendent Sarah Silver. The rest of the cast includes Gloria Reuben, who will serve as Boston’s District Attorney Mae Silver, and Marcus Scribner, who will play rookie cop Jonah Silver.

Last month, Wahlberg confirmed that Moynahan, 54, will have a “special guest appearance” as Danny’s sister, Erin, during the season premiere.

“She’ll also be bringing her incredible directing talents to the show this season!” he wrote via Instagram in July. “More fun (and surprises) to come. 👀 Let’s go! 💙❤️.”

Danny’s youngest son, Sean, originally played by Andrew Terraciano, has been recast with Mika Amonsen. It’s unknown whether the role of his eldest son, Jack, who was originally played by Andrew’s real-life brother, Tony Terraciano, will also be changed.

Boston Blue premieres on CBS Friday, October 17, at 10 p.m. ET.