Blue Bloods Fans Will Need More Patience: We Won't Get Season 14 Until 2024

At the end of March, Blue Bloods fans received a very encouraging announcement: CBS renewed the show for a 14th season, which was meant to hit the screens this fall, as per the usual schedule. Equally optimistic, albeit slightly alarming, was the news that the series' cast had agreed to take a pay cut to make it happen. Still, the decision by the Blue Bloods actors was admirable, giving hope to millions of the show's fans.

However, just a short while later, the screenwriters' labor union, WGA, went on strike, as they failed to reach an agreement with the industry's producers represented by the AMPTP. The situation has worsened over the summer with the SAG-AFTRA-affiliated actors joining the writers on the picket lines. As a result, many anticipated projects were canceled or put on hold — and the beloved Blue Bloods is among the casualties.

For nearly 13 years, the show about the Reagan family employed in law enforcement aired on CBS in the fall release window without any significant postponements. The only exception was Season 11, when the COVID-19 pandemic hindered production.

Now, however, the problem seems to be much more serious: while in 2020, the producers were trying to find loopholes to start filming and everyone was available to work, the WGA and SAG unions forbid its members to take part in any major production until the conflict is resolved.

As of now, the writers have been striking for one hundred days, and the actors are in their fifth week of protests. It has become painfully obvious that the AMPTP is unwilling to meet the industry workers' demands for fair pay and residuals and address the issues of the use of AI in filmmaking, among the professionals' other concerns.

That's why the prospects for when the strike would end don't seem too promising, and unfortunately, the production and release of Blue Bloods Season 14 depends directly on that. If an agreement is reached in early fall, we could probably see the next season as early as January 2024. However, according to various forecasts, the strikes may last until October and beyond, which would push the release date even further back.

To sweeten the pill a bit, CBS announced that instead of the new season, classic episodes of Blue Bloods will air in fall. And while it's a great opportunity to revisit the best moments of the show, fans are hoping that the strikes will end and the Blue Bloods team will get back to work as soon as possible.