Grandpa Reagan Is Coming to ‘Boston Blue’—What To Know About Len Cariou’s Return to the ‘Blue Bloods’ Spinoff

More members of the Reagan family are coming to town in the upcoming episodes of Boston Blue. After starring together for years on Blue Bloods, a few of the stars are returning to reprise their beloved roles. One character making a return that fans of the original series will be excited about is Henry “Pop” Reagan, portrayed by Len Cariou. 

Find out what we know about the actor’s return, plus what other stars you can expect to see. 

Grandpa Reagan is back! 

There have been whispers regarding which Blue Bloods characters might make an appearance on Boston Blue. Fans have wondered whether stars like Tom Selleck might appear, but there hasn’t been much confirmation until recently. 

Donnie Wahlberg, who portrays Danny Reagan on both Blue Bloods and Boston Blue, revealed that Pop, his character’s grandfather, will be heading to Boston. 

“Grandpa Reagan’s going to be showing up, and Erin’s going to show up again,” Wahlberg confirmed in a recent interview. 

Henry “Pop” Reagan will reprise his role in Season 1 Episode 13, titled “Beautiful Broken Things,” which will air on April 13.

All about Pop Reagan’s journey—from ‘Blue Bloods’ to ‘Boston Blue’

If you were a weekly viewer of Blue Bloods, you certainly know Pop from the Sunday family dinners with the Reagans. But in case you joined the fandom with Boston Blue, you may need a little background on the character. 

Henry “Pop” Reagan is the head of the Reagan family, who previously held the title of the NYPD Commissioner before Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck). Henry is the father of Frank and grandfather to Danny, Erin (Bridget Moynahan), Jamie (Will Estes) and their deceased brother Joe. 

Despite Cariou only being about six years older than Selleck, he very believably portrayed his father on-screen, offering words of wisdom to his family when they needed it. The character was often seated at the head of the table during their Sunday family dinners, listening to his family detail their crazy week in the NYPD.

What Len Cariou really thought about ‘Blue Bloods’ ending

Many members of the Blue Bloods cast shared their disappointment with the series coming to an end after 14 years, including Cariou. After spending 293 episodes as Henry Reagan, he wasn’t ready for it to come to an end. 

“It’s too bad,” Cariou said of the show’s ending. “Doesn’t make any sense. We’re still, I think, the best-watched show on Friday nights, even though we’re canceled.”

Aside from the show being a massive success and the outrage from fans, the cast was upset that they wouldn’t be getting to film together anymore.

“We all get along terribly well,” Cariou shared of his relationship with the cast. “And that doesn’t happen every time out.” 

Which other ‘Blue Bloods’ cast members are coming to ‘Boston Blue’?

Len Cariou won’t be the only familiar face joining episodes of Boston Blue. The show’s creators and cast have confirmed that there will be a few characters reprising their roles. Erin Reagan is set to return to the show again, along with Maria Baez (Marisa Ramirez), who is Danny’s former partner and current girlfriend.

Creators Brandon Margolis and Brandon Sonnier previously spoke about which characters would be returning. “We can tell you that Erin will not be the only one, but that’s all we’re allowed to say,” Sonnier said. Margolis added, “There are new characters that will show up. We will meet more members of the Silver family, and we will see members of the Reagan family we have not yet seen.”

Tune in to the second half of Season 1 of Boston Blue on Friday, February 27, 2026, on CBS and the next day on Paramount+.