What ‘Blue Bloods’ Taught Us About the Dreaded 10 p.m. TV Time Slot—and Why It Might Not Be So Bad for ‘Law & Order’

After 36 years on the air, Law & Order  has found itself in the once-dreaded 10 p.m. time slot. For decades, the final hour of primetime was viewed as a warning sign that a series was losing momentum, as later weeknight airings typically draw smaller audiences than the coveted 8 and 9 p.m. slots. Many network shows have been moved to 10 p.m. late in their runs, often before cancellation.

But that stigma has begun to fade in recent years, thanks in large part to the remarkable success of Blue Bloods, which spent nearly its entire 14-season run anchoring CBS’s Friday 10 p.m. lineup while consistently attracting millions of loyal viewers and becoming one of television’s most-watched dramas.

Here, learn why networks have long viewed the 10 p.m. hour as a risky place for scripted series—and how Blue Bloods proved that, with the right audience and a strong fan base, it can become one of TV’s most reliable time slots.

‘Law & Order’ moves to 10 p.m.

Law & Order has been a hit show ever since it first aired in 1990 and it has led to several successful spinoffs, including Law & Order: SVU. Although the show took a hiatus between 2010 and 2022, the series was still popular when it returned with its 21st season.

However, much of its success likely stemmed from its 8 p.m. showtime and SVU‘s 9 p.m. time, which are both extremely popular slots for TV shows. Now, with a shift to 10 p.m. for the flagship series, many are expecting it’s end might be near. This change won’t come until the premiere of Season 26 on October 8. You will still be able to catch Law & Order on its usual Thursday night, though with the time change, it’s possible some folks may not tune in.

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Why is the 10 p.m. time slot dreaded?

The 10 p.m. time slot has long been the one no show wants to fill. Now, thanks to streaming and other ad-free watch options, the situation has only gotten worse for shows that are placed there.

There are several reasons why shows hope to never receive the push to 10:00. The first, most common reason is early bedtimes. Many people tend to watch a new episode of their favorite show if it’s on at 8:00 p.m. or even 9:00 p.m. But when an episode comes on at 10:00, many folks decide to watch it the next day on a streaming service or they’ll skip it altogether. The late night showing is especially hard for those who have to get up early for work the next day and don’t want to pay attention to a show until 11 p.m.

Another issue is that of streaming services. Before Netflix, Hulu and other platforms took over, viewers could only watch what was on cable and if they were up at 10 p.m., they might catch whatever show was in that time slot. But now that many people have access to these other platforms, it’s likely they turn off the television before 10:00 and choose to watch something ad-free at a quicker pace.

What ‘Blue Bloods’ taught us about the 10 p.m. slot

As difficult as it is for some shows to make it work from the 10 p.m. time slot, there have been some success stories such as Blue Bloods on CBS. The series got the late night slot from the get-go, and while many assumed this was a recipe for disaster, the show was a major success.

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Not only did Blue Bloods find success with the late night crowds, but it also aired on Friday nights, which is considered one of the worst time slots for any show. But Blue Bloods made it work, giving the networks a winning night for its entire 14-year run.

Blue Bloods star Tom Selleck addressed the timing after the series came to an end, explaining the unlikeliness of the show’s success. He said, “If you were to say to the television network, ‘Here’s a show you can program in the worst time slot you got, and it is going to guarantee you winning Friday night for the next 15 years,’ it would be almost impossible to believe.” Yet, that’s exactly what happened.

So, while 10 p.m. isn’t exactly the spot every show hopes for, it might not be the end for Law & Order. If a show as popular as Blue Bloods could make Friday at 10 p.m. work, there’s still hope for the NBC series.