Anybody missing Tom Selleck’s comforting presence in Blue Bloods should check out his moody TV movie series Jesse Stone. The Jesse Stone movies adapt the books by the late author Robert B. Parker, about the alcoholic, self-destructive police chief of a small town who can only function through his work.
Selleck was a big fan of the novels, and after the first TV movie Stone Cold was a surprise ratings hit in 2005, he fronted almost annual entries for the next ten years. Famously, Viola Davis left the Jesse Stone series after four outings following her breakthrough with Doubt, and the series itself would run for nine movies in total.
Tom Selleck’s Jesse Stone TV Movie Series Is A Great Binge-Watch For Blue Bloods Fans
A major reason Selleck had to put down Jesse’s PPD cap was due to his success with Blue Bloods. The star had intended to front more Jesse Stone films in his time off from the CBS procedural, but the demands of appearing in over 20 episodes per season meant Selleck’s other cop saga got pushed to the side.
Blue Bloods finally came to an end after 14 seasons in 2024, with fans already missing the Reagan clan. Still, those who want to see Tom Selleck in detective mode should check out his Jesse Stone franchise. Jesse is a good deal moodier and more troubled than Frank Reagan, but he’s still a great character.
These TV movies are noirish mysteries that also feature a great cast of supporting characters, like Jesse’s sardonic therapist Dr. Dix (William Devane) or William Sadler as mobster Gino Fish. While ultimately grittier and darker than Blue Bloods, the Jesse Stone films are still somewhat restrained in terms of onscreen violence, and they all possess a dry wit.
Tom Selleck Wants To Return For Jesse Stone 10
It’s an oddly comforting franchise to binge, as they all fall into a familiar formula; pretty soon, Jesse’s little red house in the sleepy town of Paradise becomes a cosy place to visit. The most recent installment was 2015’s Lost in Paradise, where a retired Jesse is pulled into a murder case.
Tom Selleck and Kohl Sudduth (Luther “Suitcase” Simpson) are the only two actors to appear in every Jesse Stone movie.
While promoting the final season of Blue Bloods, Selleck restated his desire to go back to Jesse Stone. Given how much viewing habits have changed since the franchise began, it might be tricky for the star to resurrect the property. That said, these TV movies were such big hits that there must be some interest in reviving them.
If nothing else, it would be nice for Jesse Stone 10 to bring the series to a close and give the character a finale. While Blue Bloods has received a spinoff in the form of Boston Blue (following Donnie Wahlberg’s Danny Reagan) Selleck has said he is reluctant to guest star, feeling it’s time to move on from Frank.
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- Created by
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Robert B. Parker
- First Film
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Jesse Stone: Stone Cold
- Latest Film
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Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise
- Cast
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Tom Selleck, Kohl Sudduth, Kathy Baker, Stephen McHattie, William Devane
- Movie(s)
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Jesse Stone: Stone Cold, Jesse Stone: Night Passage, Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise, Jesse Stone: Sea Change, Jesse Stone: Thin Ice, Jesse Stone: No Remorse, Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost, Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt, Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise
- Character(s)
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Jesse Stone, Luther “Suitcase” Simpson, Captain Healy, Dr. Dix, Rose Gammon
The Jesse Stone franchise is a series of television films based on the novels by Robert B. Parker. The series follows Jesse Stone, a former LAPD detective who becomes the police chief of the small town of Paradise, Massachusetts. The films are noted for their character-driven plots, focusing on Stone’s battles with alcoholism, his troubled past, and the crime investigations he leads.
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- Created by
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Robin Green, Mitchell Burgess
- First TV Show
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Blue Bloods
- Latest TV Show
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Blue Bloods
- Upcoming TV Shows
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Boston Blue
- First Episode Air Date
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September 24, 2010
- Cast
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Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Will Estes, Len Cariou, Jennifer Esposito, Amy Carlson, Sami Gayle, Marisa Ramirez, Vanessa Ray, Gregory Jbara, Abigail Hawk, Robert Clohessy, Steve Schirripa, Tony Terraciano
The Blue Bloods franchise is a police procedural drama centered around the Reagan family, a multigenerational clan of law enforcement officers in New York City. The original series, Blue Bloods, aired from 2010 to 2024, focusing on themes of justice, family, and duty. Following its conclusion, the franchise expanded with a spinoff, Boston Blue, which follows Detective Danny Reagan as he transitions from the NYPD to the Boston Police Department, partnering with Detective Lena Peters, the eldest daughter of a prominent Boston law enforcement family.
