Blue Bloods will get the send-off it deserves, judging by the confirmed ending for the series. Although it has been canceled by CBS, the Tom Selleck-led drama centered on a family of cops that spans three generations continues to enjoy high ratings during its fourteenth and final season. A fan-led movement to save Blue Bloods did not move the needle with CBS executives, so the next best thing was for the long-running series to end properly.

Blue Bloods’ Reagan family is central to the series, setting it apart from other police procedurals, and this emphasis on family values has contributed to its enduring popularity. Blue Bloods’ best episodes include conflicts between family members without allowing those problems to tear them apart from one another, and every episode includes a Sunday family dinner scene. Thus, the only ending that would be satisfying for this series is one that reinforces the commitment to family that has been the show’s heart for the past fourteen years, and its confirmed final scene is the perfect way to do that.

Blue Bloods Will End With a Reagan Family Dinner
This Ending Will Ensure The Series’ Legacy

Bridget Moynahan, who plays Erin Reagan, confirmed that Blue Bloods’ finale will end with a Reagan family dinner (via Entertainment Weekly). In recent seasons, episodes typically end with the Reagan family around the dinner table, discussing the episode’s events, teasing each other, and revealing secrets that surprise one another, and in this sense, the finale will be no different. However, this family dinner will be special because it is the final one, and the conversation will likely wrap up each character’s story and make it clear that the series is over.

It still has not been revealed exactly who will be sitting at the Reagan family dinner table, though Nicky (Sami Gayle) will be returning during Blue Bloods’ final episodes, so she will likely be at the dinner table. The finale will hopefully include other people whose place at the table is often empty, such as Danny’s elder son, Jack (Tony Terraciano), and possibly include honorary family members such as Frank’s Dream Team, Danny’s work partner, or Erin’s investigator.

Blue Bloods’ Family Dinner Is The Best Way To End The Series
The Series Will Fade To Black After One Last Iconic Moment

Blue Bloods has hurt its legacy in season 14 by cutting the family dinners short, but ending with one such dinner helps reverse that trend and cement the series’ commitment to family values. The iconic family dinners have been symbolic of the importance of family that is at the heart of this police procedural and are one of the most popular aspects of the show; thus, there is no other ending that would be nearly as satisfying as one last family dinner scene.

For fourteen years, the audience has been able to sit at the Reagans’ family dinner table, making this the ideal place to wrap up the series.

This scene would be especially impactful if it ended with the family making a toast to one another, as that would honor the Reagans and reflect upon what made this series so beloved for fourteen years. Regardless of whether it goes in this direction, however, the final moments will be equally satisfying and emotional and will likely be the most memorable part of the series finale. For fourteen years, the audience has been able to sit at the Reagans’ family dinner table, making this the ideal place to wrap up the series.

Why The Reagans’ Dinners Are So Important In Blue Bloods
They Symbolize The Family Values That Have Become Rarer In Modern Society

Blue Bloods is one of the last family dramas, despite that not being the only point of the series. There are few series left on television that focus on family issues, with many dramas centering around lawyers, police, or medical personnel. While Blue Bloods is a police procedural, it has made a point of emphasizing the importance of family and each of its nearly 300 episodes includes a family dinner scene. Additionally, the family organizes dinners in a different manner when members are going through personal tragedies, further demonstrating that family is a priority in this series.

The lack of family-oriented dramas on TV reflects the fact that in real life, many people don’t have time to sit together across a dinner table every week. However, Blue Bloods helped provide a sense of family and community for its audience through its family dinners in each episode. Thus, it’s important that it ends with one such dinner as an acknowledgment of how important these scenes are to the audience as well as to the series’ brand.