Time is running out for Blue Bloods to craft a proper storyline around Sean’s future career path in season 14. Sean hasn’t been a big part of the season, often only appearing at the dinner table. The only move the show makes toward his potential decision to become a cop is a scene where he shows his family a drawing he made of them depicted as superheroes, explaining that cops are heroes because they risk their lives every day.

There are only four episodes left in the first half of season 14, with eight more to come in the fall of 2024. If Blue Bloods season 14 is the show’s final year, there’s little time to develop a meaningful storyline around Sean’s decision to pursue a career in law enforcement. Any such storyline would feel rushed or forced, which would destroy its emotional power. As such, Blue Bloods needs a season 15 to do justice to this important storyline, and anything less would be a waste of Sean’s potential as the character most likely to continue Reagan’s legacy.

CBS’s cancellation plans aren’t necessarily written in stone. Donnie Wahlberg’s response to Blue Bloods season 14 being the show’s final year suggests that CBS could agree to another season, and Tom Selleck has also indicated that he would be happy to continue if CBS finds a way to keep production going. CBS also recently reversed its decision to cancel SWAT, another long-running series that was twice on the brink of cancellation before being saved at the last minute, so it’s possible that CBS could also reverse its plans for Blue Bloods.

The fate of Blue Bloods remains uncertain at this point, with CBS not committing to another season, but some stars have suggested that a season 15 could happen. A proper end to the series would require another season, especially if the ending involved Sean deciding to follow in Danny’s footsteps and become a cop. Sean would be a perfect replacement for Donnie Wahlberg’s character at the end of the series, but that’s unlikely to happen unless CBS makes a last-minute order for season 15.