{
  "id": 924603,
  "title": "‘Blue Bloods’ Showrunner Refuses to Condemn ‘Boston Blue’ After Bill O’Reilly Calls It a ‘Woke’ Replacement",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/15/blue-bloods-showrunner-refuses-to-condemn-boston-blue-after-bill",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-15T00:57:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TheWrap",
    "slug": "thewrap",
    "url": "https://www.thewrap.com/media-platforms/tv/blue-bloods-showrunner-responds-bill-oreilly-boston-blue-woke-claims/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kevin Wade, the showrunner for \"Blue Bloods,\" did not condemn the spinoff series \"Boston Blue\" when confronted by Bill O'Reilly over its perceived \"woke\" nature. Wade, who led the CBS procedural from 2011 to 2024, served as the show's top executive until its cancellation in 2023. Following the cancellation, \"Boston Blue\" debuted in 2025, featuring a more diverse cast than the original series.\n\nDuring a recent interview, O'Reilly questioned Wade, suggesting that CBS canceled the original series to produce a \"woke\" replacement. Wade responded by revealing that he had only watched the pilot and a few other episodes of \"Boston Blue,\" stating that he does not follow much network television. Despite his limited exposure, Wade praised the spinoff for providing employment opportunities for actors and crew members.\n\nWade acknowledged that \"Blue Bloods\" was perceived as a right-leaning show, as it revolved around a family of white Roman Catholic Brooklyn cops. Law enforcement professionals generally lean right politically. However, Wade emphasized that the show did not have a political agenda and that they tried to present perspectives from both sides when covering political topics.\n\nAccording to Wade, the show's success stemmed from its ability to avoid preaching and telling viewers how to think or which side was right. The showrunner believes that \"Boston Blue\" is providing jobs for many people and supports its continued production. \"Boston Blue\" returned for its second season on CBS in October 2025.",
  "summary": "\"'Boston Blue' is woke. I mean, they got every ethnicity in the world coming in there,\" O'Reilly declares after bemoaning the cancellation of \"Blue Bloods\" The post ‘Blue Bloods’ Showrunner Refuses to Condemn ‘Boston Blue’ After Bill O’Reilly Calls It a ‘Woke’ Replacement appeared first on TheWrap .",
  "key_points": [
    "Showrunner Kevin Wade did not condemn Boston Blue after Bill O'Reilly questioned its woke nature.",
    "Wade praised Boston Blue for providing employment opportunities for actors and crew members."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The showrunner's refusal to condemn the spinoff suggests a willingness to coexist with a series that has a more diverse cast, potentially indicating a shift in the franchise's approach to representation.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Deadline",
        "title": "‘Blue Bloods’ Showrunner Rejects Bill O’Reilly Labeling ‘Boston Blue’ A “Woke Version”: “I Root For It”",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/15/blue-bloods-showrunner-rejects-bill-oreilly-labeling-boston-blue-a",
        "published": "2026-08-15T04:16:27.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}