The Real Reason 'Blue Bloods' Isn't on Tonight

Donnie Wahlberg, Marisa Ramirez

Tonight’s originally planned episode of Blue Bloods was going to have been a rerun— with the shortened season, the episodes have to be parsed out, but now it won’t be broadcast at all and is being replaced by a rebroadcast of CBS’ Billy Joel special, The 100th: Billy Joel—Live at Madison Square Garden, which initially aired Sunday, April 14.

The Billy Joel special was late starting on the Eastern and Central time zones as a result of the network’s Masters Tournament coverage running longer than expected. Then, it ended rudely mid-song at 11 p.m. ET/10 p.m. CT with Joel in the middle of performing “Piano Man.”

“Due to the overwhelming demand from his legion of fans,” the network decided to rerun the special in its entirety, releasing the following statement:

“A network programming timing error ended last night’s Billy Joel special approximately two minutes early in the Eastern and Central Time Zones. We apologize to Mr. Joel, his fans, our affiliated stations and our audience, whose viewing experience was interrupted during the last song.”

So, since both Fire Country and Blue Bloods were running previously seen episodes tonight, the special was slotted into this time period.

Related: Blue Bloods Is Ending But Tom Selleck Is Ready to Go For More

Blue Bloods, which stars Tom Selleck as Commissioner Frank Reagan and Donnie Wahlberg as Detective Danny Reagan, will return with its next original episode on Friday, April 26. No tune-in information has yet been released as to what will be featured.

That said, CBS did release a tease of the Blue Bloods season finale, which is going to be a two-parter. Part 1, airing on on Friday, May 17, and entitled “The Heart of a Saturday Night,” finds Danny and Gormley (Robert Clohessy) racing to find Gus Vanderlip (guest star Aidan Quinn), a committed detective who is dangerously determined to uncover how a rapist he arrested is back on the streets.

Also in the episode, on the eve of their wedding anniversary, Jamie (Will Estes) and Eddie (Vanessa Ray) are sent on an undercover assignment to expose a corrupt sober living house; and Henry (Len Cariou) asks Frank for a favor regarding the NYPD’s 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund.

Since May 17 is the final night of Blue Bloods episodes for the 2023-2024 season, it appears the episode will be a cliffhanger, with Part 2 airing in the fall when Blue Bloods returns for its final episodes of Season 14.

Blue Bloods airs Friday nights at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. Streams next day on Paramount+.

Next, Bridget Moynahan Dishes on Her Plans After the Last Blue Bloods Family Dinner