Not since “McCloud” has an iconic leading man with a mustache made the move to become lawman in New York City.
But Tom Selleck is going to do just that, move east to shoot the new CBS fall cop drama, “Blue Bloods.”
“I’m relocating,” says Selleck, “as are many of the cast. And we’re doing it because we love the show.”
“Blue Bloods” is a family drama embedded within a cop show with an ensemble that includes Donnie Wahlberg and Nick Turturro.
Reading the script by Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess caught his eye, and he liked the idea of an ensemble. “Having done a lead, as I did in ‘Magnum,’ I was in every shot. And I wasn’t complaining, but it’s a tough road. And ‘Magnum’ was never canceled. I kind of left it after eight years because I was tired from it, not tired of it.”
But where “Blue Bloods” was shooting was what he called “the biggest hurdle for me to accept the idea of doing the show,” Selleck says. “It’s really hard to argue that this isn’t a better show shot on the streets of New York. And that excited me.”
“No offense, Toronto,” he said, “but I’ve shot there, and it’s a lovely place to shoot, but it’s different.”
Selleck won’t quite be relocating his family out East though.
“I think I’ll probably spend about half my time in New York City. I don’t mind the commute. I love my ranch and that lifestyle, but I love work. And I have a mortgage, so it works out really well.”
“Blue Bloods” starts Sept. 24 on Sept. 24.