Tom Selleck is hitting back at CBS following the network's decision to cancel Blue Bloods. Speaking to CBS News, the actor was asked if the show is officially ending after 14 years. "Well, that's a good question. I will continue to think that CBS will come to their senses," he replied.
"We're the third-highest scripted show in all of broadcast. We're winning the night. All the cast wants to come back. And I can tell you this: we aren't sliding off down a cliff. We're doing good shows, and still holding our place. So, I don't know. You tell me!"
It's not the first time that leading man Tom has addressed the show's cancellation. "CBS will find an awful lot of people aren't ready to say goodbye to it," he told TV Insider in January.
"The show's more popular than ever, and I think [numbers] will increase with the interest this year. We're certainly not out of ideas."
Noting that he's not ready to retire just yet, the 79-year-old added: "I'm not counting the days so I can do something else. I love the work. Sometimes the hours are a little harder because I'm older, but so what? I want work as long as they'll have me."
With Blue Bloods set to conclude this fall, Tom isn't the only cast member to address the police procedural's cancellation. Appearing on The Drew Barrymore Show in April, Bridget Moynahan and Donnie Wahlberg expressed their sadness.
Asked how they were feeling about the show's ending, Bridget, 52, replied, "I think everybody's really upset and sad, but also happy and satiated?" before Donnie, 54, chimed in. "More upset and sad," he declared.
"I think it's more saying goodbye to the people behind the characters," continued Bridget. "We've created such a family on set with each other and the crew — most of the crew's been with us for 14 years, so we've been through a lot of weddings, births, deaths, and everything. We've been through it all with each other."
While CBS announced the show's cancellation in November, the network has refrained from outlining the reasons behind it. During a press conference last week, Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach was reminded of the cast's personal pleas to keep Blue Bloods going.
"We love this cast, we love their passion for the show. All shows have to come to an end. It's important to us to refresh the schedule. We are going to end the show come December," she replied.