Uncover the truth behind Amy Carlson’s sudden departure from the hut police drama series Blue Bloods and the fate of her character Linda Reagan.
Being part of a series or TV show means staying attached to one role for years to come. Often, actors end up playing one character during the majority of their career, thus becoming eternalized for one character alone. However, some actors end up ‘breaking this curse,’ leaving shows mid-way, leading to their characters unexpectedly disappearing, dying, or being written off eventually.
One such character was Linda Reagon, from the hit American procedural drama show Blue Bloods. For seven seasons, actress Amy Carlson played the devoted wife of Donnie Wahlberg’s Detective Danny Reagan and a compassionate ER nurse on CBS’s hit show. A core member of the Reagan family, her character evolved from being a supporting role to one of the main roles in Season 5.
Bringing warmth and emotional depth to the show, Linda balanced the intense police work of her husband with her own demanding career with a remarkable zeal that made her a fan favorite of a lot of female fans. From her strong-willed personality to her dedication to her family and work, as well as her undeniable chemistry with Wahlberg’s character, fans loved all aspects of the character.
However, as fate would have it, Amy Carlson left the show during the seventh and eighth seasons of Blue Bloods, leaving viewers shocked that she willingly left one of her most popular roles of all time without so much as a warning or hint. Even today, years after her departure and now that Blue Bloods itself has been canceled, this unexpected twist continues to leave audiences confused and disappointed.
So, if you are one of those who cannot get over Linda Reagan’s absence and Amy Carlson’s departure, here is all you need to know about why Carlson left Blue Bloods and what happened to her character.
Why did Amy Carlson leave Blue Bloods?
Amy Carlson’s Linda Reagan was an important character in Blue Bloods, and to have her just be written off behind the scenes did not make sense to a lot of fans. The reason why the actress left the show was simple: she chose not to renew her contract after season 7. While CBS and the show’s producers did not officially announce her exit beforehand, Carlson later confirmed that her contract had ended, and she had decided to move on to new opportunities.
In an interview with Deadline following her departure, while Carlson expressed gratitude for her time on the show, she also made some remarks that made it seem that not all was well behind the scenes. In the said interview, Deadline posed a question,
There have been comments by a Blue Bloods colleague that everyone on the show was surprised by your exit, which led to the unfortunate way Linda was killed off off-screen. What would you say about that?
To this, Carlson responded:
If someone had said they were surprised and they didn’t know I was leaving I would just respond to them and say it’s standard to have conversations with actors whose contracts are up before the season ending. It’s not that you start to shoot and don’t know.
Later, when the news site asked her if she was not invited to wrap up Linda’s story, Carlson replied in the negative, meaning that there was more than meets the eye. Although neither the actress nor CBS has publicly cited any major conflicts, creative differences, or behind-the-scenes drama, her remarks have continued to rouse interest in what the real story is. Unfortunately, we might never get to know it if there was some drama going on behind the scenes.
What happened to Linda Reagan after Amy Carlson’s departure?
When Blue Bloods returned for Season 8, Linda Reagan had already died off-screen. Unlike usual major character exits, where series and networks usually for farewell episodes or dramatic sendoffs to conclude a character’s storyline, Linda’s fate was rather revealed in a casual manner. The ER nurse lost her life off-screen between Seasons 7 and 8 in a helicopter crash while transporting a patient.
While the Season 9 premiere linked the helicopter crash to the Mexican cartel Panther being likely responsible for her ‘untimely’ demise, viewers learned of her death through her husband, Danny Reagan’s, therapy sessions. Her sudden death deeply affected Danny, and his mourning process eventually became a central part of his storyline. Meanwhile, the show never fully confirmed whether Linda’s death was really a tragic accident or a targeted attack.
In her interview with Deadline, Amy Carlson remarked that she never wanted to leave things the way they did and felt sad for fans. When asked about what she thought of the way her character was killed off, the actress remarked,
I feel badly that she dies the way she dies. I did not know they would do that, I was surprised. I wouldn’t have done that… I guess It would’ve been nice for the fans to see her demise, to be a participant in it, and that was my vote for the fans. I’m not sure how I would’ve chosen it but I just know that for the fans to have a way to grieve, to move through it, I think it would’ve been nice for them.
While Amy Carlson’s exit from the show and the subsequent death of her Blue Bloods character were rather abrupt, Linda Reagan’s legacy has endured in the hearts and minds of the fans. Despite her absence, her influence can be felt in the life of Donny Reagan and the way he has been raising their sons, Jack and Sean.
What has Amy Carlson said about her departure from Blue Bloods?
Amy Carlson has not been too open about her departure from Blue Bloods, revealing to Deadline that she would not be discussing her reasons to exit the show. However, the actress did remark about how much she enjoyed being part of the show, particularly missing shooting alongside her on-screen husband, Donnie Wahlberg.
Following her unexpected departure from the show, the actress made an Instagram post to express her gratitude to fans and reflect on her time playing Linda Reagan. In the heartfelt post, made on September 30, 2017, she shared a photo of herself dressed in all black and wrote:
My heart is full of gratitude to each of you for your generous support of me and my character for the last seven years of Blue Bloods – Linda Reagan. I have been touched by your compassion and enthusiasm. I loved playing Linda: wife to Danny, mother to Jack and Sean, nurse and working mom. I’m proud of my contribution to building this series. I’m so grateful to CBS and the Blue Bloods cast and crew. Mostly, I am grateful to the fans who have supported me and the show. Peace, blessings and many ‘love you mores’ to all of you.
Thus, even though there might be some potential drama behind the scenes, the actress now only holds gratitude and love for her time on the show despite the regret of not being able to give her character a proper send-off.
Following her exit, the actress has since continued to appear in a range of different television shows, such as The Society, FBI: Most Wanted, and in movies like Sunny Daze and Know Fear. She even co-wrote and starred in the film The Letter, which was critically well-received at the Cannes Indie Film Festival and more.
