Things You Didn’T Notice In The Blue Bloods Pilot Episode

Many TV pilots are shot, but not all of them make it to the screen. A typical TV series begins with a pilot episode, which is shown to studio executives.

They decide whether to greenlight the series and film more episodes or shelve the pilot forever. Sometimes, the pilot of a long-running show looks very different from the final product, with different sets or actors.

For example, the beloved show Full House originally shot a pilot where John Posey, not Bob Saget, played Danny Tanner.

Similarly, Blue Bloods, now in its 12th season, has its own notable differences from the pilot. Here are five things that fans might have missed from the first episode.

Jamie’s Original Love Interest

Before Officer Eddie Jenko (Vanessa Ray) appeared in Season 4, Jamie Reagan (Will Estes) was engaged to Sydney Davenport (Dylan Moore).

Sydney was supportive of Jamie but uncomfortable with his decision to become a police officer. Their relationship lasted five episodes before they broke off their engagement.

The Kitchen Set

One of the most iconic parts of Blue Bloods is the family kitchen, where the Reagans gather for their famous dinners.

In the pilot, the kitchen had a smaller space and white cabinets, which later changed to a larger set with brown cabinets.

No reason was given for the change, but it likely made the kitchen feel more homey and in line with the show’s darker themes.

Nicky Was Recast

In the pilot, Nicky Reagan, the youngest member of the family, was played by Marlene Lawston.

By the time the series picked up, Sami Gayle had taken over the role. Lawston has since stepped away from acting, and the reasoning for the recast is unclear.

Henry’s Missing Cane

Patriarch Henry Reagan (Len Cariou) walked with a cane in the pilot due to a hip replacement.

However, by the second episode, the cane was gone, and Henry is shown to be quite spry for his age.

The cane was never mentioned again, and Henry’s strength became a key part of his character.

Frank’s Brief Relationship

In the pilot, Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) has a girlfriend, Kelly Davidson (Andrea Roth), who turns out to be a reporter using him for insider stories.

Their relationship ends when she leaks police information to the press. This may explain why Frank is so secretive about his personal life throughout the series.