We all remember how shocking it was when Linda Reagan died. The character has been part of the Blue Bloods ensemble since the beginning, so the fact that she was killed offscreen, and between seasons 6 and 7, felt a bit like we were getting short-changed. This was a character who had been through a lot, both with her husband Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) and the rest of the Reagan family.
We weren’t the only ones who were frustrated by the character’s fate. Amy Carlson, the actress who played Linda, talked with Deadline about the shocking turn of events, and how she was, in many ways, just as surprised as the fans were.
Why did Amy Carlson leave Blue Bloods?
Carlson told the outlet that she had no plans of leaving the show, but was told by the producers that Linda would be killed off between seasons. It was not something she was particularly thrilled w ith. “I feel badly that she dies the way she dies”, the actress admitted. “I did not know they would do that, I was surprised. I wouldn’t have done that.”
When asked to elaborate on what she would have done, Carlson made it clear that she though she should have at least died, in dramatic fashion, onscreen. “I could’ve shown the death”, she opined.
“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.”
It’s a pretty valid gripe, and one that the Blue Bloods team have tried to avoid since. The character of Jackie Curatola (Jennifer Esposito) was written off in season 3, but was then brought back for the season 13 finale, so that there could be some added context and a sense of closure between her and Danny. It was effective.
Unfortunately, the chances of the same thing happening with Linda are slim because, well, she’s dead.Carlson said she’d be open to appearing in a flashback sequence, but given how infrequently the show relies on them, we’d say it probably won’t come to fruition.