Almost two years after “Blue Bloods” came to an end, Tom Selleck is heading back to television. The actor, who spent 14 seasons playing NYPD Commissioner Frank Reagan, has lined up his first small-screen project since the long-running CBS drama wrapped.
According to Collider, Selleck will return as the face of a new History Channel documentary series. Over the years, the 81-year-old has reflected on a career defined by unexpected twists, from missing out on “Indiana Jones” to his multi-episode role on “Friends.”
From Frank Reagan to a New TV Role
According to Collider, Selleck’s return comes after the end of “Blue Bloods,” which wrapped in December 2024 after an impressive 14-season run and 293 episodes.
Created by Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, the CBS drama followed the Reagan family, whose generations of service shaped New York law enforcement. At the center was Frank Reagan, played by Tom Selleck throughout the show’s run.
The role became one of the defining performances of his career and marked his last television project before his latest announcement. Now, according to Collider, Selleck is preparing for a very different kind of project.
Tom Selleck will host, narrate and executive-produce “Crime and Justice With Tom Selleck” for the History Channel. The 10-episode documentary series will examine some of the most significant crimes and investigations in American history. The project is being produced by A+E Factual Studios.
While the format is new, the subject matter feels familiar. Selleck spent years portraying police officers and investigators on screen, first in “Magnum P.I.” and later in “Blue Bloods.” His latest role will see him exploring real-life cases instead of fictional ones.
The “Indiana Jones” Role Tom Selleck Never Got to Play
According to the Huffington Post, director Steven Spielberg recently revealed that Tom Selleck was originally chosen to play Indiana Jones in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
“He came in, and he read for the part. He was good,” Spielberg said on the “IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson” podcast. “His test was good. I loved it.”
The filmmaker explained that the role was even offered to Selleck before an existing contract changed everything.
“We wanted Tom. We gave Tom the part,” Spielberg said. But CBS moved forward with “Magnum P.I.,” preventing him from accepting the adventure film.
Spielberg later turned to Harrison Ford, who went on to become synonymous with the character.
Looking back, Spielberg even joked that Tom Selleck’s famous facial hair might not have survived the adventure series.
“Maybe if the films were as successful,” he said, “he could have demanded the mustache.”
Tom Selleck Looking Back After “Blue Bloods”
After Blue Bloods wrapped in 2024, Tom Selleck said he had no plans to retire.
According to Parade, he joked at the time that he was “unemployed,” though retirement was not part of the plan.
“I wouldn’t say [offers] are pouring in, but maybe some people are thinking of me,” he said.
One possibility that appealed to him at the time was returning to the Western genre. Selleck has starred in several over the years, including “Quigley Down Under” and “Shadow Riders.”
“A good Western’s always on my list,” he said. “I miss that; I want to sit on a horse again.”
The actor also said he would have welcomed the chance to work with “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan, as well as longtime friend Sam Elliott.
“I love him dearly. I’d love to work with Sam,” Selleck said.
The “Friends” Role Fans Still Love
While Tom Selleck is best known for dramas, many younger viewers know him as Dr. Richard Burke from “Friends.”
According to Parade, he still hears about the role regularly.
“People talk to me about my role on ‘Friends’ all the time,” he said. “It was a lovely experience, something I didn’t see coming.”
Playing Monica Geller’s older boyfriend, Selleck appeared in 10 episodes despite originally signing on for only three.
He explained that at the table read for what was meant to be his final episode, the situation shifted.
“I remember I was supposed to do three shows, and on the third show at the table read, somebody said, ‘Oh, that’s right, this is your last show. I wish you could come back.'”
Tom Selleck added that no one had ever asked him about continuing beyond the original plan.
“I said, ‘Well, nobody asked me.’ So that turned into 10 shows.”
Selleck also admitted that taking on a sitcom was initially intimidating. During an appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” he said he was “scared to death” because he had little experience with the format.
“I hadn’t done a sitcom and so I was really nervous,” he said, adding that Courteney Cox “helped a lot.”
“That group – it’s just an incredible group of friends.”
More than two decades later, the role continues to resonate with viewers. And while he is embarking on a new chapter with “Crime and Justice With Tom Selleck”, his time on “Friends” remains one of the performances fans remember most fondly.
The experience even inspired Tom Selleck to consider more comedy work in the future.
“I would love to do another comedy,” Selleck said. “‘Friends’ made people laugh and cry at times. That’s the kind of comedy I enjoy doing.”
Watch Tom Selleck talk about his time on “Friends” on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” here.
