Amy Carlson's abrupt departure from Blue Bloods in the Flavour viii premiere was a major surprise to fans of the long-running CBS serial. Carlson played Linda Reagan, a registered nurse and supportive married woman of Detective Danny Reagan; she was an integral part of the police drama since the show's outset season and was made a series regular in Season 2. That made it surprising when the bear witness revealed that her character had died in a helicopter accident.

Carlson'due south departure was as shocking equally Michael Weatherly's get out from NCIS, leaving fans extremely disappointed past the unceremonious send off. The producers of the show decided to have Linda's death happen off-screen, and so viewers didn't go to say goodbye, and killing the character off fabricated information technology incommunicable for the actress to return in future seasons. Then why did Amy Carlson leave Blueish Bloods and why did Linda Reagan die?

Who Was Linda Reagan on Blue Bloods?

Blue Bloods Linda

Linda Reagan was the wife of Detective Daniel Reagan and the female parent of Jack and Sean Reagan. She was an emergency room nurse at St. Victor's Hospital in New York City. Linda played an important role in the show -- she was the only adult member of the Reagan family who didn't accept a career in law enforcement. She would often vox her opinions openly during the Reagan family dinners on Dominicus nights, which were (and however are) a staple of the show.

Although Linda was non directly involved with law enforcement similar the other members of her family, her task at St. Victor's would ofttimes intersect with Danny's police work. In the Flavour 5 finale of Blue Bloods, Linda treated a patient who was a witness to the shooting of NYPD Assistant Chief Donald Kent. She was defenseless in the crossfire when her patient was assassinated. Although she fabricated a full recovery, she had to meet with a therapist to deal with the mail-traumatic stress caused past the incident.

Blue Bloods Linda and Danny

The Season viii premiere showed Danny contemplating retiring from the police strength because he blamed himself for Linda'southward expiry in a medivac helicopter crash that happened betwixt seasons. With the back up of his family and longtime partner Maria Baez, he ultimately decided to stay on the job. Season ix, Episode 1, "Playing with Fire," implied that the crash may non have been an accident but caused by a Mexican drug cartel.

Fifty-fifty several years after Linda'south untimely death, the character is nonetheless mentioned periodically and her retention withal plays an of import role of Danny's life. While some Blue Bloods fans take hoped that Danny would move on with Baez -- as they accept chemistry similar to Bradford and Chen on The Rookie -- showrunner Kevin Wade shot down the idea in a TV Insider interview concluding year.

Why Amy Carlson Left Blue Bloods

Characters are killed off Boob tube series for a variety of reasons; sometimes it's to provide narrative touch on -- like Lauren German's departure from Chicago Burn down -- and sometimes information technology has to do with behind the scenes factors. In the example of Amy Carlson, her Blueish Bloods contract expired later Season seven and she chose not to renew information technology (though she did not give a specific reason why).

Carlson explained to Borderline that she was not invited back for the Season viii premiere to wrap up Linda'due south storyline. She voiced her disappointment with how her character was killed, saying "I feel badly that she dies the way she dies. I did not know they would do that, I was surprised. I wouldn't accept done that." Despite her reservations with how her character exited the show, Carlson also said in the Deadline interview that she would exist open to returning in a flashback, only that hasn't happened yet.

However, with CBS shows experiencing a lot of casting turnover and bringing back familiar faces, such every bit Marg Helgenberger signing on for CSI: Vegas, Carlson still has a chance to render someday.

KEEP READING: The Rookie: Why Mercedes Mason's Zoe Andersen Was Killed Off