CBS has long been the home of beloved procedurals, from classic hits like The FBI and Hawaii Five-O to modern staples. The network's latest addition, Boston Blue, premiered last year and quickly became a fan favorite. Now, the show is bringing in a familiar face from a CBS procedural of the past for a multi-episode arc that's sure to stir up drama.
Boston Blue, the sequel to Blue Bloods, follows Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) as he trades the NYPD for the Boston Police Department, following his son Sean (Mika Amonsen) to the city. Danny finds himself partnered with Lena Silver (Sonequa Martin-Green), a detective with a family as complicated as his own. Her mother Mae (Gloria Reuben) is the district attorney, her stepfather Ben (Ernie Hudson) is a Baptist minister, her stepsister Sarah (Maggie Lawson) is the superintendent of detectives, and her half-brother Jonah (Marcus Scribner) is a patrol cop working alongside Sean.
Now, the Silver family tree is about to get a new branch. Marg Helgenberger, best known for her iconic role as Catherine Willows on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, is joining Boston Blue for season 2. She'll play Gwen Silver, Sarah's biological mother. Long divorced from Sarah's father, the late Judge Ben Silver, Gwen is a wealthy and volatile woman who has been estranged from her daughter. She spends most of her time at her Cape Cod home, but her return to Boston is driven by a mission that's bound to complicate Sarah's life in unexpected ways.
Helgenberger's casting is a major get for the show. She's a TV veteran with a career spanning decades. After starting on the soap opera Ryan's Hope, she became a series regular on the Vietnam War drama China Beach, which earned her critical acclaim. She later starred in films like Bad Boys, Species, Erin Brockovich, and In Good Company, and appeared in the Stephen King miniseries The Tommyknockers. More recently, she was a regular on the judicial procedural All Rise.
Of course, Helgenberger is most famous for her role on CSI, where she played Catherine Willows for the first 12 seasons before leaving to join the FBI. She returned for the show's 300th episode and starred in the TV movie finale, Immortality. She also headlined the sequel series CSI: Vegas for its second and third seasons.
Fans of Boston Blue are already buzzing about what Gwen's arrival means for Sarah and the rest of the Silver clan. With her volatile personality and a mission that's sure to create friction, Helgenberger's character is poised to be a memorable addition to the show's dynamic.
Season 2 of Boston Blue premieres on CBS on October 9. For more updates on this and other TV news, stay tuned to Collider.
