The Secret Behind Blue Bloods' Family Dinner Scenes: It's Not as Simple as it Looks
Ah, family dinners – love em or hate em.
They have been an integral, notable part of Blue Bloods since the show's premiere in 2010. These scenes not only bring together the actors on screen but also allow the characters to open up and reveal their thoughts and feelings.
It's hard to imagine Blue Bloods without the family dinner, even though it's one of the most difficult sets for the production team to prepare.
The casual observer would not realize all the time and effort that goes into executing such complicated scenes.
For starters, the Reagans are a huge family that has a lot of mouths to feed. The reality is that the production crew has to find a way to squeeze everyone at the table and make them feel represented.
Moreover, these scenes are tedious and take extraordinarily long to finish shooting (sometimes as long as five hours).
Consequently, cast members have been known to do some quirky things on set to help pass the time. For example, Bridget Moynahan is known to keep the atmosphere light with laughs, while Donnie Wahlberg is infamous for digging into the feast.
Yes, all the food at the table is real. It's not only tasty but requires time and attention for the production crew to maintain.
However, actors like Wahlberg find the smorgasbord too tempting to resist. He's notorious for snacking at the table, so long as it's not broccoli.
The 53-year-old actor revealed an amusing anecdote at the 150th episode celebration of Blue Bloods. Wahlberg explained how broccoli was a frequent dish at the table, however, after hours and hours of shooting footage, the high-fiber food didn't always agree with the stomach.
Thus, even though it was delicious, the broccoli had to go for the sake of the cast members' digestive tracts.
From bad gas to shooting a single scene that last hours, all the trouble that goes into the dinner sequences is worth it for the cast of Blue Bloods.
The show is currently enjoying its 13th season with plans to continue into the inevitable future. It's not bad for a series that often revolves around a dinner table with discussions among family members.
Blue Bloods demonstrates no signs of slowing down as Tom Selleck and Bridget Moynahan have both voiced their interest in continuing their roles until at least the 15th season. Thus, fans can anticipate even more interaction at the family table in the future.