Marisa Ramirez did not leave Blue Bloods as was speculated due to her season 12 story arc, which means that Ramirez will be returning for season 13.
Blue Bloods is regarded as one of the longest-running CBS scripted shows, only bested by NCIS and its spin-off, NCIS: Los Angeles.
As such, fans have grown fond of the Raegan family and other fan-favourite characters that play integral roles in the show.
Fans were surprised after the recently wrapped twelfth season when speculation grew that fan-favourite character, Detective Maria Baez, played by Marisa Ramirez, may be leaving the series due to her story-arc.
However, seeing as the season has concluded and Baez is still on our screens, it seems that the departure murmurs were unfounded and untrue.
Blue Bloods confirmed for season 13
On Friday, 6 May 2022, Blue Bloods wrapped its twelfth season of the police procedural drama that premiered in 2010. News of the series being renewed for a thirteenth season came even before the season 12 finale.
The reason for the renewal was highlighted by CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl, when he stated, “Not only continues to dominate in the ratings but excels at an exceptionally high creative level.”
In the current season, the series averages 9.81 million viewers per episode, a feat that made the series the fourth most-watched non-sport broadcast, despite this being the lowest average of viewership numbers amongst its previous seasons.
Why did Marisa Ramirez leave Blue Bloods?
Marisa Ramirez joined the nuclear cast of Blue Bloods in season three. Her introduction was in season three, episode 17, titled Protest Too Much.
Her introduction to the story followed after the exit of Detective Danny Raegan’s original partner , Jackie Curatola played by Jennifer Esposito.
While Ramirez may have been one of the last main supporting cast members to join the series, she quickly became a fan-favourite.
Therefore, fans were worried as they watched her story arc come to an end in season 12, which premiered in October 2021.
The dependable and loyal Detective Maria Baez started showing cracks in her usually unwavering stance on her job and her purpose in life.
In the most recent season, viewers saw Baez question whether she wanted to continue doing her job. This question culminated in the character getting shot, which only further contributed to the suggestions that she was leaving.
However, by the end of the episode, Baez was alive and stable, which was the first indication that she was not leaving the series.
Moreover, in the time after the scene and the conclusion of season 12, and there is still no word from CBS or Ramirez, which emphasises that the rumours were untrue.
Additionally, there is another big reason why it is believed that Ramirez will stay on Blue Bloods.
Are Blue Bloods cast memebrs getting along?
It is normal for long-running scripted shows like Blue Bloods to lose cast members throughout their run.
Whether it is as a result of drama behind the scenes, the actor wanting to explore other pursuits, or writers and producers killing off a character; this is inevitable with long-running series.
Blue Bloods is different in this sense, though, as 12 years in, the main cast, including the Reagans and the main supporting cast, have been with the same since its inception.
Furthermore, those that joined later, like Marisa Ramirez, have remained on the show, speaking to the cast and crew’s close working connection.
Marisa Ramirez on actors she would like to work with on Blue Bloods
Since Blue Bloods is centred around the Reagan family, most of the supporting characters appear in scenes with a member of the family.
As such, Detective Maria Baez is with Danny in most of her scenes, with other scenes being ensemble cast scenes.
Therefore, when asked who she would like to work with, Marisa Ramirez revealed that she would like to work with Abigail Hawk, who plays the character of Abigail Baker.
Explaining her reasoning, Ramirez stated, “We sat with each other at the wedding and we just had such a good time together.
There was that female energy that we were just kind of craving more of together and we text and we talk every now and then, but it would be really nice to be able to spend the day with her again.”
When is Blue Bloods season 13 premiering?
It is speculated that the new season of Blue Bloods is set to return in the same month that season 12 premiered. Therefore, an October 2022 release date is expected.
However, no formal word from CBS or the series has confirmed the matter or other details like the plot and whether there are any exits from the show in the new season.
