Shades of Blue was a police drama series that aired on NBC from 2016 to 2018. The show starred Jennifer Lopez as Harlee Santos, a New York detective who gets caught up in corruption and forced to work with the FBI. Shades of Blue received generally positive reviews and had decent ratings during its 3 season run. However, the show ultimately ended up being cancelled after the conclusion of season 3. There are a few key factors that led to the cancellation of Shades of Blue.
Overview of Shades of Blue
Shades of Blue premiered on NBC in January 2016. The show was created by Adi Hasak and starred Jennifer Lopez as Harlee Santos, a single mother NYPD detective who gets caught up in corruption. Santos’ crew of detectives regularly took bribes and participated in illegal activities. After getting arrested by the FBI, Santos is forced to become an informant, wearing a wire to turn on her own squad.
The show examined moral gray areas as Santos navigates being caught between the criminals she works with and the FBI agents wanting to take them down. It also focused on family drama, as Santos tries to raise her daughter while dealing with all the illegal activities.
Shades of Blue received modest but consistent ratings throughout its 3 season run. The premiere drew 9.27 million viewers, with viewership declining to around 5 million per episode by season 3. Reviews were mostly positive, with critics praising Jennifer Lopez’s performance and the show’s gritty take on police corruption.
Factors That Led to Cancellation
There are a few key factors that contributed to NBC’s decision to cancel Shades of Blue after 3 seasons:
Declining Ratings
While the ratings for Shades of Blue were not terrible, they did decline each season. After premiering to over 9 million viewers, the audience dropped to an average of 5.3 million viewers per episode by season 3. For a network drama, these middling and declining numbers made the show harder to justify keeping.
High Production Costs
Shades of Blue was an expensive show to produce, largely due to star Jennifer Lopez’s high salary. Lopez was reportedly making $350,000 per episode by the end of the show’s run. With the ratings no longer stellar enough to match the costs, NBC likely felt the economics did not work out to renew Shades of Blue for a 4th season.
Scheduling Issues
NBC had a hard time finding a consistent schedule slot for Shades of Blue. It aired on both Thursday and Sunday nights during its 3 seasons. With NBC struggling to find a permanent home for the show in its lineup, this was likely a sign that the network lacked confidence in its viability long-term.
Story Concerns
By the end of season 3, creator Adi Hasak had departed the show. There were also indications that the writers were struggling to figure out fresh storylines for subsequent seasons. With uncertainty around the creative direction, NBC may have felt it was a natural time to end the series.
How the Show Ended
The final episode of Shades of Blue season 3 aired in August 2018. Entitled “Goodbye Blue”, the finale episode wrapped up Santos’ arc as an informant against her corrupt detective crew.
In the final episode, Santos works with the FBI to set up a sting operation to take down her fellow dirty cops. They are arrested after an arms deal goes bad. In the aftermath, Santos testifies against them in court. She is able to avoid prosecution for her own crimes by exposing their corruption.
The season ends on an ambiguous note regarding Santos’ future. She is last seen walking away down a street, having said goodbye to her FBI handler. While she appears to be free, it is unclear what direction her life will take next without her daughter and career.
Showrunner Jack Orman said they purposefully left the ending open-ended: “We leave Harlee always walking on that razor’s edge of light and dark, crime and punishment, righteousness and sin.”
Reactions to the Cancellation
Fans expressed disappointment that Shades of Blue was cancelled just as the story seemed to be ramping up for Santos entering a new phase of life. However, most conceded the ratings decline made NBC’s decision understandable.
Jennifer Lopez said she was sad the show ended but proud of what they accomplished: “I love this show so much and am so proud of what we accomplished over three seasons.”
The cast and crew thanked fans for their support and celebrated making it to three seasons despite being a non-traditional series centered around a Latina lead.
What the Cast Has Done Since
In the years since Shades of Blue ended, the cast members have gone on to a variety of new projects:
| Actor | Notable Roles Since Shades of Blue |
|---|---|
| Jennifer Lopez | Hustlers, Marry Me |
| Ray Liotta | The Many Saints of Newark, Marriage Story |
| Drea de Matteo | A Million Little Things, The Irishman |
| Warren Kole | Wu Assassins, Truth Be Told |
| Vincent Laresca | The Catch, City on a Hill |
Jennifer Lopez in particular has continued her successful music and acting career. She earned acclaim for her performance in the 2019 film Hustlers. Lopez also starred in 2022’s Marry Me and will headline the 2023 action comedy Shotgun Wedding.
Meanwhile, Ray Liotta sadly passed away in May 2022 at the age of 67. Liotta delivered a final memorable performance in 2021’s Sopranos prequel film The Many Saints of Newark before his death.
Could the Show Ever Be Revived?
Though Shades of Blue was definitively cancelled, there is always the possibility it could be revived down the line.
Jennifer Lopez said she would be open to revisiting the show and the character of Harlee Santos: “I loved playing Harlee, and I would always be open to playing her again.”
However, there are no concrete indications that a revival is in the works. NBC would likely want to see evidence of audience demand before reconsidering bringing the show back.
Perhaps a few more years down the road, if Jennifer Lopez expressed serious interest in playing Harlee Santos again, fans rallied, and the economics made sense, NBC could potentially revive the crime drama. But for now, the show remains cancelled.
Conclusion
While it was an acclaimed series with a strong central performance from Jennifer Lopez, Shades of Blue ultimately fell victim low ratings and high costs. As viewer numbers declined each season, NBC had a hard time justifying keeping the expensive show on the air.
But the series stands as a quality 3 season crime drama that took an honest look at police corruption and morality. It remains available to stream and watch for those looking for a gritty cop show led by Jennifer Lopez doing some of her best acting work. Though its story continues to feel unfinished, Shades of Blue ended at the right time based on the circumstances.
