'Blue Bloods' Gets Big Welcome Back in Ratings to Ring in Season 3

CBS' now Friday night fixture, Blue Bloods, has built a devoted following who love the seasoned mix of intense crime-fighting and legal maneuvering set against family bonds that never shake the Reagan family apart. The closing dinner scenes around the table are as beloved as any hallmarks in the archives of television history, but Tom Selleck himself likely recalls when his series' pilot was the last choice of network executives to be put to the test by viewers. The network needlessly provoked more havoc by moving the show to Wednesdays a few times last season before prudently allowing it to settle in the Friday 10 PM time slot once more. Fans certainly showed their love for the law and order family for its "Family Business" premiere for Season 3, as the show swept Friday night ratings.

The drama drew a whopping 11 million viewers for the night, and CBS have the most broadcast viewers in every time slot, even though NBC's Grimm had the most in the 18-49 age bracket, and Shark Tank was ABC's best-performing show. Tom Selleck served up a powerful punch in a scene with guest star Corbin Bleu, portraying an officer on the brink of suicide after a "bad shoot." The scene closed in a salute that spoke more than any words, and fans' support for the return of Blue Bloods speaks louder than any glowing preseason reviews for newbie offerings.

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