Penny Kmitt is a reporter for WBZ-TV's morning news. She joined the station in December 2023 from CBS-affiliate WTKR in Norfolk, Virginia.

After 14 seasons of playing NYPD detective Danny Reagan on CBS's "Blue Bloods," Dorchester native Donnie Wahlberg is bringing his character, and a part of himself, back home for his new show "Boston Blue."

"I'm going to get emotional because I just love the city so much," he explained to WBZ-TV. "It's just such a blessing to do this."

In the new CBS spin-off series "Boston Blue," Wahlberg's character joins the Boston Police Department as a new detective.

"It's incredible, obviously, because I'm getting to do this in Boston, and a little challenging, because he's a New Yorker. He doesn't really like Boston," Wahlberg explained between shoots on the Boston Common. "The Boston accent cannot come out to play."

Similar to how New York City was somewhat of a character in "Blue Bloods," Wahlberg said Boston will be featured heavily throughout the spin-off.

"We're going right to Fenway Park. We're running, chasing a bad guy along the Freedom Trail," he explained. "We're going to get as much Boston as we can while honoring 'Blue Bloods' and the traditions that come from the Reagan family and New York."

Before filming, Wahlberg took his cast to a game at Fenway Park and on a tour of Dorchester.

"We went to the Ice Creamsmith on Dot Ave," he said. "And then we drove up Dot Ave and I told them all the history of my life growing up in Dorchester. Just very special memories."

"Being in Boston with Donnie, I feel like I'm with the Pope or something," said Marcus Scribner, who plays rookie cop Jonah Silver. Scriber is best known for his roles in "Black-ish" and its spin-off "Grown-ish."

Scriber said his favorite part of filming in Boston was the cast trip to Boston Police Precinct 13 in Jamaica Plain.

"We talked to [the officers] about their role in the city and kind of their viewpoint on helping people and the procedures that they go through for that," he said. "And as a young black man, I had never had the chance to interact with police on that level. It was really cool and insightful."

Viewers may also recognize Wahlberg's co-star, Sonequa Martin-Green, who had a 4-season run on "The Walking Dead" and was the first Black woman to lead a "Star Trek" series. She plays Lena Silver, Danny Reagan's new detective partner.

"Coming into this franchise that's so beloved, coming into this city that is so important to Donnie and to the show. I hope that I connect with them, with Boston and I hope that Boston connects with Lena, because it is a really big deal to be a Black female detective in this city," she explained. "I hope I do Boston proud."

Wahlberg told CBS Mornings that chemistry between himself and Martin-Green was key to the show, helping his character find an equal in a new city.

Between shooting scenes on Boston Common, Wahlberg stopped to greet fans, sign autographs, and soak it all in.

"[Boston] made me who I am," he said. "I'm not here without Dorchester and Boston. I'm not here. Just very thankful and grateful and kind of overwhelmed to be here."

After a career that's taken him around the world, Wahlberg says there's nothing like coming back to where his story started, and where Danny Regan's next chapter is just beginning.

"Don't look at the Wahlbergs as something that's beyond your reach. Look at it as you can be the next Wahlbergs and be better than the Walbergs. Anything is possible," he said.

When asked if he has any advice for fellow Bostonians, he said you don't have to be famous to "make the city proud."

"Whatever it is that you want to do and where your heart leads you, just go for it. And the city will support you, it will have your back, and it will celebrate you for doing the right things," he said.

"Boston Blue" premieres on Friday, October 17, at 10 PM ET on WBZ-TV and CBS. It will be available to stream on Paramount+.

Donnie Wahlberg says Boston accent "cannot come out to play" in his new show "Boston Blue"