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‘CSI’ alum joins ‘Blue Bloods’ spinoff ‘Boston Blue’ as Maggie Lawson’s estranged mother

After playing a series of notable roles, the ‘CSI’ alum will be taking over an interesting role in the spinoff series.

‘Boston Blue’ Season 2 is all set to premiere on Friday, October 9. The spinoff’s second season has added a new cast member. On Wednesday, September 16, CBS announced that ‘CSI’ alum Marg Helgenberger will be joining the upcoming season in a guest role. She will play Gwen Silver, Sarah Silver’s estranged mother. The veteran actress will join show regulars including Sonequa Martin-Green, Ernie Hudson, Gloria Reuben, and Maggie Lawson. Fans will see Lawson as the Boston Police Department’s Superintendent of Detectives, Sarah Silver. The cast also includes Donnie Wahlberg as Frank Reagan, a former NYPD detective, who has fled to Bean Town to serve the Boston PD.

As for Helgenberger’s character Gwen Silver, CBS describes her as a “complex yet charming woman whose temperament is not unlike the climate of her Cape Cod home - unpredictable,” via Entertainment Weekly. Gwen will be seen returning with a “very personal and emotional agenda.” Notably, her arrival will also catch her daughter Sarah by surprise. The press release reads, “Though Gwen loves her daughter more than anything, her arrival adds a complicated layer to the Silver family dynamic.”

Although Wahlberg is the star of the series and Frank Reagan is the center, the spinoff also focuses on the Silver family’s dynamics. With Season 2, fans will witness Sarah’s estranged mother’s arrival, and it will add “another wrinkle” to her “overloaded family drama.” It will be exciting to watch her navigate her relationship with her stepsister, Lena Silver, played by Sonequa Martin-Green. 

As for Helgenberger, she has been on television since the early 1980s and has played many roles. One notable role is Siobhan Ryan on ABC’s ‘Hope.’ She has also appeared in movies including ‘Bad Boys’ and ‘Erin Brockovich.’ Her work in ‘ER’ and ‘Frasier’ has also been quite popular. However, her most notable role is Catherine Willows on ‘CSI,’ which she played for over 13 years. Notably, along with her, another ‘Blue Bloods’ alum, Will Estes, will also be joining the series. He played Frank’s brother Jamie in the series. ‘Boston Blue’ Season 2 is set to return on October 9.