Jennifer Lopez is hanging up her badge. NBC has announced that Shades of Blue will end with the upcoming season 3. The cop drama’s final 10 episodes will premiere June 17 at 10 p.m.
Jennifer Lopez has this to say about the end of the show:
“I have enjoyed producing and starring in this beautifully complicated world and playing such an empowering yet flawed character — a woman, a detective, but, first and foremost, I’m a mother. Now looking at it with a little distance, playing Harlee strengthened me and helped me grow into a more self-assured woman. It’s crazy how some parts permeate your soul and change you forever and for that I am grateful. We crafted a poetic three-season arc on how her journey ends, which is true redemption. The way only Harlee could have done it — the hard way, the road less traveled. I thank NBC and all the talented actors, writers, crew and producers for going on this journey with us!”
The decision to end the series seems to be because Jennifer Lopez is as busy as they come. In March, NBC announced that its live musical Bye Bye Birdie — starring Lopez — would be delayed a second time. Originally slated to air in December 2017, it was pushed from the holiday season of 2018 to air sometime in 2019. Lopez, who has an overall deal with producers Universal Television, is filming two movies this year and is committed to serving as a judge on NBC’s unscripted effort World of Dance — all on top of her Las Vegas residency, with the latter due to wrap in September.
In its second season, which aired in March, Shades of Blue averaged a 1.4 rating in the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demographic and 7 million total viewers with seven days of delayed viewing factored in. That was up 17 percent in the Sunday time slot versus the network’s year-earlier results in the demo (1.4 versus 1.2) and 37 percent among total viewers (7 million versus 5.1 million).
