Blue BloodsEP on handling Amy Carlson's exit: We had 'very limited choices'

Warning: Spoilers of theBlue Bloodsseason 8 finale to follow.

That shake-up promises to push the show in new, surprising directions as well.

(Read ourpostmortem on the finale.)

Reflecting on a transformative season, showrunner Kevin Wade spoke to EW about his handling of Carlson’s exit.

“Amy’s departure wasn’t planned,” he says.

“We were catching up after the fact, after the actress decided not to return to the show.

It was an offering out of very limited choices, the way that we handled her departure.

Last year, Carlson herself criticizedthe creative decisions made in the aftermath of her leaving the show.

“I feel badly that [Linda] dies the way she dies,” she toldDeadline.

“I did not know they would do that, I was surprised.

I wouldn’t have done that.”

Blue Bloodswill return for season 9 later this year.