S.W.A.T. Season 8 Update Reveals New Details About Departing Character & Relationship With Hondo
Summary
S.W.A.T.season 8 now has an official release date. The CBS show, which was developed by Aaron Rahsaan Thomas and Shawn Ryan, is based on the ABC program of the same name that ran from 1975 to 1976 and was later adapted into the 2003 movie of the same name starring Colin Farrell. It stars Shemar Moore as Sergeant Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, the leader of an LAPD Special Weapons and Tactics unit.S.W.A.T.season 8coming to the air was never a guarantee, as the show was previously announced to be ending with season 7.
Now, just over a year after the cancellation reversal, the official release date forS.W.A.T.season 8 has been set byCBS. As part of the network’s announcement of a great deal of their scripted and unscripted slate for the Fall 2024-2025 season, the return of the Moore-led action procedural show wasannounced to take place on Friday, October 18 at 8:00 p.m. It will be followed by new episodes ofFire Countryseason 3 at 9:00 p.m. andBlue Bloodsseason 14 at 10:00 p.m.
Will S.W.A.T. Season 8 Break The Show’s Renewal Curse?
S.W.A.T. Has Been Cancelled And Uncancelled Multiple Times
AlthoughS.W.A.T.season 8 getting a release date shows that production on the season seems to be going smoothly, it remains to be seen if the show ever gets renewed for season 9. CBS has vacillated back and forth multiple times on the show. Before reversing their decision to end the show with season 7 and allowing season 8 to move forward,the network had previously cancelled the show after season 6, only to go back on that decision after less than a week.
I’m So Relieved By CBS' SWAT Season 8 Cancellation Decision (But Please Stop Doing This)
While the renewal of CBS’s S.W.A.T. after its cancelation comes as a relief, it can also lead to an alarming trend.
Because of the back-and-forth nature of the show’s cancellations, the possibility of moreS.W.A.T.episodescoming to the small screen after season 8 ends still seems entirely up in the air. Ultimately, it seems likely thatthe show’s future will hinge upon its ratings. While the average number of viewers per season has shrunk since the show premiered in 2017 (a considerably better time for network television), it has maintained a solid audience between seasons 5 and 7. Below, see how the show’s average number of viewers has changed over the years:
9.13 million
8.34 million
7.27 million
5.96 million
6.41 million
Season 7
6.17 million
If the show can maintain an average of six million viewers or more per episode, it seems possible thatS.W.A.T.could continue into season 9. However, that level of audience engagement is what has resulted in two years in a row of cancellations, so it will likely need to draw in an audience considerably more robust than that to be considered perfectly safe. It remains to be seen how the show performs, but given slightly diminishing returns, an average closer to six million seems more likely than not, so the show may have another bumpy ride ahead of it.
S.W.A.T.
Cast
S.W.A.T. (2017): This crime-action series follows a locally born S.W.A.T. lieutenant in Los Angeles who must navigate his loyalties between the streets and his duty to commanding a highly-trained unit responsible for resolving challenging crimes. The series explores themes of allegiance, justice, and responsibility within law enforcement.
