(Photo by: Sonja Flemming/CBS)
Hondo and his team won’t be back protecting the public for the 2023-24 TV season. CBS has cancelled SWAT, so there won’t be a seventh season. The sixth season currently airs on Friday nights. *Update below.
A police action drama series, the SWAT TV show stars Shemar Moore, Alex Russell, Jay Harrington, Kenny Johnson, David Lim, and Patrick St. Esprit. The crime thriller centers on Sergeant Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson (Moore), a Los Angeles native and former Marine who’s been tapped to lead a new “last stop” Special Weapons And Tactics unit (S.W.A.T.). The rest of the team includes seasoned David “Deacon” Kay (Harrington), cocky Jim Street (Russell), expert driver Dominique Luca (Johnson), and informant-connected Victor Tan (Lim). Commander Robert Hicks (St. Esprit), a senior LAPD official with the Special Operations Bureau, is responsible for managing all Metro Division S.W.A.T. units.
The sixth season of SWAT averages a 0.42 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 5.07 million viewers in the live+same day ratings (includes all DVR playback through 3:00 AM). Compared to season five, that’s down by 6% in the demo and up by 18% in viewership. In the live+7 day ratings, the drama gets a nearly 30% boost in viewership.
Despite the rise in viewership. CBS still opted to cancel the series. Sony Television, which produces SWAT, and the network couldn’t agree on a licensing fee. According to Deadline, Sony had not increased the licensing fee for the past few years even though costs had increased and the studio’s profits had dropped.
CBS execs let the exclusivity on the series expire and were eventually willing to increase the licensing fee but dropped the episode order. That would have driven the per-episode cost even higher for Sony, and ultimately an agreement couldn’t be reached.
The word is that finding a new home for SWAT is highly unlikely, given the show’s budget.
“For six seasons, the amazing talents of the SWAT cast led by Shemar Moore, the writers, producers and crew guided by executive producers Shawn Ryan, Andy Dettman, and Aaron Rahsaan Thomas brought us compelling, action packed episodes that also addressed important social issues and contributed to the success of our primetime line-up,” said Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment. “We sincerely thank them for their incredible work and passion and also thank our dedicated fans who tuned in every week.”
After tonight’s episode, there are two more episodes to air. The de facto series finale, titled “Legacy,” will be released on May 19th.
What do you think? Have you kept up with the SWAT TV show? Are you disappointed this CBS series wasn’t renewed for a seventh season? Are you surprised that it was cancelled?
Update: The CBS series has been revived and renewed for a seventh and final season.
My husband and I love S.W.A.T.! We love Hondo and the entire cast. We are in our 60’s and watch the show religiously. It is one of our favorites. Why cancel a good thing? Absurd!!
Well CBS, you did it again!! WHY do you always have to cancel one of the best shows that’s on CBS. SWAT and Blue Bloods are two of the best shows that you have on CBS. We look forward to Friday evenings so that we can watch SWAT, Fire Country and Blue Bloods. I suppose now you’ll be putting some stupid show on like a talk show or something else just as dumb. SWAT had great actors on the show, I really feel sorry for the cast members. Just keep on cancelling all the best shows on there and you’ll… Read more »
NO! NO! NO!
SWAT should stay. Networks have no idea what viewers like and watch.
Not everyone has the time in this busy age to watch a programme as per the companies schedule. That has no bearing on whether it’s viewed or not.
Sundays were spoiled when H50 was stopped. Now it’s going to be spoiled again!!!
S.W.A.T. is one of the best and most uplifting shows around. Hondo and his team of heroes exemplify the best of us. To deprive us of this beacon of light all because you aren’t making quite enough money to satisfy your greed is despicable. Shows like this one give the viewing public a ray of light in these dark times. Something to remind us of what we could be and how to choose the right path to get there. I love every one of those characters in the show, identify with their struggles, care about them, and want to see… Read more »
This really sucks this show has been the epitome of what happens in today’s society without bias when taking on the issues shows both sides but does not pick a side and even when it comes to right and wrong according to the law it shows their struggle Being Human and still enforcing their oath to Serve and Protect. The cast and crew have become a family and they brought us a show that made us family. They need to sit down and at least try to meet everybody halfway it would have been different if the licensing went up… Read more »
That’s just wrong on so many levels but you renew NCIS sack of excrement.
SWAT sets up my weekend just nicely.
Lost interest in Fire Country already.
How many more times can you burn a tree?
That’s it for me.
Don’t see why I should see episode 21 of SWAT now.
You did the same to Bull and Elementary. Stopped my viewing in its tracks.
It sucks that they have cancelled one of mine and my husband’s favorite show.
SUCKS…GREAT CLEAN SERIES!!!
SO SAD TO SEE SWAT GO! HOPEFULL IT WILL BE PICKED UP!
Hate to see this show being canceled
Hopefully another network will pick it up so we can continue watching it
Well, that sucks! SWAT is one of my favorite shows, it’s a great show! Stupid move in my opinion!
Keep Swat, or let Paramont pick it up
Another stupid choice. S.W.A.T. is one of the few things I enjoy watching. It’s not silly comedy. It’s not overly “woke.” It a great and interesting. The ONLY upside is that maybe Shamar Moore wil go back to Criminal Minds Legacy.
I am surprised. With the ratings still more than good. One last season of full episodes would have worked. CBS /Paramount are being cheap. Plus my question is why in general does CBS want to have less episodes of a show when their public want more!!!!!
Very disappointed show will not be renewed. Hope another channel will air it.
IMO, bad decision. I hope it gets picked up by another network.