However, the chances of a Nichelle return have now been seemingly quashed. Per TVLine, Nichelle will not appear in S.W.A.T. season 8 due to Aytes’ busy schedule filming another CBS show, Watson, and it is unclear whether a window will appear in her schedule to facilitate filming any scenes for S.W.A.T. The character will continue to exist in the show’s background as Hondo’s wife, but it is unlikely that she will make any appearances over the course of the season.
What This Means For S.W.A.T. Season 8 Moving Forward
This Could Complicate Things For Hondo
The season could certainly feel odd without the presence of Nichelle, who has been something of a mainstay for the past several years, and this is bound to have an impact on Hondo as the season unfolds. Off-camera, the character will continue as wife to Hondo, and mother to Vivvie, but her absence from the series is bound to have a major impact on Hondo as a character, and will remove the great chemistry between Aytes and Hondo actor Shemar Moore. How much this will impact the character, and the potential storylines for the season remains to be seen.
Season 8 will mark something of a transition for S.W.A.T., and it will be interesting to see the direction the show chooses to take without Nichelle actively involved. While there are no plans to kill off the character, or write her out, just yet, it seems that any role she is going to have in season 8 is going to be more low-key. There are a lot of directions the show could take, but as long as Nichelle is in the background as Hondo’s wife and anchor, her presence on the show will continue to be important.
It May Be Difficult To Get Rochelle Aytes Back
Watson’s Success Could Be S.W.A.T.’s Los
S.W.A.T. season 8 existing in the first place was an unexpected season after CBS canceled the show following the conclusion of S.W.A.T. season 7, only to reverse their decision and renew the show for another season. As a result, Aytes had already joined the Watson cast in the interim, so it would be difficult for the show to come up with a way of reintegrating her at this stage.
Watson also stars Morris Chestnut, Eve Harlow, Peter Mark Kendall, Inga Schlingmann, and Ritchie Coster.
Even though it has been over 12 years since House was on the air, CBS finally has the perfect replacement TV show for the Hugh Laurie series.
However, it still remains to be seen if Watson can last beyond a single season. So far, its Rotten Tomatoes scores indicate a general negative reception, as it has earned splats from both critics (56%) and audiences (29%). Audiences outright rejecting the premiere might mean that the show will not pick up any more viewership as the season progresses. However, the show was created by Craig Sweeny, who was also behind the Holmes-themed series Elementary, which ran for seven seasons and could set a precedent for the new show’s longevity.
Our Take On The Chances Of A Nichelle Return In The Future
The Character Might Be Back At Some Point In The Future
Ultimately, there is a good chance that the character could at the very least make a brief return in S.W.A.T. season 9 if the series manages to get yet another renewal, even if Watson season 2 is also renewed. Because both shows are on the same network, it could be seen as good cross-promotion to help spark interest in both shows with fans of one or the other.
Additionally, Watson is the only other major ongoing or upcoming project that Aytes is attached to. Should the show go off the air, it is entirely possible that she would see fit to return to the role of Nichelle, either permanently or in a recurring capacity as she finds another prominent role to take on elsewhere. For now, though, the show will have to figure out how to cope without Nichelle. Unfortunately, Hondo will be lacking his on-screen anchor for S.W.A.T.’s foreseeable future.
