In our sneak peek, Hondo teams up with Deacon (Jay Harrington) to take out a pair of armed thugs holding a distraught woman at gunpoint. Their arrival sparks a brief shootout, but the two men are no match for the teamwork of the veteran partners, who take them down with haste. While Deacon escorts the woman to safety, Hondo restrains the second suspect, but the man’s necklace catches his eye. He calls over Deacon to get a look and the sergeant says exactly what he feared — “Los Altos. The worst of the worst of the biker clubs on the West Coast.” Suddenly, the situation appears dire as this mission to retrieve a drug shipment is more than likely just one piece of a wider and more dangerous plot by a biker gang that could harm far more people if they don’t act fast.
Dealing with heavily armed criminals is no problem for the experienced officers of 20-squad, but a whole gang may require some backup for the team to pull through this time around. While that plays out, Hondo is also about to get a family visit that will pull his attention in another direction. After last week’s midseason premiere, which saw the team leader’s life threatened by the brother of a convict he arrested, it’ll be a lot to take on as he continues trying to do right by the people of Los Angeles after confronting his past. Moore and Harrington take part in an ensemble that features David Lim, Patrick St. Esprit, Anna Enger Ritch, and Niko Pepaj, alongside the newly promoted Annie Ilonzeh.
What Does the Future Hold for ‘S.W.A.T.’ After Season 8?
Created by Aaron Rahsaan Thomas and Shawn Ryan, S.W.A.T. has somewhat remarkably survived not one, but two cancelations, and may be in line to avoid a third. “It’s been called the final season the last three or four seasons, hasn’t it?” the latter remarked in a recent interview with Deadline when discussing the prospect of a Season 9 renewal. A dedicated following has managed to keep Moore, Harrington, and the rest of the team in business well beyond what it initially seemed given the cost of making the series. Uncertainty has disrupted some of the show’s storylines—current showrunner Andrew Dettman confirmed the Season 7 cancelation is partly the reason for Nichelle’s (Rochelle Aytes) absence—but getting picked up once more, without the song and dance of the show potentially ending, would make things a bit easier for all involved. Ryan acknowledges, however, that, even with the fan response, the studio’s love for the series, and even his good working relationship with Skydance’s David Ellison, nothing is for certain in the face of perpetually shifting economics:
“I don’t know what the plans are. I don’t know what the criteria for renewal is going to be. It seems like it could be much different than years past. I don’t know if it’s an advantage or disadvantage that we’re produced by an outside studio this year. I think economics are going to play into things, so it’s all uncertain, but we’re just going to continue to make the best show we can that our audience loves, and we’ll see where the chips fall. And that’s what we’ve done the last few seasons. We’re really proud of the legacy of that show.”
S.W.A.T. Season 8 continues tomorrow at 10 p.m. ET with Episode 10 on CBS. The series can also be streamed on Paramount+. Check out our exclusive sneak peek in the player above.
