Fans were told Season 7 would end this thrilling ride, but we’ve since received news about S.W.A.T Season 8.
The drama has faced numerous challenges and was on the chopping block after failing to convince CBS to invest in its budget to fight off competing new TV shows.
In 2023, ahead of S.W.A.T Season 6’s Netflix release, CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach and Sony TV Studios president Katherine Pope said in a joint statement, “We have listened to our viewers and their outpouring of passion for S.W.A.T. and we have reached an agreement to renew it for a final season of 13 episodes to air during the 2023-2024 broadcast year.”
Although, there was surprising news following that. Here’s the lowdown on the show’s return.
Will S.W.A.T Season 8 happen?
CBS renewed S.W.A.T for Season 8. It’s releasing during the network’s 2024-25 season.
Turns out, those “final” episodes weren’t final after all. Strong viewership and a passionate fanbase have saved the series more than once, now.
The cast, looking elated we might add, was featured in an announcement video shared on May 18, 2024.
Who could return?
Shemar Moore will continue as a producer and the leading actor in the S.W.A.T cast for Season 8. A full list hasn’t been announced yet.
It’s expected the main characters in Season 7 will join Moore. Jay Harrington, David Lim, Patrick St. Esprit, Anna Enger Ritch, and Rochelle Aytes will likely return to the fray.
However, the latter is reportedly set to be a recurring character instead of a series regular in Season 8 as reported by Deadline. She was allegedly “not invited back as a series regular but the producers want to keep her in the S.W.A.T. universe.”
The actor has since joined another CBS show, Watson.
Similar to upcoming procedural dramas such as Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 and 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 5, contract renegotiations with actors continue to be a pressure point for network TV.
What will S.W.A.T Season 8 be about?
No official synopsis has been shared for Season 8. New episodes will probably continue in the aftermath of Hondo’s shooting from Season 7, though.
Other plot threads could include David’s home-life struggles now that he’s not retiring as soon as he planned. A new female team member is set to be added to the dynamic, too, according to Deadline.
S.W.A.T Season 8 is expected to air in Fall 2024-25.
