‘S.W.A.T.’ Midseason Premiere Twist: 20-Squad’s Leader Faces His Most Dangerous Mission Yet!

The CBS winter break is almost over and your favorite cop procedural show is coming in hot when its midseason episode premieres. Yes, we’re referring to the squad of S.W.A.T. Beloved for its dynamic blend of thrilling action and heart, the series is granted to deliver yet again on both aspects when the midseason premiere episode airs on CBS on Friday, January 31, at 10 P. M. ET. Following the winter finale, S.W.A.T. underwent a slight timeslot change, trading its 8 P.M. spot for the 10 P.M. spot, which became vacant following the conclusion of Blue Bloods. It’s a timeslot that worked well for the Tom Selleck-led procedural, which ran for 14 seasons, and S.W.A.T. fans, hoping for more seasons, will be wishing it inherits that luck.

S.W.A.T. Season 8, Episode 10, titled “Open Season”, comes with an intriguing premise that puts a large target on Sergeant Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson (Shemar Moore). Despite his best efforts to balance his day job of crime-fighting with a good relationship with his community, Hondo’s line of work means making some enemies is inevitable and one will be out for his blood in “Open Season.” This deadly blast from Hondo’s past will leave the Twenty team scratching their heads about the identity of this mysterious enemy who has gone as far as placing a bounty on Hondo’s head. While Hondo’s story will take center stage, the episode will also continue a familiar theme with Deacon and Tan squabbling over operational strategies. The official synopsis, per TV Line, reads:

“Open Season” – When Hondo learns there’s a $1 million bounty on his head, 20-Squad must race to uncover the mysterious enemy from Hondo’s past who’s intent on revenge. Also, Deacon and Tan butt heads over Tan’s changes to SWAT academy.”

‘S.W.A.T.’ Season 8, Episode 10 Was Directed By A Cast Member

It’s not unusual for cast members of long-running shows to step behind the camera for a stab at directing and S.W.A.T. has been no different. In the past, the show’s cast, including Alex Russell and Lina Esco have both taken turns directing episodes. Lately, one cast member who’s slowly racking up his directorial credits on the show is Jay Harrington, who plays Sgt. David “Deacon” Kay.

Harrington is one of the show’s original cast members featuring since the debut season in 2017. The first episode he directed was Season 6, Episode 20, titled “All That Glitters.” Harrington directed the show for the third time with “Open Season” from a script penned by Charlie Haddaway. Harrington, along with Moore, and David Lim make up the only original cast members still on the show.