Summary
-
S.W.A.T.
surprises fans with a Season 8 renewal despite being canceled twice before. - CBS keeps
S.W.A.T.
as a fan-favorite, avoiding the end of the show for now. -
S.W.A.T.’s
success in ratings and international sales secures its future for Season 8.
S.W.A.T. has defied the odds once again with a Season 8 renewal at CBS, despite being canceled twice. While the network has been billing Season 7 as the final season of the show, it has just been announced that the luckiest series on TV has avoided its fate again. Furthermore, the network isn’t boxing itself in by declaring the upcoming season will be its last. As long as the numbers remain steady, S.W.A.T. could be here to stay.
Per Deadline, the decision to renew S.W.A.T. for Season 8 after stating numerous times that it is in its final season, came as a surprise to many fans. Even though CBS sent out its season finale dates and billed the May 17th episode of the show as a “series finale,” the network reversed course and decided to bring the fan-favorite series back yet again. The show also won’t see any kind of reduced episode order and will be returning for a full 22 episodes next season. Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment, had this to say about the surprise renewal:
“Here at CBS, we always ‘stay liquid’ and love a good dramatic twist, especially when it leads to an eighth season of
S.W.A.T.
! The show continues to resonate with viewers thanks to our talented cast led by Shemar Moore and our amazing writers and producers who keep the show relevant and action-packed. We’re very pleased to renew it again and incredibly grateful to our partners at Sony, CBS Studios and Shemar [Moore] for working so closely with us to bring it back for next season.”
S.W.A.T. Just Cannot Be Canceled
Talks to potentially not end S.W.A.T. this season began with CBS asking Sony Pictures Television, which produces the series in association with CBS Studios, to reduce its licensing fee. Linear ratings aren’t what they used to be, so streaming and delayed viewing come into play when renewing shows. CBS initially canceled the series at the end of Season 6, with Sony Television not willing to take on another season at a flat license fee, while CBS decided to increase the fee but cut the episode order. Sony TV then decided to pass on Season 7, and it was announced that the show was canceled. However, after an intense fan outcry, the two parties went back to the negotiation table and pounded out a deal to bring the series back for a “final season.” Now it looks like the show has once again avoided the ax.
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The back and forth over S.W.A.T. really comes down to how well the show has performed for the network, even in linear ratings. The show continues to win its time period, and it ranks as a top 20 primetime broadcast drama, ranking 17th overall this season with an average of 6.1 million viewers. When multi-platform viewing is factored in, those figures rise to 8.8 million viewers an episode, which is up 11 percent year-to-year. S.W.A.T. also sells well internationally, providing another way for CBS Studios to generate revenue from the show.
S.W.A.T. is based on the 1975 television series and 2003 film of the same name and was developed by Aaron Rahsaan and Shawn Ryan. The show centers on Los Angeles Police Department Sergeant Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson (Shemar Moore), a former Marine and lifelong Los Angeles local who has been tapped to lead a new “last stop” Special Weapons and Tactics unit of the LAPD. In addition to Moore, who also serves as an executive producer, the series stars Jay Harrington, David Lim, Patrick St. Esprit, Rochelle Ayres and Anna Enger Ritch.
S.W.A.T.
continues to air new Season 7 episodes on CBS on Fridays.
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