After being brought back from cancelation, yet again, CBS' S.W.A.T. is back on air for season 8. Averaging 8 million views, S.W.A.T. made a new for itself by following the S.W.A.T. team led by Sergeant Hondo, portrayed by Shemar Moore. The latest episode has the team trying to find a gunman after two deadly shootings at abortion clinics, leading to Devin Gamble and Deacon having a heart-to-heart.
With 16 episodes left in S.W.A.T. season 8, there's a lot to look forward to. However, this season also gives the show a chance to prove its success to avoid another cancelation. Even with S.W.A.T's two back-to-back cancelations, the series is treating season 8 like any other season with no plans to wrap up the characters' storylines. Not wanting to prematurely end the show, this risk could leave viewers feeling cheated out of the characters' endings.
SWAT Season 8 Isn't Being Written As Its Final Year
SWAT's Uncertain Future: A Risky Gamble
It may come as a surprise, but S.W.A.T. season 8 is not meant to be its final season like the previous season was. In a Reddit post, a writer for S.W.A.T. took to the discussion thread, sharing some inside knowledge. @SWATWriter wrote, "We have heard nothing about Season 9, but this season wasn’t pitched as 'the final season' like Season 7 was." This may originally appear as good news, but it also puts the show at risk for an abrupt ending.
In 2023, S.W.A.T. was canceled after season 6 due to a licensing rights issue between CBS and Sony. Producers were able to convince the studio that they could create a final season for the budget CBS needed. This final season had only 13 episodes, but it was written as the finale, tying up all the characters' loose ends. With the addition of season 8, any planned endings for the S.W.A.T. characters in season 7 have gone out the window.
SWAT Is Risking Ending On A Disappointing Note By Not Being Ready With A Potential Cancelation
A Cliffhanger Ending: A Potential Disappointment
While some may not want to say goodbye to the show, S.W.A.T. could potentially end on a cliffhanger episode or one where the characters' stories are not neatly wrapped up. S.W.A.T.'s battle with cancelation is hard-fought, but it does signal that the show may have lost some of its earlier magic. The show was in the middle of filming the series finale in season 7 when CBS and Sony announced that they had found a budget to create a full 22-episode season 8.
In the same Reddit post, @SWATWriter wrote that S.W.A.T. is "a reliable enough performer for CBS that they like keeping it on the schedule." The series seems to plan on riding its luck until it gets canceled permanently. While the show may not be planning for a series finale at the end of season 8, that doesn't stop the network from canceling it. It seems reckless for S.W.A.T. not to be treating every season like its last and risk an unsatisfying finale for the fans who fought so hard for the show.
Source: Reddit
