SWAT has had one of the most fascinating histories of any procedural drama in recent memory. The show has repeatedly been canceled and brought back by CBS, which has led to whiplash for the fans. There's bad news and good news surrounding the show at the moment.
The bad news is that CBS opted not to renew SWAT early. The good news is that fans have been here before, and if any show has proven to be resilient, its this one. The reason this decision to avoid early renewal is so interesting is because the network extended the contracts for several other shows.
CBS renewed all three NCIS shows, Tracker, Elsbeth and Fire Country. These were unsurprising calls, given the titles ranged from proven hitmakers to buzzy new shows that are still building up fanbases. SWAT was exempt, however, which invariably begs the question: will the network finally pull the plug?
SWAT was previously brought back from cancelation
The procedural drama was originally canceled due to licensing fees. Variety reported that CBS and Sony were unable to come to an agreement, leading to SWAT being yanked in 2023. Fortunately, an agreement was struck and the show was revived for an eight season.
Amy Reisenbach, the president of CBS Entertainment, commented on this bizarre turnaround in her renewal statement. "Here at CBS, we always 'stay liquid' and love a good dramatic twist," she quipped. "Especially when it leads to an eighth season of SWAT."
Well, here we are, on the back end of season 8, and the show's future remains unclear. The show's executive producer, Shawn Ryan, told Deadline that he has been grateful to get two extensions, but knows good and well that SWAT will eventually come to an end.
SWAT producer admits he's unsure of CBS plans
"The show I think is beloved in the executive ranks at CBS, the show is beloved by our audience," he asserted. "But we also understand that a corporate change is happening in that world. I don’t know what the plans are." Ryan also conceded that the bar for a renewal in 2025 may be radically different than the bar in 2024.
"I don’t know what the criteria for renewal is going to be," Ryan explained. "It seems like it could be much different than years past." CBS is also undergoing significant business changes behind the scenes. There have been discussions between the network's parent company, Paramount Gobal, along with Skydance Media, regarding a merger. Deadline reported that some shows may not be renewed until certain agreements and deals have been made.
We'll keep our fingers crossed for SWAT, and suggest you do the same.