There’s never a dull moment when it comes to midseason.
We TV Fanatics wait with bated breath about the fate of our beloved shows.
One show that continually beats the odds is S.W.A.T.
The Shemar Moore-fronted drama already has the distinction of being canceled and uncanceled twice.
Sadly, the good news for the long-running drama could end soon because the numbers don’t lie:
S.W.A.T. is not in as good shape as it was a year ago, and as we’ll say until we’re blue in the face, aging shows come in at a much higher price tag.
Season-to-date, S.W.A.T. Season 8 is averaging slightly over 4 million viewers and a 0.28 rating in the 18-49 demographic.
S.W.A.T. Has Lost Steam in the Ratings This Season
S.W.A.T. ranks 15th out of the 18 scripted shows CBS has broadcast during the 2024-25 TV season, coming in narrowly ahead of NCIS: Origins and NCIS: Sydney.
Both of the NCIS spinoffs nabbed renewals earlier this month, alongside several other shows, including Tracker, George & Mandy’s First Marriage, Fire Country, and Elsbeth.
NCIS: Sydney was a sure-fire renewal because its ratings were not far off Blue Bloods’ numbers despite costing a fraction to produce.
On the other hand, NCIS: Origins hasn’t performed as well as expected, leading to speculation that it will not survive the season.
However, it has to be a much cheaper show to produce than, say, S.W.A.T. because it’s a rookie show, meaning the expenses won’t be racking up just yet.
S.W.A.T. is no stranger to last-minute decisions, with negotiations typically coming down the wire, and that may not change here.
The hurdle in its way is the looming acquisition of Paramount Global by Skydance.
CBS probably wanted to get some of the decisions out of the way before the deal closed because there’s a good chance the company will tighten its budget in the aftermath.
While we don’t expect it to be like Nexstar gutting The CW of its genre fare, it could lead to some shocking cancellations.
S.W.A.T. Needs a Hail Mary
There’s no telling how the deal will go, but S.W.A.T. doesn’t make as much of an impact in post-airdate viewing, which isn’t the best sign that the series has a long life ahead of it.
With a week of DVR factored in, S.W.A.T. lifts to around 5.5 million viewers and a 0.47 rating. The viewer ship tally puts it right at the bottom of CBS’ drama slate, but the demo tally is a bit stronger.
These numbers are moderate in the grand scheme of things, but we believe S.W.A.T. must have freed up some cash by writing out some series regulars, which could have been the reason for the surprise Season 8 renewal in the first place.
Cast salaries are typically the biggest hurdle many long-running series face, and in today’s climate, networks and studios make decisions that don’t align with viewers.
While the series’ future remains in flux, it’s hard to imagine producers not filming a finale that could function as a series or season-ender, given its impressive track record so far.
Many other shows should film endings like that because the future is simply not assured these days, even for the more substantial shows.
Look at Blue Bloods, for example. It was still a hit when it went off the air. But CBS’ cancellation came knocking while fans and the cast pleaded for more.
Of course, Blue Bloods has snagged a spinoff order with Donnie Wahlberg’s character set to topline Boston Blue.
Could S.W.A.T. Get a Spinoff?
Having one of the ensemble’s cast members at the helm of a brand-new show isn’t as costly, but it could reap many rewards if the fans follow it.
CBS, as a whole, is all about expanding franchises nowadays instead of trying to launch new formats.
The reason for that is that these tried-and-tested franchises with built-in fans are lucrative. It’s half the battle when people are already willing to watch the shows.
Consequently, CBS could cancel S.W.A.T. and give it some sort of spinoff or sequel with a mixture of old and new faces.
It seems “in” right now, so there’s every reason to believe it will happen.
The Friday night schedule has already benefited from NCIS: Sydney, so maybe CBS will want to try out another series on the night to see if it can save some money.
S.W.A.T. has proven to hold up wherever it airs, so even if it does eke out a renewal, it could be moved to a new slot to help shore up a sore sport for CBS.
The series probably scored the surprise save last year because the network knew it was a reliable performer.
The lack of early renewal is a bit concerning, and it suggests that CBS is considering its options.
Perhaps it will all come down to the rest of the freshman series’ fates, which should become clearer as more viewership data is released.
Over to you, S.W.A.T. Fanatics! What are your thoughts on the series’ future on CBS?
Do you think it’s headed for cancellation, or do you expect a deal to be reached for S.W.A.T. Season 9 at the last minute?
Hit the comments below.
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