CBS has announced the cancellation of the police procedural show S.W.A.T., which ran for six seasons. The show followed the exploits of Sergeant Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson and his highly trained SWAT team as they tackled high-risk missions in Los Angeles. Starring Shemar Moore, Rochelle Aytes, Jay Harrington, Kenny Johnson, David Lim, and Alex Russell, the show was a reimagining of the 1975 police drama of the same name and a 2003 feature film. S.W.A.T. gained a large following during its run, in part for its focus on addressing important social issues alongside its action-packed episodes.
According to CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach, the cancellation of S.W.A.T marks the end of a compelling and action-packed era of the network’s primetime lineup. She thanked the incredible talents of the show’s cast, writers, producers, and crew, who worked tirelessly to create compelling episodes that kept audiences engaged week after week. Reisenbach also expressed gratitude towards the dedicated fans who tuned in regularly to watch the show.
“For six seasons, the amazing talents of the S.W.A.T. cast led by Shemar Moore, the writers, producers, and crew guided by executive producers Shawn Ryan, Andy Dettman, and Aaron Rahsaan Thomas brought us compelling, action-packed episodes that also addressed important social issues and contributed to the success of our primetime lineup. We sincerely thank them for their incredible work and passion and also thank our dedicated fans who tuned in every week,” Amy Reisenbach said in a statement.
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CBS Cancels S.W.A.T. Amid Licensing Dispute with Sony TV
CBS
S.W.A.T. has been cancelled despite its growing viewership. According to Deadline, CBS and Sony could not come to an agreement on a new licensing deal, and a proposed deal to continue the show’s per-episode cost was eventually abandoned. The emergence of other promising pilots, including the Elsbeth spinoff and the Matlock reboot, may have also given CBS more leeway to move away from S.W.A.T. The show’s executive producer, Shawn Ryan, told Deadline in a previous interview that “From a ratings perspective, it’s a no-brainer to pick it up, the show is a big hit for CBS. We live in this weird age now where economic conversations take place and take precedence over what viewers really want to watch on their screens, and hopefully Sony and CBS work out the details to bring it back because I know the fans want to.”
The show has been performing well this season, with an average of 6.8 million viewers and a 0.7 rating, an increase of 6% from its previous season. Despite ranking tenth in total audience among the 14 drama series CBS has aired this TV season, tying for third in the demo, S.W.A.T. was the network’s most expensive scripted series, which may have contributed to the decision to axe the show. While the cancellation of S.W.A.T may be disappointing, fans can still look forward to the upcoming series finale, which promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the show’s run. The finale is scheduled to air on May 19, 2023.
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