Oh, hey, they killed S.W.A.T. last night
The CBS procedural's currently running sixth season will now be its last
We’ve remarked, on more than one occasion, that there’s no time of the week scarier for the producers of a TV show on the cancellation bubble than Friday nights. Coming as it does at the end of the traditional work week—when most people, including news writers, aren’t paying a ton of attention—Friday night is essentially the TV executive version of an abandoned parking lot with no security cameras, a safe spot to, uh, dispose of your problem shows with a swiftly implemented cancellation order and a quick wiping of the hands.
And a Friday night at the end of the first week of the WGA’s writers strike? Hoo boy, somebody at CBS was ready for S.W.A.T. to go. Which is to confirm, per Variety, that the six-season police procedural won’t be a seven-season one, with the network pulling the plug on the series last night.
For at least some of us, S.W.A.T.—based on the 1975 cop show of the same name—has largely floated in our minds as the answer to “What’s Shemar Moore been up to since he left Criminal Minds?” The series starred Moore as a character it insisted we think of as “Hondo,” alongside (in its final season) Alex Russell, Kenny Johnson, Jay Harrington, David Lim, and Rochelle Aytes. The series centered on a police unit operating in Los Angeles, with Moore’s Hondo frequently subjected to tensions between his loyalty to the community he grew up in and the force.
S.W.A.T. is currently still in the midst of airing what will now be its final season, with the finale running on May 19. The show has actually had a modest uptick in ratings of late, after dipping in recent seasons—not enough to save it, clearly, but they did at least get the courtesy of a condolence note from CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach:
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 line up. We sincerely thank them for their incredible work and passion and also thank our dedicated fans who tuned in every week.