‘S.W.A.T.’ Canceled at CBS

It is a sad day for S.W.A.T. fans, as CBS has officially canceled the cop procedural after six seasons. Variety reports that the sixth season, which will air the now series finale on May 19, averaged 6.8 million viewers and a 0.7 rating among adults 18-49. While a reason has not been given for the cancellation, since ratings seemed steady, it’s possible it had more to do on the financial side, as many shows have been suffering budget cuts.

When we spoke to star Jay Harrington about a potential seventh season, the actor thanked fans for keeping the show going and hoped to see it continue. He also said that if a Season 7 were to happen, he would hope that it included more of the Kay family. It’s always possible that another service, like Paramount+ or Netflix, could pick up the show, but it’s unknown if Sony Pictures Television and CBS Studios, which co-produced the series, will shop it around elsewhere.

Based on the 1970s series of the same name and the 2003 film, S.W.A.T. premiered in 2017. Although the action show remained on the bubble the last few years, it always came out on top. However, this season it was a bit more troubling given that it was one of three CBS shows in danger of cancellation recently and the only veteran show on the list. Both of its Friday night partners, freshman series Fire Country and veteran procedural Blue Bloods, were both previously renewed for new seasons.

The now series finale of S.W.A.T., which will be a two-parter, is set to air on Friday, May 11 and Friday, May 19. Featuring Oscar winner Timothy Hutton as the leader of a DEA team, 20-Squad will team up with the agency to conduct a gang sweep that turns into the discovery of a cartel’s dangerous plans. It’s possible that while filming the finale, it was also written as a series finale, as some shows do when they’re unsure. Since the series is known to go big for the finales, it’s hard to tell whether there will be any tied-up loose ends or cliffhangers. 

It’s a disappointment that in two weeks 20-Squad will be no more, but fans can always hope for a miracle elsewhere, as shows have been saved from cancellation before. With the writers’ strike, however, it may be a bit more difficult. It could still happen at a later time, fans would just have to be patient. For now, though, we’ll just have to prepare for our goodbyes.