CBS' SEAL Team may not have been the only new military drama to debut in the 2017-2018 TV season, with The Brave and Valor also checking in, but it was the only one that's heading to Season 2. And it's also the only show on TV starring a post-Bones David Boreanaz, which likely played into the former happening. But while the star power isn't changing, there are adjustments being made for the new season, and they'll be spearheaded by new showrunner John Glenn, who is replacing the departing Ed Redlich.
With its Season 2 renewal coming back in March, far ahead of all the on-the-bubble shows threatened by cancellations, SEAL Team knew it had a future in store, and a majority of the powers-that-be apparently wanted to take the show into new directions than the ones taken in Season 1. Not only did the show lose Ed Redlich, who had initially only signed on for a one-year contract, but creator Benjamin Cavell also vacated the hit drama. According to Deadline, the new creative direction is the cause for both exits.
No further details were provided for the showrunner switch-up, but this isn't the first time narrative snags have come up during the still-young series' lifespan. The writers started making creative changes around the midway point of Season 1, when the show shifted away from family stories to focus on the military efforts overseas. It's unclear what elements weren't working for the producers and studio execs, so we'll have to wait and see if the differences will be noticeable.
SEAL Team did suffer from some viewership droopage as the freshman season drew closer to its end, with the finale being watched by around 3.7 million fewer people than the audience tuning in for the series premiere. But some of that can be attributed to the frequent and random off-weeks in the latter half. And since CBS renewed it even as the stat-settling was happening, it's clear the attention SEAL Team was getting is still appreciated. Now to see if Season 2 can bring in even more eyeballs.
Before signing on as SEAL Team's showrunner for Season 2, John Glenn is probably best known for the highly acclaimed TV movie Hatfields & McCoys, which he created. He was also a writer and executive producer for the short-lived CIA drama Allegiance, as well as the writer for the films Eagle Eye and The Lazarus Project; he directed the latter, too. None of those projects quite match up with SEAL Team, but fans should still hope for the best.
SEAL Team will return to CBS' primetime schedule at some point this fall, so stay tuned for an exact premiere date. Until then, our summer premiere schedule will show you when all the new and returning shows are coming in the near future.
