While there are plenty of shows canceled or ending in 2024, S.W.A.T. is no longer on that list. The CBS procedural received a surprise Season 8 renewal in April, following a cancelation last year, which was actually the series' second cancelation. It still feels like a dream because it was so sudden, but it’s happening, and production has started, so Shemar Moore is reflecting on the two-time uncanceled series.
Ahead of production starting on S.W.A.T. Season 8 on July 15, Moore took to his Instagram to update his followers that he was prepping to go back into Hondo mode all because they fought and didn’t give up. And it just goes to show what happens when you remain hopeful and optimistic. He wrote:
We comin’ back baby, Season 8. We fought that good fight and we won. Uncanceled twice. We start on Monday, Monday. So I got, you know, ‘Welcome to the gun show.’ Trying to keep it all together. Getting back right so I can go out there and do my thing in the right way.
Even after it seemed like S.W.A.T. would truly end with Season 7, Moore held out hope that S.W.A.T. could still be saved, and of course, he was right. He also reflected on everything else going on in the world in terms of social media and cancelation culture, revealing why he hasn’t been online as often lately. However, he made sure that fans knew that he sees all of the love and support. Check out his full video below:
It’s certainly not unprecedented for a show to be saved after cancelation, but it’s rare for it to happen more than once. Thanks to the fans, 20-Squad lives to see more intense calls and cases, and it’s going to be exciting to see what happens. The series has started production, with much of the cast already posting pictures from set. Jay Harrington, who plays Sergeant David “Deacon” Kay, shared the first selfie of Season 8 on Instagram featuring Moore, David Lim, Anna Enger Ritch, newly minted series regular Niko Pepaj, and 20-Squad’s newest member, Chicago Med alum Annie Ilonzeh:
Since S.W.A.T. went through some major casting changes last season, with Alex Russell and Kenny Johnson both exiting, the series had to find some new replacements. It is always possible that the two could return as Street and Luca, respectively, especially since they had open endings, so who knows what could go down? At the very least, it seems like the team is as ready as ever to take down more criminals, and the new additions will be a fun change.
Season 8 of S.W.A.T. isn’t technically the final season, as CBS never revealed that it was renewing the procedural for one more season when Season 8 was announced. Additionally, the upcoming season will have a full 22 episodes, so S.W.A.T.’s future is as bright as ever. Fans will just have to tune in on Friday, October 18 at 8 p.m. ET as part of the 2024 TV schedule on CBS to make sure that the twice-canceled series doesn’t get canceled a third time.
