2023 and 2024 provided nearly as stressful a 12-month stretch as possible for the cast, crew and fanbase of CBS’ S.W.A.T., as the action-packed Shemar Moore drama was technically set to end with its sixth season finale, then its seventh, only to be saved and renewed for a Season 8 return later in the 2024 TV schedule. And while making those kinds of decisions is no walk in the park, it’s the kind of stress that actually excites CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach.
Speaking at the Banff World Media Festival in Alberta, Canada, the CBS head honcho talked about the network’s impending future and already crafting TV schedule blueprints for the 2026-2027 season, and shedding the traditional pilot season process. Going against the grain in such a way is part of the mindset that led to a high-profile broadcast drama going through the ups and downs of two cancellations and two semi-surprise renewals.
Reisenbach said she enjoys being in a competitive situation that allows her to vie for worthy projects. In her words:
Every negotiation is different. Sometimes they’re a roller coaster. I personally enjoy it. I’m a competitive person and we always want to find the best outcome that works for everyone. The show continues to do well. We’re so proud of it. Shemar [Moore] is obviously a great star for us. and the fact that we were able to come to a deal with Sony again, we’re really happy about.
As it’s indicated by her explanation, S.W.A.T.’s seemingly doomed fate wasn’t entirely up to Amy Reisenbach (who landed the Prez promotion in November 2022), and came down largely to negotiating with Sony Pictures Television, whose initial refusal to budge on the S.W.A.T.’s licensing fee has been the main issue. It’s not entirely clear at this point what agreements were made that led to the drama securing another full 22-episode order, but it presumably speaks to the network boss’ competitive nature.
S.W.A.T.’s fate first came into question ahead of the May 2023 cancellation bloodbath, and it was sure enough revealed to be ending, with financial reasons being the cause. Only a few days later, CBS reversed the decision, and the drama subsequently landed on Netflix and started crushing it, which possibly gave all involved more confidence about bringing it back.
Of course, that renewal was for a “final season,” so the worried talks started all over again early in 2024, with a highly confident Shemar Moore saying he believed it would continue. He was proven right in mid-April when CBS once again flipped its decision, this time leaving things open-ended. And it’s a good thing, too, since the Season 7 finale was written with a continuation in mind, so it might have left fans angry had the renewal not been announced ahead of time.
For all that she enjoys the process, especially when the best outcome possible surfaces, that’s obviously not always the case, seeing as how CBS canceled some big shows this year like So Help Me Todd and NCIS: Hawai’i, among others. Here’s how Amy Reisenbach expressed that dismay:
They’re extremely tough calls to make. I’m a big fan of TV first and I sympathize and relate to all of the fans out there who are disappointed in the fact that these shows are ending. But at the end of the day, our job at CBS is to make those really tough calls.
CBS will certainly have a full schedule to contend with in Fall 2024 and beyond, so stay tuned for more info about where Shemar Moore’s Hondo & Co. will be headed in Season 8, and stream past episodes with a Paramount+ subscription.
