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TV Police dramas like Blue Bloods are growing long in the tooth in the CBS primetime lineup. S.W.A.T. came out of the gate as a strong contender to keep the network’s drama slate strong if older series like NCIS would eventually reach their natural conclusions. Six seasons in, S.W.A.T. has long since proved its ability to endure. 

Or has it? Competition on the network has become more fierce than ever. Older shows are sticking around longer than expected. New shows, including revivals of older series like C.S.I., are filling out the lineup. Is there room for S.W.A.T. in the future CBS primetime slate?

‘S.W.A.T.’ Season 6 is nearing its finale

The S.W.A.T. cast and crew may find their fate decided by how viewers receive the events in the current season. Dominique Luca discovered a half sibling. Victor Tan’s marriage is under immense strain. These major, character-driven hooks are strong enough to carry this season to the finish line. And the recurring plot line involving training sessions with a Thai S.W.A.T. team made for a strong new angle on the show’s hard-edged action.

The series revitalized itself by adding two new characters to the team, Zoe Powell and Alexis Cabrera. Hidden Remote reports that viewers are enjoying the fresh feel of the series. The updated cast managed to garner a positive response under challenging circumstances, as fan-favorite character Chris Alonso was written off the series.

Has ‘S.W.A.T.’ been renewed for a 7th season?

Adela Paez as Leticia, Alex Russell as Jim Street, Kenneth Kenny Johnson as Dominique Luca, and David Lim as Victor Tan standing next to a food truck during a scene in 'S.W.A.T.'
‘S.W.A.T.’ on CBS | CBS Photo Archive/Contributor

The current season wraps in May. With just two months remaining, though, there has not been any official word on a renewal. Most likely, this means the ending will have to be written as a series finale. Dangling narrative hooks for a potential seventh season will have to be more understated than they would be with an early renewal.

PopCulture.com reports that budget cuts across CBS programming are the major issue with the ongoing negotiations. S.W.A.T. is an action-heavy show in a way even other police procedurals can’t keep up with. The show could find itself losing a piece of its identity if budget cuts are too dire.

The series also suffers from a context where linear ratings are declining across the board. Scripted content and even live shows like sports and pro wrestling are increasingly moving to streaming. These increasingly important shows existing in the streaming space instead of on traditional television is harming network shows like S.W.A.T. due to fewer lead-in opportunities.

‘S.W.A.T.’ may have options to return soon in some form

S.W.A.T. fans have several reasons to be worried, as outlined above. But Deadline reports that negotiations are progressing smoothly, and a renewal for at least one more season on CBS is likely. However, a multi-year renewal probably isn’t on the table. Once happy to budget for several seasons in one go for its procedural lineup, the network is starting to hedge its bets on primetime network television.

S.W.A.T. isn’t alone in confronting an uncharacteristically renewal-shy CBS. The venerable Blue Bloods may be looking at a single-season renewal at best. NCIS: Los Angeles is ending after 14 seasons of solid ratings, likely because of the high cost of keeping the leads on board.

Thankfully, all of these shows have other options on the table. Network and cable shows fans stick with on streaming are increasingly being revived. Shows like Bosch: Legacy, Criminal Minds: Evolutions, and Leverage: Redemption have all made returns on streaming platforms. If CBS is worried about footing the bill for S.W.A.T., there are plenty of other landing spots for the series, like Amazon’s FreeVee ad-based TV service.

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