S.W.A.T. Season 7: Cast, Latest News, Release Date, and Everything to Know

It's been quite the roller coaster ride for S.W.A.T. Just weeks before Season 6 wrapped, CBS canceled the long-running cop procedural, generating viewer outrage over the shocking move. It prompted star Shemar Moore, who plays team leader Sergeant Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson, to voice his criticisms over the decision amid the series' viewership growth, calling it a "mistake." A few days later, in response to public outcry, CBS reversed its cancellation of S.W.A.T. — a reboot of the 1970s television series and the 2003 movie, the latter of which starred Samuel L. Jackson and Colin Farrell — greenlighting a shortened seventh and final season.

Developed by Shawn Ryan and Aaron Rahsaan Thomas, S.W.A.T. puts the spotlight on Hondo (Moore), an ex-Marine and Los Angeles native who is suddenly promoted to team leader of the Special Weapons and Tactics unit of the L.A. Police Department in an effort to ease tensions between the community and the police after an accidental shooting of an unarmed Black teenager. Like with many network shows, the wait for S.W.A.T.'s return to TV screens has been a longer one than usual because of the delays from the actors and writers strikes. But we're almost back in action, and we'll keep you updated on all the significant updates on S.W.A.T.'s final season.

S.W.A.T. Season 7 latest news

Could S.W.A.T. go on after Season 7 after all? Shemar Moore seems to think so. Speaking with ET, Moore, the show's biggest cheerleader, said, "We hate to see it go. But again, I'm not quite sure it's the end, but that's just me." He added, "I know the door isn't completely closed." 

"We premiere shortly after the Super Bowl. And if the numbers are good, maybe we'll change some minds and maybe we can keep on trucking," Moore said. And he knows how fan outcry can affect the show, since S.W.A.T. was canceled after Season 6 before CBS changed its mind. "I know the fans made noise... I think they were a huge part of it."

In casting news, veteran cast members Kenny Johnson and Alex Russell, who play Dominique Luca and Jim Street, respectively, have been moved down from series regulars to recurring status for the final episodes, says TV Line. But there's a reason, according to showrunner Andrew Dettman. With just 13 episodes to wrap up the series, Dettman wanted to make sure everyone got thorough send-offs, indicating that we'll see Luca and Street depart the show earlier than others, but at least they won't get the short shrift. 

S.W.A.T. Season 7 release date

S.W.A.T. Season 7 will premiere on Friday, Feb. 16 at 8/7c on CBS. CBS's full 2024 midseason premiere schedule is here.

Originally on CBS's fall schedule, S.W.A.T. was taken out of the lineup due to the writers and actors strikes.

Why did CBS cancel S.W.A.T. and then change its mind and renew it?

The power of the people (and Moore's not-so-friendly words)! When CBS announced it had canceled S.W.A.T. on May 5, 2023, it sent shockwaves due to the fact that its viewership had been steadily climbing — a rarity for linear network television. Deadline reported that one of the main reasons S.W.A.T. was (temporarily) axed was the expensive price tag and unforgiving economic costs to keep a veteran show like it on the air. It prompted the 53-year-old Moore, who previously starred on CBS's Criminal Minds, to criticize the network over what he called "a f---ing mistake" in an Instagram video he posted on his page.

"S.W.A.T. got canceled. It makes no sense," Moore said in the Instagram video one day after the show was canceled. "We're the best show on Friday nights at 8 o'clock for CBS. The last two years we've been killing it, us and the Fire [Country]show. ... We've done nothing wrong. We did everything that was asked for." He expressed confidence CBS and Sony Pictures Television, the studio that produces S.W.A.T., would realize their error — which they eventually did. "I don't think we're done," he said. "CBS is either gonna wake up and realize they made a mistake. Sony is gonna do their math and realize that this is not the right move."

On May 8, 2023, CBS announced it had reversed its decision, bringing S.W.A.T. back for a final 13-episode season for 2023-2024. The renewal also gave Moore an executive producer credit for the upcoming season. The soap veteran celebrated the news with his 4 million Instagram followers: "Ayyeee!!!!! We did it #SWATFAM!!! @swatcbs is coming back for a 7th and Final season with 13 Episodes!!! Thank you to all of you for the continued and amazing support!! Let's go."

S.W.A.T. Season 7 plot

While Hondo and his S.W.A.T. team successfully apprehended cartel leader Sancho Zamora (Steven Bauer) in the Season 6 finale, that wasn't all there was to celebrate. In the closing episode of the season (and thankfully not the series), Hondo proposed to Nichelle (Rochelle Aytes) after confessing to her at their daughter's christening that much of his happiness was thanks to her. The pair were now officially engaged. With Season 7 on the horizon, and it being the final chapter for S.W.A.T., could we see Hondo and Nichelle saying "I do"?

Who will be in S.W.A.T. Season 7?

It's safe to assume all of the main cast members will return for the final season. However, Alex Russell and Kenny Johnson have been downgraded to recurring status for the final season and won't appear in all the episodes.

Here are the cast members:

• Shemar Moore as Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson 
• Alex Russell as Jim Street
• Kenny Johnson as Dominique Luca 
• Jay Harrington as David Kay
• David Lim as Victor Tan
• Patrick St. Esprit as Robert Hicks
• Rochelle Aytes as Nichelle Carmichael

Where can I watch S.W.A.T.?

The first six seasons of S.W.A.T. are available to stream on Netflix, and the first three seasons are streaming on Hulu.