If you know anything about S.W.A.T., you'll know it's all about high-stakes action and drama for the most part. Now into its eighth season, one which, by most accounts, was highly improbable. 20-squad and their lead man, Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson (Shemar Moore), have been working together as the show nears its midpoint. Like those before it, Season 8 of S.W.A.T. has been action-packed, with daring shootouts at a hospital and tracking a busload of missing kids. S.W.A.T. Season 8, Episode 11, titled "Amber," will see Hondo and the team grapple with a task that will prove challenging for the team lead. "Amber" airs on on Friday, February 14, 2025, and the logline for the episode clearly details the challenge that lies ahead for 20-squad.
"The squad races to find a missing child who was abducted from her front yard; Hicks is faced with a difficult decision concerning Gamble."
Ahead of the episode's premiere, S.W.A.T. had released a new trailer teasing the upcoming episode. The brief clip begins with Hondo and the team tracking a suspect, seeking to make an arrest. Upon seeing the suspect, members of 20-squad attempt to effect an arrest. However, the suspect decides to flee. Why do they always run? So pointless. Pursuing the suspect onto the roof, said suspect is spectacularly apprehended when he is tackled into a swimming pool below by Deacon (Jay Harrington). While the episode will air on Valentine's Day, it does not seem that the squad will be dealing in any form of love and romance this season. Rather, a serious life or death case will be tackled with Hicks' personal storyline putting him front and center as well.
Renewal Was Both a Blessing and a Curse for Nichelle
Beyond the need to see 20-squad solve difficult crimes every week. Fans of the show have also had their eyes fixed on the dynamic between Hondo and Nichelle Carmichael (Rochelle Aytes). While the couple remained married on the show, Hondo's partner has been notably absent since the show began its present run. Aytes' absence from the show is as a result of the actress taking on a new gig on the CBS show Watson, after S.W.A.T. was cancelled and renewed again. Aytes' character remains part of the show in absentia though, with showrunner, Andrew Dettman, saying she "will continue to be referenced as the woman Hondo goes home to every day,” on the show.
With the eighth season of the show continuing to progress nicely, the hearts of some die hard fans will most certainly be turning towards what comes next. Which often times begs the question. Will S.W.A.T. survive for yet another season? The police procedural has a knack for avoiding the ax even after it has fallen. The future of the show was put to co-creator Shawn Ryan, in a recent interview with Deadline. The response given was as positive as it gets for S.W.A.T. with Ryan saying:
"I don’t know what the plans are. I don’t know what the criteria for renewal is going to be. It seems like it could be much different than years past. I don’t know if it’s an advantage or disadvantage that we’re produced by an outside studio this year. I think economics are going to play into things, so it’s all uncertain, but we’re just going to continue to make the best show we can that our audience loves, and we’ll see where the chips fall."
S.W.A.T. Season 8 airs on CBS on Fridays, and episodes are available to stream on Paramount+.
