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There isn't a new episode of SWAT on CBS tonight (and it will change times when it returns)

We're heading into the lengthy winter break for CBS shows. SWAT season 8 won't air a new episode tonight, and there's mixed news about when it returns.

ByAlexandria Ingham|
“Twenty Squad” – SWAT faces their deadliest adversary yet when a violent cell of extremists looks to extract vengeance by blowing up half of Los Angeles, potentially killing thousands. Still reeling from the anger and outrage directed at him by his own community, Hondo questions if he still has what it takes to lead 20-Squad, adding to the fear that he won’t be able to pull the team together in time to save the city, on the seventh season finale of the CBS Original series S.W.A.T., Friday, May
“Twenty Squad” – SWAT faces their deadliest adversary yet when a violent cell of extremists looks to extract vengeance by blowing up half of Los Angeles, potentially killing thousands. Still reeling from the anger and outrage directed at him by his own community, Hondo questions if he still has what it takes to lead 20-Squad, adding to the fear that he won’t be able to pull the team together in time to save the city, on the seventh season finale of the CBS Original series S.W.A.T., Friday, May

We are into the wait for new episodes of SWAT season 8. There isn’t a new episode on tonight, Friday, Dec. 20, and we won’t get a new episode for more than a month.

That’s right; the winter break has started. It’s a later start for CBS compared to other shows, with a lot of TV shows not airing winter finales until the middle of December. This is great news for those of us who like to stay warm and cozy as the nights start to get longer.

We do have a return date to look forward to. However, there is a little bit of bad news when it comes to the show’s return.

When is SWAT back with new episodes?

CBS has set the return dates for all shows in 2025. SWAT season 8 will air new episodes starting from Friday, Jan. 31.

Yes, the series will remain on Friday nights. The bad news is that it’s moving timeslot. You see, NCIS: Sydney is taking over the 8 p.m. ET/PT timeslot on Friday nights.

SWAT is making the move to the last timeslot of the night. Since Blue Bloods won’t return, CBS has decided that SWAT should perform well in that hour. It matches the hour that it held when it first arrived on our screens on Wednesday and then Thursdays. This timeslot can be a tricky one, but Blue Bloods consistently bucked the trend in making it the most-watch timeslot of the night.

The question is whether SWAT fans will want to stay up so late to watch the episodes live. Some may decide to wait until Saturdays to watch on Paramount+, and this could put the future of the show back at risk.

Will SWAT season 9 happen?

While we wait, we’re also looking at the chances of our favorite shows being renewed or canceled. SWAT was originally going to end with season 6 after it was abruptly canceled. It didn’t take long for CBS to U-turn on that decision, with season 7 being picked up as the final season.

Then there was another U-turn. It wouldn’t be the final season after all. SWAT season 8 was picked up, and it didn’t have “final season” in the news. This opens the door for a ninth season. CBS will want to see how the show performs in the later timeslot first, and then there will be questions about negotiations with Sony. This is surely a series that will go down to the wire for cancellation and renewal decisions.

SWAT is available to stream on Netflix and Paramount+.

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