CBS schedule sees SWAT season 8 on the move to a new timeslot in 2025

Just when we thought SWAT had found a permanent spot on CBS’s schedule, the network has thrown an unexpected curveball our way! After opening Friday nights for the last few seasons, SWAT will be moving to a later timeslot in 2025 as CBS shifts the show back from 8/7c to 10/9c. 

That’s right, beginning in 2025, SWAT will be taking over Blue Bloods’s 10 p.m. timeslot on the Friday night calendar – a spot that Blue Bloods has held for the last 14 years. The plan is for SWAT to begin season 8 in the 8 p.m. timeslot on CBS’s Friday schedule before moving to the closing spot of the night in 2025 after Blue Bloods’ run comes to an end in December. 

SWAT’s move to 10 pm could be make-or-break

With SWAT moving to the closing hour on Friday, it’s going to be incredibly interesting to see how the series performs in the later hour. Part of why CBS decided to uncancel SWAT was due to the show’s ratings rising in season 7, so the decision to move the show out of the timeslot where it was performing so well is an interesting choice. 

The 10 p.m. slot on CBS’s Friday night block has long been a strong performer with Blue Bloods often ranking among the most-watched programs of the night in the spot. So there is a very good chance that SWAT will see its ratings hold strong when it moves to the later spot in the night, but there is also the chance that the show’s audience might dip which can happen when a show goes from airing early in the night to late in the evening. 

Given how well SWAT has been performing in the 8 p.m. timeslot, it’s surprising that CBS didn’t keep the show in the opening spot on Friday night and give Blue Bloods’ spot to NCIS: Sydney instead of giving NCIS: Sydney SWAT’s spot. 

If the ratings do fall, it’s going to be interesting to see if CBS will simply move SWAT again or whether it could spell trouble for the show’s future. All we know is that it could be a make-or-break move for SWAT.