CBS has decided not to renew S.W.A.T. for a seventh season, making its upcoming Season 6 finale the series finale. Despite rising in viewership and being one of the most expensive scripted series on CBS, the show’s demise was due to CBS and Sony TV not being able to come to a financial agreement. While CBS eventually offered an increased license fee, it came with a cut of the order, which would have pushed up the per-episode budget and hurt the show’s economy.
S.W.A.T. is one of the few broadcast drama series with a Black lead and has gone from a string of early renewals up until last year to a cancellation. Finding a new home for the show elsewhere appears unlikely since Sony TV doesn’t have a sister network.
CBS just screened its two drama pilots Matlock and Elsbeth, which were well-received, giving the network more leeway on its bubble series, which also includes freshman dramas East New York, whose renewal negotiations have been progressing, and True Lies, whose prospects appear dim.
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