SWAT Lands on Streaming Charts After CBS Cancellation Drama

The last couple of months have been a total roller coaster for the cast, crew, and fans of CBS' hit series S.W.A.T. At the beginning of May, CBS made the tough decision to cancel the popular action series, which stars Criminal Minds alum Shemar Moore. The outcry from the fans was immediate and overwhelming. Moore and others from the show were also vocal about its cancellation, wondering what happened. Shortly after the cancellation, CBS reversed its decision and picked SWAT back up for a final season. Then Netflix got the streaming rights to the show's existing seasons and it has been been a major streaming hit for weeks.

The first five seasons of SWAT were added to Netflix in the middle of May, and Nielsen's latest streaming charts are showing just how big the show was at its new streaming home. From May 15th through the 21st, SWAT was one of the biggest shows or movies in all of streaming. The series was viewed for 635 million minutes during that span, making it the eighth-most watched title through the entire week.

It seems like a lot of those numbers came from Netflix, seeing as how SWAT wasn't a factor on the streaming charts prior to those seasons hitting Netflix and just how frequently the series has been on the streamer's own Top 10 lists. That said, SWAT did get a leg up on competition by being available on multiple different streaming services at the same time. Five seasons of the series are on Netflix, but there are also SWAT episodes available on Hulu and Paramount+. Eventually, episodes from Season 6 will also make their way to Netflix.

S.W.A.T. Season 7

Shortly after CBS cancelled SWAT, the network reversed course, thanks in large part to the vocal fanbase that spoke up after the show was axed. The series is coming back for a seventh and final season, which will consist of 13 episodes.

"We have listened to our viewers and their outpouring of passion for S.W.A.T. and we have reached an agreement to renew it for a final season of 13 episodes to air during the 2023-2024 broadcast year," CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach and Sony Pictures Television Studios president Katherine Pope said in a joint statement. "S.W.A.T. has aired for six seasons on CBS and garnered a devoted following. We are pleased that we found a way to bring it back and give closure to the show's storylines and characters, which audiences deserve. Once again, we appreciate the talents and efforts of the cast, writers, producers and crew and everyone who has contributed to the success of S.W.A.T. We look forward to its return next season."

What do you think of SWAT's streaming success since joining Netflix? Let us know in the comments!