The show that will replaceBlue Bloodsin its time slot has been announced. The CBS police procedural, which premiered in 2010, follows the Reagans, an intergenerational law enforcement family who live and work in New York City. The show is set to end with the ongoing season 14, an 18-episode season that ran its first 10 episodes between February and May and has now returned with its final eight episodes, which are airing on Fridays at 10:00 p.m. ET through December 13.
The coreBlue Bloodscasthas remained unusually consistent over the course of its many-year run. The cast members who have starred in all 14 seasons include Donnie Wahlberg as Danny Reagan, Bridget Moynahan as Erin Reagan, Will Estes as Jamie Reagan, Len Cariou as Henry Reagan, and Tom Selleck as Frank Reagan. Additionally, long-running cast members Marisa Ramirez (as Maria Baez) and Vanessa Ray (as Eddie Janko-Reagan)have been playing their roles since season 3 and season 4 respectively.
S.W.A.T. Is Moving Into Blue Bloods' Time Slot
The Shows Are Part Of The Same Genre
S.W.A.T.has been set to replaceBlue Bloodsin the CBS lineup. The show, which is also a procedural, follows the efforts of a Los Angeles-based Special Weapons and Tactics unit and features a robust ensemble cast that includes Shemar Moore, Jay Harrington, David Lim, and Patrick St. Esprit. It is both a remake of the 1975 show of the same name and takes place in the same universe as FX’sThe Shield.S.W.A.T.season 8premiered on CBS on October 18 andis currently running on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. ET.
The Shieldcreator Shawn Ryan co-createdS.W.A.T.with Aaron Rahsaan Thomas.
Paramounthas now announced thatCBS will be movingS.W.A.Tseason 8 to 10:00 p.m. ETas of Friday, July 21, 2025. When it resumes following its midseason hiatus, it will be taking over the spot recently vacated byBlue Bloods. Its original time slot will be taken over by the crime drama spinoffNCIS: Sydney, which will air its season 2 premiere that same day. The 9:00 p.m. time slot will continue to be held by the firefighter dramaFire Country.
What This Means For S.W.A.T.
The Show Could Find More Viewers
This announcement will likely not affect the schedule ofS.W.A.T.at the macro level. After it goes on hiatus in December and returns in January in the new time slot, it should be set to air the remainder of its episodes at a regular weekly network pace with occasional weeks off, as is the norm for network seasons.Deadlinereports that the season has been rumored to have gotten a full 22-episode pickup, rather than the truncated 13 episodes received by the post-strike season 7. This means thatit will most likely air its season 8 finale in May.
It is now the only CBS police procedural airing during prime time on Fridays…
It remains to be seen how the show performs in its new time slot. However,the CBS Friday night schedule shifting around may offer it a more prominent showcasedespite potentially losing some viewers in the shuffle. BecauseBlue Bloodswill no longer be airing, it is now the only CBS police procedural airing during prime time on Fridays, as there is more variety now that it is preceded by a military show and a firefighter show. This may allow it to stand out more, especially asBlue Bloodsviewers search for a new show to watch on Friday nights.
Our Take On S.W.A.T. Taking Over For Blue Bloods
The Time Slot May Open Up Again Soon
The newS.W.A.T.episodestaking over forBlue Bloodscould simply see CBS replacing one popular, long-running police procedural with another. However,S.W.A.T.has been on shaky ground in recent years. CBS cancelled the show after season 6, only to quickly reverse the decision and renew season 7 as the final season, later reversing that decision as well. While this new time slot could boost its prospects, if CBS does abruptly lean toward cancellation once again, the time slot could become vacant again with little warning.
S.W.A.T.has not yet been renewed for season 9, as its renewals typically come in April or May.
Another sign thatS.W.A.T.may not attain the kind of longevity boasted by the Selleck showis the fact that its user ratings on various platforms are still positive, butgenerally lower than the departing series. On Rotten Tomatoes its seasons have an average audience score of 66%, on Metacritic it has a mixed 5.1 score, and on IMDb it has 7.2, compared toBlue Bloods' scores of 81%, 7.1, and 7.7. One of the only places where the newer show excels isScreen Rant’s own user ratings where it has a 9.5 score compared to the older show’s 9.3.
Blue Bloods
Cast
Blue Bloods is a television drama series that follows the Reagan family, a family of law enforcement officers in New York City. Led by Police Commissioner Frank Reagan, the series explores familial and professional dynamics as they navigate police work and politics, guided by their patriarch, the former Chief, Henry Reagan.
S.W.A.T.
S.W.A.T. (2017): This crime-action series follows a locally born S.W.A.T. lieutenant in Los Angeles who must navigate his loyalties between the streets and his duty to commanding a highly-trained unit responsible for resolving challenging crimes. The series explores themes of allegiance, justice, and responsibility within law enforcement.
