It has been a tiring couple of years for SWAT fans as CBS has continuously canceled and uncanceled the show, and while the future is bright, season 8 might feature Hondo taking a devastating blow. The police procedural action drama TV series follows Los Angeles Police Department Sergeant Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson and his Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit. SWAT is based on the 1975 TV series of the same name, but it has easily lasted longer than the original show as it heads into its eighth season in the fall of 2024.
In May 2023, CBS canceled SWAT after six seasons. However, due to public outcry, the network figured out a way to continue the police procedural. Just a few days after its initial cancelation, CBS renewed SWAT for a seventh and final season. Fans got déjà vu, though, when CBS reversed its previous decision and greenlit SWAT season 8 in April 2024. Now, the end is nowhere in sight for Hondo and his team as new episodes are coming, starting in October 2024. Unfortunately, the good news was followed by bad news as some cast members won't return for season 8.
SWAT Season 8 Sets Up A Dark Future For Hondo & Nichelle
Rochelle Aytes Is Exiting SWAT
Alex Russell as Jim Street, Kenny Johnson as Dominique Luca, Peter Onorati as Jack Mumford, and Rochelle Aytes as Nichelle Carmichael won't be a part of the main cast of SWAT season 8. While it will be sad to see all of them go, Nichelle's exit is the most devastating, given what it might mean for Hondo and Nichelle's future. Aytes could technically reprise her role once or twice. However, the actress is a series regular in the upcoming CBS medical drama series Watson, limiting her time to work on SWAT.
Hondo and Nichelle just got married, and Nichelle recently gave birth to their daughter, Vivienne. The SWAT couple has built a stable family, and if Nichelle isn't around to nurture it, it could all fall apart. Of course, CBS reversing its SWAT season 8 cancelation decision was exciting, but it certainly doesn't help Hondo and Nichelle's new problem. The show could have ended with Hondo and Nichelle in a great place. Now, the writers will have to explain Aytes' absence, which could spell doom for the happy couple.
How SWAT Season 8 Can Handle Nichelle's Absence Moving Forward
Do Hondo & Nichelle Have To Break Up?
Perhaps the SWAT writers can figure out a plausible way to explain why Nichelle isn't around in season 8 aside from breaking her and Hondo up (or killing her character off). Nichelle could have to temporarily move out of Los Angeles for a job opportunity or to take care of a family member. It's going to be tricky anyway to handle Nichelle's absence because of her relationship with Hondo and the existence of their daughter. Whatever the case, SWAT season 8 must address Rochelle Aytes' exit and cannot just have her exist offscreen.
