S.W.A.T.’s season 8 Nichelle Carmichael return prospects receive a disappointing update. The remake of the hit 1970s showS.W.A.T.first debuted on CBS in 2017, and was developed by Aaron Rahsaan Thomas andThe Shieldcreator Shawn Ryan. Nichelle (Rochelle Aytes) has been a regular fixture on the show since her debut in season 3, and her marriage to Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson has been one of the key focal points of the show. Many viewers hoped they would see the police performance auditor return for the ongoingS.W.A.T.season 8, which runs through May 2.
However, the chances of a Nichelle return have now been seemingly quashed. PerTVLine,Nichelle will not appear inS.W.A.T.season 8 due to Aytes' busy schedule filming another CBS show,Watson, and it is unclear whether a window will appear in her schedule to facilitate filming any scenes forS.W.A.T.The character will continue to exist in the show’s background as Hondo’s wife, but it is unlikely that she will make any appearances over the course of the season.
What This Means For S.W.A.T. Season 8 Moving Forward
This Could Complicate Things For Hondo
The season could certainly feel odd without the presence of Nichelle, who has been something of a mainstay for the past several years, and this is bound to have an impact on Hondo as the season unfolds.Off-camera, the character will continue as wife to Hondo, and mother to Vivvie, but her absence from the series is bound to have a major impact on Hondoas a character, and will remove the great chemistry between Aytes and Hondoactor Shemar Moore. How much this will impact the character, and the potential storylines for the season remains to be seen.
Aytes was not invited back, before joining the cast ofWatson, so it would be difficult for the show to come up with a way of reintegrating her at this stage.
Season 8 will mark something of a transition forS.W.A.T., and it will be interesting to see the direction the show chooses to take without Nichelle actively involved. While there are no plans to kill off the character, or write her out, just yet, it seems thatany role she is going to have in season 8 is going to be more low-key. There are a lot of directions the show could take, but as long as Nichelle is in the background as Hondo’s wife and anchor, her presence on the show will continue to be important.
It May Be Difficult To Get Rochelle Aytes Back
Watson’s Success Could Be S.W.A.T.’s Loss
S.W.A.T. season 8existing in the first place was an unexpected season afterCBS canceled the show following the conclusion ofS.W.A.T.season 7, only to reverse their decision and renew the show for another season. As a result, Aytes had already joined theWatsoncastin the interim, so it would be difficult for the show to come up with a way of reintegrating her at this stage.
Watsonalso stars Morris Chestnut, Eve Harlow, Peter Mark Kendall, Inga Schlingmann, and Ritchie Coster.
Additionally,her schedule has become much more complicateddue to her commitments to another show, even though it is one that airs on the same network. Although the medical mystery drama, which stars Morris Chestnut as Dr. John Watson reeling from the death of Sherlock Holmes, debuted midseason, if it becomes popular and is renewed for a full second season, its production timeline would likely line up exactly with any possible future seasons ofS.W.A.T.
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However, it stillremains to be seen ifWatsoncan last beyond a single season. So far, its Rotten Tomatoes scores indicate a general negative reception, as it has earned splats from both critics (56%) and audiences (29%). Audiences outright rejecting the premiere might mean that the show will not pick up any more viewership as the season progresses. However, the show was created by Craig Sweeny, who was also behind the Holmes-themed seriesElementary, which ran for seven seasons and could set a precedent for the new show’s longevity.
Our Take On The Chances Of A Nichelle Return In The Future
The Character Might Be Back At Some Point In The Future
Ultimately, there is a good chance that the character could at the very least make a brief return inS.W.A.T.season 9if the series manages to get yet another renewal, even ifWatsonseason 2 is also renewed. Because both shows are on the same network,it could be seen as good cross-promotionto help spark interest in both shows with fans of one or the other.
A proper crossover between the two shows seems unlikely, as Aytes plays different characters and the settings are far afield asS.W.A.T.is set in Los Angeles andWatsonis set in Pittsburgh.
Additionally,Watsonis the only other major ongoing or upcoming project that Aytes is attached to. Should the show go off the air, it is entirely possible that she would see fit to return to the role of Nichelle, either permanently or in a recurring capacity as she finds another prominent role to take on elsewhere. For now, though,the show will have to figure out how to cope without Nichelle. Unfortunately, Hondo will be lacking his on-screen anchor forS.W.A.T.’s foreseeable future.
S.W.A.T.season 8 airs on CBS on Fridays at 10:00 p.m. ET.
