CBS has renewed two new hits for the network, Seal Team and S.W.A.T., Deadline reported today. According to the report, SEAL Team is CBS’s most popular drama, scoring 10.23 million viewers, and S.W.A.T. is the network’s second top drama, with 9.8 million viewers. SEAL Team and S.W.A.T. are tied when it comes to adults ages 18-49, with a 1.8 rating.
The shows, along with CBS’ prequel to The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, represent three of the top five most-watched new TV shows this season, Nielsen ratings say.
“These exciting new dramas have been sensational additions to our schedule, are striking all the right notes creatively and really connect with our viewers,” Kelly Kahl, President of CBS Entertainment, said.
“SEAL Team has strengthened our Wednesday lineup – routinely winning its time period with over 10 million viewers and allowing us to build an even more powerful night, while S.W.A.T. has improved Thursday’s 10 p.m. hour by over 2.5 million viewers versus last season. Additionally, both are among the very top streamers on our digital platforms, including CBS.com and CBS All Access. We congratulate the talented casts and producers on an amazing year as we look forward to their return next season.”
SEAL Team and S.W.A.T. along with Young Sheldon are standouts as far as CBS’ fall series premieres go. Two of its other fall debuts – Me, Myself and I, starring Bobby Moynihan (NBC’s Saturday Night Live), and Wisdom of the Crowd, starring Jeremy Piven (HBO’s Entourage) – each got the boot in November. The fate of CBS’ other fall premiere, 9JKL, starring Mark Feuerstein (Netflix’s Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later) has yet to be announced.
CBS is said to make decisions on the rest of its freshman series in May.
SEAL Team follows a U.S. Navy SEALs unit and premiered in September. It is the next project for actor David Boreanaz after 12 seasons of Fox’s Bones. In addition to starring on the show, Boreanaz is also listed as a producer.
S.W.A.T. centers on a Los Angeles S.W.A.T. team and is based on the series of the same name that ran for two seasons on ABC from 1975 to 1976. The new show premiered in November and stars Shemar Moore (Criminal Minds) as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson.