S.W.A.T. Loses A Major Series Regular Ahead Of Season 8

"S.W.A.T." already saw some cast changes during Season 7, and it looks like Season 8 will be bringing about even more changes to the drama. Deadline reports that Rochelle Aytes (previously of "Mistresses" and "Desperate Housewives") will only be recurring on the drama series next season. Aytes, who has been playing Nichelle Carmichael, wife of Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson (Shemar Moore), will be leaving "S.W.A.T." as a regular in favor of joining "Watson" as a supporting cast member. The choice was a matter of fate — "S.W.A.T." was originally scheduled to end during Season 7, only for CBS to come through with a surprise un-cancellation for Season 8. When it came time to strike a new deal with Aytes, she was told that the show wanted her on a recurring basis. The "Watson" team then quickly scooped her up.

Nichelle has been a regular presence in Hondo's life since Season 6, and audiences have watched the twosome fall in love, marry, and have a daughter named Vivian over the past two seasons. While Aytes will not be a regular presence on the show anymore, she's expected to recur when necessary and remain in Hondo's life as Season 8 wends onward. It looks like Hondo won't be widowed and the show will abide by Moore's wish that "S.W.A.T." not become a soap opera. Meanwhile, it looks like Aytes will have quite the meaty part in "Watson."

"Watson" – a modernized version of the "Sherlock Holmes" story that will feature Morris Chestnut as the titular doctor-slash sleuth, John Watson — will be a part of CBS' Sunday night slate for the spring of 2025. One part medical drama, one part detective story, it will see Watson examine medical mysteries after bringing in baddies outside of a hospital setting.

Rochelle Aytes is slated to play Dr. Mary Mortenson on the show. In this version of the story, Mortenson is a brilliant surgeon and happens to be the medical director of the hospital Watson is joining. Any "Sherlock" fan worth their salt knows that Mary and Watson end up a couple in several offshoots of the Sherlock mythos and marry. In this version of the tale, they're exes. There seems to be a lingering possibility the twosome will reunite, as Mary will still admire her ex — while remaining frustrated over his unorthodox crime-solving choices making her working life problematic.

It will take a while to find out how Mary and John get along, but Aytes' future couldn't be rosier now that it's got two shows in it.