The long-runningSEAL Teamcontinues to plow through and defy the odds as this CBS-turned-Paramount+ series awaits its seventh season. Though it might not be one of those shows you’ve heard a lot about, there’s more to this military drama than meets the eye. But in a world full of shows just like it, there has to be something aboutSEAL Teamthat makes it stand out among its military-centered contemporaries. As it turns out, this show has done its absolute best to honor the real heroes it portrays and thus employs many U.S. military veterans as a part of both its crew and even its cast.
SEAL Team follows an elite unit of Navy SEALs as they embark on dangerous, high-stakes missions around the world while navigating the complexities of family and personal lives.
‘SEAL Team’ Highlights the Unique Struggles of Modern Military Families
Having started back in 2017,SEAL Teamwas actorDavid Boreanaz’s first big project after the end ofBones, which had been on the air for over a decade. Here, he stars as Bravo Team leader Jason Hayes, a SEAL who struggles to best balance his duty to country and family. Alongside Hayes is the rest of Bravo Team, which includes Ray Perry (Neil Brown Jr.), “Sonny” Quinn (A.J. Buckley), Lisa Davis (Toni Trucks), CIA liaison Mandy Ellis (Jessica Paré), and second-generation SEAL Clay Spenser (Max Thieriot), who was written off the series in its sixth seasonin favor of his new seriesFire Country.
But Hayes' struggle to balance his family life with his duty as a soldier isn’t something he bears alone. This is the central conflict ofSEAL Team(aside from their weekly mission objectives that is), and proves itself a challenge for each of them. Some characters have pregnant wives at home, others have children or significant others, but all of them feel the conflict within them as they are torn between what they know they’ve been made to do and the duty they have at home. “One thing that makes our show a little more interesting is the fact that it follows the family lives,“noted executive producerMark Owenin a CBS special feature, himself a former Navy SEAL of 14 years.
The concept of going back and forth between combat and “normal” life is a challenging one, but something the members of Bravo Team are forced to accept early on. “That’s something we really try to show through the show is the difficulties of that,” Owen explained. “As many friends as I’ve lost in combat, I’ve lost a lot to suicide and dealing with things when they get home. It takes a lot to sacrifice so much, and that’s really why I think this show does so well…” Compared to other military dramas such asThe Last Ship,Jack Ryan, andThe Terminal List,SEAL Teamexplores the realities that other shows just can’t in a long-term and authentic way.
‘SEAL Team’ Employs an Impressive Amount of U.S. Military Veterans
Part of the reason whySEAL Teamfeels so genuine considering this narrative is because of those they’ve employed behind the scenes. In addition to executive producer Mark Owen, who wrote the memoirNo Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission that Killed Osama bin Ladenand was the one behind the initial premise forSEAL Team, the show employs a vast amount of former special forces and U.S. military personnel, namely consulting producersMark SemosandTyler Grey. Semos was a former SEAL himself, while Grey served as a U.S. Army Special Operations soldier, but both men are actively a part of the show.
Semos occasionally plays John TJ Monero while also serving triple duty as one of the series' most prolific writers alongside fellow veteranKenny Sheard. Likewise, Grey plays Trent Swayer and has previously directed three episodes of the military drama. But these two aren’t the only veterans who are serving active duty onSEAL Team. “We’ve got a ton of veterans involved, and it’s super exciting to see the talent they bring to the table,” Owen noted. In fact,
“What we’re trying to do as a group is make something that’s not real, obviously, but make something that’s authentic,“Tyler Grey told CBS This Morning back in 2017, grateful to now use his vast skill sets in new and creative ways. Furthermore, it’s been reported in the past thatthe bulk ofSEAL Team’s crew is made up largely of U.S. military veterans, a feat not many shows can claim. “We’ve hired almost 100 veterans… that have been a part of our show, and we relish that,“actor David Boreanaz boasted, calling their presence a humbling experience. “The people—we don’t like to call them technical advisers; we like to call them producers—[are there] from the concept of the story all the way through to the finish.”
‘SEAL Team’ Aims to Honor Those the Show Represents on Screen
Adding to the additional meaning to the series, David Boreanaz honors the SEALs and service men and women who are actually out there risking their livesby wearing Mark Owen’s actual SEAL helmet rather than a prop. “I could wear a lighter [prop] helmet, but I decided to wear his actual helmet to honor him,“Boreanaz told Parade in 2019. “And I will do that throughout the whole series of its run.” This isn’t something the actor has to do, butto get into the character of Jason Hayes–himself partially based on Owen–it made the most sense to wear the same gear that those he represents do.
This also extends to many of the stunts that theSEAL Teamcast and crew undertake across the show’s impressive six seasons.“We [take] pride in putting ourselves in the elements and shooting it for real. [That means] we’re getting into a Black Hawk and going up—we’re not doing it on a green screen,“Boreanaz emphasized heading into Season 6. It’sSEAL Team’s consistent commitment to accurately exploring all aspects of Bravo Team’s lives, from the home to the battlefield, and doing so with as much excitement, drama, and authenticity as possible that makes this show so impressive.
According to actress Toni Trucks,SEAL Teamhas received “This Is Our Six” certification from military personnelwho have watched the show and approved it as an accurate representation of the heroes the show portrays. Not only is this a tough certification to attain given that it encompasses not just combat itself but the effects it has on each soldier, but it just goes to show that hiring people with that lived experience on a consulting and creative basis makes all the difference. “[The little things] are the things that we’re proud of. We want people to catch those things,” Trucks revealed.
When Will ‘SEAL Team’ Return?
If you’re hoping to catch up onSEAL Team, there are plenty of ways to dive into this climactic drama.The six-season series can be streamed in its entirety on Paramount+. Additional add-ons for Apple+, Amazon Prime Video, and The Roku Channel are also available. ThoughSEAL TeamSeason 7 hasn’t started, Paramount+ has greenlit the next season as we anxiously await a premiere date. After all, we need to know where Bravo Team is headed next.
AfterSEAL Teamwas canceled by CBS, Paramount+ picked up the show. But the recent Hollywood strikes haveprompted CBS to resurrectSEAL Team, at least for a while. So for those hoping to tune in weekly, CBS began airingSEAL TeamSeason 5 (right where the network left off) on July 31, 2025, and will likely continue to air episodes through the new year. UntilSEAL Teamofficially returns to active duty, this is the best we’ve got.
SEAL Teamis available to stream on Paramount+ and airs Thursdays on CBS in the U.S.
