Even thoughS.W.A.T.has ended, the universe will live on viaa spinoff centering around Shemar Moore’s Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson Jr.The CBS police procedural series premiered in 2017 and was an instant hit, as it received great ratings and reviews.S.W.A.T.even garnered three Emmy nominations, all for Outstanding Stunt Coordination. Unfortunately, the TV show couldn’t last forever, andCBS decided to cancelS.W.A.T.(for good this time) in 2025 after eight seasons and 163 episodes.
TheS.W.A.T.series finale, “Return to Base,” aired on Friday, June 19, 2025, and was directed by Billy Gierhart and written by Matthew T. Brown and Daniela Labi.
S.W.A.T.officially ended after its season 8 finale, andthere is no hope that CBS will reverse the cancelationor that any other network or streaming service will pick it up for a ninth season. There is no going back — at least, for most of the characters. For Hondo, his story is set to continue in an upcomingS.W.A.T.spinoff series titledS.W.A.T. EXILES.
S.W.A.T. Season 8’s Cancelation Sticks This Time After CBS Walked It Back A Couple Of Times
S.W.A.T. Was Technically Canceled 3 Times
Many fans might not have believed the news that CBS had endedS.W.A.T.after eight seasons, given the show’s history with the network. Backin May 2023, CBS announced that the police procedural had been canceled,with its sixth season’s finale set to serve as its series finale. However, this initial cancelation didn’t last for very long. The network’s decision was reversed only a couple of days later following backlash from fans over the first ruling.
Annie Ilonzeh
Devin Gamble
S.W.A.T.had been saved, and season 7 was on its way. The only caveat was that season 7 was announced as the show’s last, meaning it was supposed to be over once the credits started rolling in its final episode. Shemar Moore’s series beat the odds again, though, whenCBS reversed its decision a second time and renewedS.W.A.T.for an eighth season.Consequently,S.W.A.T.’s latest fate is technically its third cancelation. Only this time it will stick.
The S.W.A.T. Franchise Continues With Shemar Moore’s Hondo Starring In A Spinoff
Hondo Will Return
The good news is that viewers don’t have to say goodbye to theS.W.A.T.universe forever, since its story will continue ina Hondo spinoff —S.W.A.T. EXILES. According toVariety, Shemar Moore is reprising his role as the 20-David Squad’s team leader in the upcoming show, and Jason Ning will be the showrunner.Sony Pictures Television has also already orderedS.W.A.T. EXILESto series.So, it’s inevitable. Even if it doesn’t air on CBS, Sony will film the planned 10 episodes of theS.W.A.T.spinoff and release them.
As of the writing of this article, it’s unclear whetherS.W.A.T. EXILESwill air on CBS or if it’ll be released on a different platform. Sony is reportedly pitching the series to multiple broadcast networks, cable networks, and streaming services. But,the best bets for theS.W.A.T.spinoff’s ultimate home would be CBS, Paramount+, or Netflix.The franchise has history with CBS and Paramount, and the original show’s episodes can be found on Netflix. Only time will tell whereS.W.A.T. EXILESlands and when it’ll air, though.
Why Sony Is Keen On Continuing S.W.A.T. But Through A New Offshoot
S.W.A.T. Is Still Popular
Some might be confused about whyS.W.A.T.was canceled if a sequel series is in the works. TheS.W.A.T.spinoff stars Shemar Moore as Hondo, and he was also the original show’s main character. The spinoff’s logline explains thatit will begin with Hondo getting “pulled out of forced retirementto lead a last-chance experimental SWAT unit made up of untested, unpredictable young recruits.“S.W.A.T.didn’t end with Hondo retiring, which makes everything all the more confusing. The fact is that the franchise remains popular, and Sony wants to keep it alive.
However, the network isn’t the one making the decisions when it comes to theS.W.A.T.spinoff; Sony is, which is why a sequel series is happening, and the first show has been canceled (for good).
CBS evidently didn’t want to continueS.W.A.T., but Sony does. As a result,Sony is taking matters into its own handsby developing a spinoff that brings back one of the original show’s biggest draws — Moore’s Hondo. CBS could still buyS.W.A.T. EXILES. However, the network isn’t the one making the decisions when it comes to theS.W.A.T.spinoff; Sony is, which is why a sequel series is happening, and the first show has been canceled (for good).
S.W.A.T.
Cast
S.W.A.T. (2017): This crime-action series follows a locally born S.W.A.T. lieutenant in Los Angeles who must navigate his loyalties between the streets and his duty to commanding a highly-trained unit responsible for resolving challenging crimes. The series explores themes of allegiance, justice, and responsibility within law enforcement.
