After eight seasons, multiple cancellations, and more network reversals than most shows see in a lifetime, CBS’ S.W.A.T. is finally closing the books. The action-packed police drama, led by Shemar Moore as Sergeant Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson, will air its likely series finale on May 16 with a two-episode send-off that aims to give fans a proper goodbye — if not one they hoped came a season earlier.
How CBS’ repeated cancellations turned SWAT into a TV comeback story
S.W.A.T. returned to CBS in 2017 and quickly became a staple of the network’s procedural lineup. But the show’s later years were defined less by on-screen action and more by behind-the-scenes drama. In 2023, CBS canceled the series after six seasons. Fans and cast — led by Moore himself — mounted a passionate campaign that convinced the network to reverse course and renew the show for a seventh season. That season was supposed to be the last.
Then CBS did it again. Early in 2024, the network greenlit an eighth season. But this time, the network stuck to its guns. In March 2025, ahead of season eight’s finale, CBS officially canceled S.W.A.T. for the third time. This time, it appears final.
Fans and cast fought hard, but CBS isn’t budging on SWAT season 9
The hope for a ninth season isn’t completely dead — but it’s faint. CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach was directly asked if the network might reconsider S.W.A.T.’s cancellation once more. Her answer was a blunt “No.” While the tone of the response drew criticism, the message was clear: CBS has no plans to keep up the procedural resurrection cycle.
That leaves the passionate fan base and devoted cast — who’ve already saved the show once — facing the reality that season eight will likely be their last mission with 20-Squad. Moore, who has long championed the series, even suggested looking to streaming platforms like Netflix as a potential lifeline. But for now, no platform has stepped in.
SWAT’s final episodes promise one last high-stakes mission for 20-Squad
The two-part finale, airing back-to-back on May 16, looks to deliver the kind of explosive send-off the show is known for. The first episode, “Ride or Die,” throws Hondo into a high-speed chase with a criminal from his past. The second, “Return to Base,” turns SWAT headquarters into a battleground as the team faces off against Russian mercenaries holding Los Angeles hostage.
“Return to Base” sounds like a final stand in every sense, with the team forced to fight for survival while trying to prevent a city-wide disaster. It's the kind of climactic conclusion that fans hoped would also tie up emotional storylines — especially for characters like Gamble, whose personal crisis in the finale may question her future with the team.
What SWAT leaves behind — and why it mattered more than just action
More than the explosions and tactical gear, S.W.A.T. became a show about brotherhood, loyalty, and justice in a city that rarely gave law enforcers a break. Hondo and 20-Squad weren’t just fighting crime — they were navigating personal struggles, ethical gray areas, and the evolving nature of policing in America. The show may never have reached the cultural heights of The Shield, but it carved its own space.
Executive producer Shawn Ryan once said the team was proud of the legacy they built. And they were. Even if CBS never fully understood what kept the fans coming back, the crew behind S.W.A.T. kept delivering stories that mattered — at least to their audience.
Why S.W.A.T.’s final curtain may still not be the end
Given the show's history, it's impossible to say for sure that this is the end. Shemar Moore’s past rescue missions on behalf of the series prove that fan passion can move the needle. But with CBS shifting its strategy and Paramount's internal changes affecting renewals, S.W.A.T. may be a casualty of corporate realignment more than audience interest.
For now, though, fans will have to settle for what may be the last chapter in a series that fought as hard off-screen as it did on-screen. And like 20-Squad, they’ll have to hope they made it out in one piece.