Is ‘S.W.A.T.’ Season 9 Happening? Here’s What to Know

Amanda Bell May 2, 2025, 3:32 pm

Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson in S.W.A.T. - 'The Enemy Within' — Bill Inoshita / CBS

“The Enemy Within” – When three of L.A.’s finest are targeted and gunned down in the street, Hondo and 20-Squad enlist the help of LAPD psychologist Dr. Wendy Hughes to assist in stopping a murderous rampage, reopening old wounds tied to the department’s failed response to a school shooting, on S.W.A.T., Friday, April 11 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Pictured (L-R): Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson. Photo: Bill Inoshita/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Fans of S.W.A.T. have been through a bit of a roller coaster throughout the show’s run. The drama series stems from two prior iterations — the 1975 TV series of the same name and the 2003 movie version, the latter of which it even derives some characters from — and is also loosely connected to FX’s The Shield.

The series, which centers on the LAPD’s elite 20-Squad task force, originated on CBS back in 2017 and was canceled once by the network in May 2023 after six seasons. Days later, it was then saved for a seventh — and what was supposed to be final — season by the network after an intense fan campaign. In May 2024, it was renewed once again for an eighth season at CBS, which premiered in October 2024 and will conclude in a couple of weeks.

So is the show set to return this fall on CBS for S.W.A.T. Season 9? Here’s a look at everything we know at this time.

Shemar Moore Launches New Campaign to Save ‘S.W.A.T.’ — Will It Work Again?

Is S.W.A.T. renewed for Season 9?

Sadly, no. CBS canceled the show in March 2025, ahead of its Season 8 finale. It marked the third cancellation of the series. In response to the news, showrunner Andrew Dettman said, “It’s heartbreaking news, primarily because it’s been such an immense pleasure working with this cast and crew to put out a show that we’ve always been proud of.”

However, the good news is that lead actor Shemar Moore (who had spoken out in hopes of having the show saved by CBS or even a streamer, like Netflix) will reprise his role as Hondo in a spinoff called S.W.A.T.: Exiles.

Why was S.W.A.T. canceled (again)?

Executive producer Shawn Ryan offered his theories on why the show’s future might be in jeopardy before it was canceled. In January 2025, he told Deadline it could be a matter of “corporate change” underway at CBS and its parent company Paramount. “I don’t know what the plans are. I don’t know what the criteria for renewal is going to be. It seems like it could be much different than years past,” he continued. “I don’t know if it’s an advantage or disadvantage that we’re produced by an outside studio this year. I think economics are going to play into things, so it’s all uncertain, but we’re just going to continue to make the best show we can that our audience loves, and we’ll see where the chips fall. And that’s what we’ve done the last few seasons. We’re really proud of the legacy of that show.”

What has the cast said about S.W.A.T. Season 9?

Well before he learned of the show’s fate at CBS, Moore was preparing himself for the possibility that Season 8 might be S.W.A.T.’s swan song at the network.

After the show was renewed for Season 8, Moore told TV Insider, “People are still getting wind of our show and flocking to our show, so now maybe Season 8 will be the last year, and if so, that’s okay. That’s okay because we won this fight, this impossible fight. But maybe there’s [Season] 9, maybe there’s 10. We don’t know, but I know that all of us involved aren’t worried about getting canceled anymore. We’re so proud of winning, and we know nothing lasts forever. And one day, it will end. And if that’s after Season 8, we’re going to throw one hell of a party, hug it out, and then figure out our next chapters. But we don’t know until we get there.”

Then, show star Anna Enger Ritch told TV Line of the Season 8 finale, “It will make you not want this show to end. You’ll want to keep watching what happens. There are so many avenues and directions to go, so many stories to tell, so many personal things… It will leave you wanting so much more.”