S.W.A.T. Spinoff Show: Cast, Story, and All We Know So Far
CBS’s action drama series S.W.A.T. has been kicking doors down since 2017. The show was the reboot of the 1975 TV series. It followed Shemar Moore’s Sergeant Daniel ‘Hondo’ Harrelson and his team of LAPD officers and gave us eight seasons full of action and social commentary. But even though the show was a success, it had its own challenges.
S.W.A.T. has been cancelled many times before, and it was the fans’ love that kept bringing it back again and again. But now, the series marked its end with Season 8. However, that doesn’t mean that fans won’t see Hondo back in action. A new spinoff series has already been announced, which will keep the legacy of the original alive. But before that, let’s explore what happened with the original series and what the spinoff brings to the table.
Why was S.W.A.T. cancelled multiple times?
Although S.W.A.T.’s ratings have been good consistently, it has been canceled three times. CBS first canceled it in May 2023 before the season 6 finale even aired. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, executive producer Shawn Ryan said it had less to do with viewership and more with the changing “economics of the business.”
However, Deadline reported that there was a licensing issue between CBS and Sony. Sony initially refused to accept a flat license fee for Season 6. CBS then increased the fee but decided to reduce the number of episodes to 13, and Sony disagreed, which led to the show’s cancellation. But after fans’ outcry, both companies made a deal, and S.W.A.T. continued with its Season 7.
Even the seventh season was initially said to be the final one, but CBS surprised everyone by announcing an eighth season in April 2024. The series was reportedly pulling in 8 million viewers per episode weekly, which was too good to ignore. However, the network finally decided to end it and announced the decision to cancel the series for the third and final time in March 2025.
S.W.A.T. gets a new spinoff
Two days after the finale of Season 8 aired, Sony Pictures Television announced at its LA Screenings event that a 10-episode sequel series called S.W.A.T. EXILES had been greenlit. It will star Shemar Moore, who will play Hondo once again. This time, Sony is producing it independently, which just shows its confidence in the show.
The studio is currently pitching the spinoff to streamers, broadcasters, and cable networks. According to Variety, Sony said the spinoff is a way of “preserving jobs for the 200-person local production crew who have been instrumental to the success of the original series for the last eight seasons.” Production of S.W.A.T. EXILES will likely start this summer.
What to expect from S.W.A.T. EXILES?
Hondo will be back to lead an experimental unit of rookies after a botched mission forces him out of retirement. According to Sony’s official press release,
After a high-profile mission goes sideways, [Hondo] is pulled out of forced retirement to lead a last-chance experimental SWAT unit made up of untested, unpredictable young recruits. Hondo must bridge a generational divide, navigate clashing personalities, and turn a squad of outsiders into a team capable of protecting the city and saving the program that made him who he is.
Talking about his character reprise and the potential of the spinoff, Shemar Moore said (via The Hollywood Reporter), “I will keep the franchise, thrill-ride action, heartfelt drama, and storytelling of S.W.A.T. alive. WE DON’T LOSE!!!! ROLL SWAT!!!”
Last season’s cast, Jay Harrington, David Lim, Patrick St. Esprit, Anna Enger Ritch, Annie Ilonzeh, and Niko Pepaj, might also return, but the details are not out yet. New showrunner Jason Ning and producer Neal Moritz will lead the crew, and Moore will also join as an executive producer.
S.W.A.T. may be over, but its spirit will live on in EXILES, and Hondo’s journey has always been about legacy. Now, since he is passing the torch, it is yet to be seen whether his rookies are ready.
