Despite nearing a full decade on the air, S.W.A.T.‘s cycle has not been smooth, and CBS canceled the show twice. The first came when it was announced that season 6 would be Twenty Squad’s final outing. However, a groundswell of support (led by Shemar Moore) prompted CBS to change their minds and bring back the show for its seventh and final season. CBS reversed course again after season 7, and opted to give S.W.A.T. another go. This left season 9 in limbo, but the network decided to finally pull the plug on S.W.A.T. one last time.
S.W.A.T. Season 9 Is Canceled For The Third Time
S.W.A.T. Won’t Be Returning For Season 9 On CBS
since the show isn’t a CBS-exclusive production, there’s always a chance that it could be revived elsewhere.
Series showrunner Andrew Dettmann issued the following statement:
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. They are truly an extraordinary group of people who have all worked so hard and have been so dedicated for all these eight seasons, overcoming countless challenges. I can’t give them enough credit. I feel so privileged to have been a part of the S.W.A.T. family.
S.W.A.T. season 8 premiered on October 14, 2024.
After two tense cancelation battles in the past, CBS has reportedly washed its hands of S.W.A.T. and has opted out of renewal negotiations. However, since the show isn’t a CBS-exclusive production, there’s always a chance that it could be revived elsewhere. Unfortunately, any network hoping to scoop the show up would be faced with the same financial challenges that CBS had to deal with in the final seasons of S.W.A.T.‘s run.
Having returned after two back-to-back cancellations, CBS’ S.W.A.T. is once again playing a dangerous game with the season 8 storylines.
S.W.A.T. Season 9 Cast Details
Who Could Have Returned In Season 9
Since the show’s initial “cancelation” after season 6, the cast of S.W.A.T. was in flux. However, it’s impossible to know exactly who might have returned since the show has been axed for a third time. With that in mind, it’s safe to assume that the entire main cast would have been back, including Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson Jr., the team’s leader. Joining him would be Jay Harrington as David “Deacon” Kay, Hondo’s second-in-command. Kay was set to leave the team in season 7, but he decided not to retire after all.
Victor Tan (played by David Lim) was another shoo-in for season 9’s cast, and the established squad member is key to the group’s success. S.W.A.T. Commander Robert Hicks (Patrick St. Esprit) would also be back, though he and Hondo didn’t always agree on how the team should be run. Rochelle Aytes’ Nichelle was reduced to a guest role in season 8, and it’s unclear if she’d have stuck around without a larger part to play in the story.
The cast of S.W.A.T. season 9 could have included:
| Actor | S.W.A.T. Role | |
|---|---|---|
| Shemar Moore | Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson Jr. |
 |
| Jay Harrington | David “Deacon” Kay |
 |
| David Lim | Victor Tan |
 |
| Patrick St. Esprit | Robert Hicks |
 |
| Anna Enger Ritch | Zoe Powell |
 |
| Brigitte Kali Canales | Alexis Cabrera |
 |
| Annie Ilonzeh | Devin Gamble |
 |
| Niko Pepaj | Miguel Alfaro |
 |
| Rochelle Aytes | Nichelle Carmichael |
 |
S.W.A.T. Season 9 Story Details
What’s Next For The Squad In Season 9?
Though any number of things could have happened, it’s likely that S.W.A.T. season 9 would have followed a similar pattern as its predecessors. The bulk of the show concerns the team facing a myriad of action-packed scenarios, and there’s no reason to think that would have changed going forward. Since season 8 of S.W.A.T. wasn’t planned as the last, it stands to reason that there won’t be much conclusiveness to the current season, even though it has since been canceled. Fortunately, that inconclusiveness could allow the series to get revived down the road.
