CBS has canceled S.W.A.T. for the third time, ending the long-running action drama after its current eighth season. The Shemar Moore-led series premiered in 2017 and spent years as a steady performer for the network, but CBS informed the show’s team in early March 2025 that there would be no Season 9, making this the latest twist in a whiplash cycle of cancellations and reversals.
Showrunner and executive producer Andrew Dettmann reacted publicly with what he called “heartbreaking news,” emphasizing pride in the cast and crew and thanking them for their work across eight seasons. Co-creator and executive producer Shawn Ryan echoed the sentiment, calling it a privilege to tell the stories of Hondo and 20-Squad for so long.
The third cancellation lands after a uniquely messy recent history. CBS first announced S.W.A.T. would end in May 2023 after Season 6, only to reverse course days later and order a seventh season that was framed as the final run. Then, in another surprise, the network renewed the series again in 2024 for an eighth season, only to cancel it yet again in March 2025.
Shemar Moore responded emotionally and defiantly. In social posts and interviews reported afterward, he thanked the crew and fans, acknowledged the disappointment, and made it clear he wasn’t ready to let the franchise die, openly calling for a streamer such as Netflix to step in, and repeating that he “ain’t done yet.”
So why would CBS walk away from a show it had already revived—twice? Reporting has pointed to economics and rights: S.W.A.T. is produced by Sony Pictures Television, and People notes the earlier cancellations were tied largely to financial and licensing considerations rather than a simple “ratings collapse.” In other words, the math didn’t work for CBS anymore, even if the audience was still there.
The series ultimately concluded with its finale airing in mid-May 2025, closing the book on an eight-season run that survived longer than most network dramas—despite repeatedly being declared dead.
