How The S.W.A.T. Season 8 Finale Sets Up Shemar Moore’s Spin-Off Series

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Contains spoilers for “S.W.A.T.” Season 8, Episode 22 — “Return to Base”

Following an initial cancellation and subsequent revival, “S.W.A.T.” eventually made it onto the list of TV shows permanently canceled in 2025. However, the series finale titled “Return to Base” left room for potential future developments. Devin Gamble (Annie Ilonzeh) ponders leaving the team due to her conflicting loyalties, and Hondo (Shemar Moore) grapples with a persistent stalker and encroaching ex-Russian mercenaries. Despite these challenges, the ending implies that things will return to normal going forward.

Exiles,” which focuses on character Hondo, can continue directly from where the original show ended, despite the destruction of their headquarters. The open ending and lack of a clear resolution in the episode “Return to Base” allow for “S.W.A.T.: Exiles” to exist. Although there’s no indication of any hardships coming his way, Hondo is already acting as a strong leader, guiding the team to perform at their best and save lives. For now, he seems unstoppable, but it remains to be seen if “Exiles” might bring challenges that could slow him down.

Hondo will be grounded in Exiles

In “S.W.A.T.: Exiles,” we find Hondo forced into retirement from Unit 20 following a disastrous operation. Feeling disconnected and restless, he’ll be drawn back into the fray as a mentor and trainer for a novel team of S.W.A.T. agents. Unlike his experienced, tactically sound squad at home, this group is young and culturally diverse, hailing from a generation distinctly different than Hondo’s. As a result, he faces a significant challenge in shaping these recruits according to his methods and achieving the performance level he demands. The fate of the team he nurtured, guided, and backed for so long hangs in the balance on this assignment.

The main roles for the rest of the show are still undecided, but Jason Ning has been appointed as the showrunner. This is just another instance of “S.W.A.T.” managing to survive multiple times. It was terminated at the end of Season 6, only to be rejuvenated due to clever negotiations and fan support. It was renewed for Season 8 without being on the brink of cancellation, but CBS didn’t negotiate with Paramount for Season 9 production rights, making Shemar Moore’s criticism of CBS for canceling the show twice more understandable. As a result, Paramount is trying to sell “Exiles” to streaming platforms like Netflix or Paramount+. The future decides where it will be broadcast — and whether viewers will watch it.

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2025-05-20 03:59