New Reboot Of A 3x Cancelled CBS Franchise Looks So Good, It's Renewed For Season 2 Before It Even Starts

One of CBS' most successful series in the past decade may have been canceled three separate times, but the franchise's revival is not only returning for another season, but has already been renewed for a second season. Since its debut on CBS in 2017, SWAT has been a hot topic for the network. After being canceled three times over the course of as many years, SWAT Exiles, a revival that features Shemar Moore returning as Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson, is getting another chance to bring the squad back to the screen with an exciting update that should surprise its audience.

While the CBS series was a massive success in its early years, SWAT began to struggle after a few key cast members exited the series in seasons 6 and 7. Despite Moore still being the anchor the cast, long-running characters like Chris Alonso (Lina Esco) and Jim Street (Alex Russell) choosing to move on from the show left openings in the lineup, and the characters who joined the series didn't see viewers as heavily invested. CBS' SWAT wound up getting canceled, then renewed after its sixth and seventh seasons, and the series then ended for good after SWAT season 8.

Despite its misfortune time and time again, Moore felt strongly that SWAT could return for another season, even if that meant finding the show a new home. SWAT Exiles, a new series, was picked up by Starz, and the show appears to be so great that it's already been renewed.

SWAT Exiles Has Been Renewed For A Second Season Ahead Of Its Debut

Although SWAT Exiles has yet to premiere, the series has already finished filming its first season and shared some exciting news from Moore himself. With SWAT Exiles season 1 premiering in September 2026, Moore took to Instagram to share that the show has already been renewed for a second season ahead of its debut. The revival, which will see Moore reprise his role as Hondo with a group of new SWAT team members, each of whom is a high-risk addition to the team, is set to be an exciting new version of the CBS series.

With the new series debuting next month, the announcement that there will be a second season of SWAT Exiles well ahead of the first season's premiere is a great sign. While SWAT struggled to find its audience after a few years, the beginning of the show had a strong start, which bodes well for Exiles. The new series will have a similar premise to SWAT, but SWAT Exiles seems like it will be a more high-intensity, darker twist on the original CBS show, which could prove to be great for a growing audience as the show gets its footing.

SWAT Exiles Brings The Heart Of SWAT Into A Higher Stakes Series

Although SWAT wound up struggling by the end of the show's run, the new addition to the franchise will be a great way to bring new viewers into the mix along with previous audiences. For those who were already fans of SWAT, Moore's return as Hondo isn't the only cast member from the original series who will be back for Exiles. Original SWAT cast members Jay Harrington, Patrick St. Esprit, and David Lim will all reprise their roles on the series, though it's not clear in what capacity they'll be appearing on the show or how long they'll be around.

With SWAT Exiles bringing new characters into the fold, the darker revival series is set to be an interesting mix of the network TV version of the series and a show that incorporates some more mature themes. The stakes will be higher on SWAT Exiles, especially with Hondo's new recruits being some of the most difficult to work with and tough to train officers. It also appears that SWAT Exiles will touch on Hondo's story, which has derailed slightly since his last SWAT appearance, which will make the series even richer upon its return next month.

SWAT Exiles will bring SWAT to a whole new audience, and will do so for at least two seasons to come.