Home TV Shows ‘SWAT’ Season 8 Finale: Photos, Promo and Air Date

‘SWAT’ Season 8 Finale: Photos, Promo and Air Date

May 15, 2025

CBS’s SWAT closes out its eight-season run with back-to-back episodes airing on May 16, 2025. Episode 21, “Ride or Die,” will air at 9pm ET/PT, followed by episode 22, the series finale, at 10pm ET/PT.

Season eight stars Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, Jay Harrington as David “Deacon” Kay, David Lim as Victor Tan, Patrick St. Esprit as Commander Robert Hicks, and Anna Enger Ritch as Zoe Powell. Annie Ilonzeh is Devin Gamble and Niko Pepaj plays Miguel “Miko” Alfaro.

“Ride or Die” Plot: When an auto carrier truck gets hijacked by a high-speed crew, Hondo encounters a ghost from his past—a violent car thief thought to be long-dead. As the brutal road warriors tear across L.A. in pursuit of a mysterious $60 million car, Hondo’s old rivalry reignites, and he’s forced to confront a long-held fear. Also, Gamble is thrust into a personal crisis when her brother, Leon, becomes tangled in the investigation, putting Gamble’s SWAT future in jeopardy. Episode 21 was directed by Maja Vrvilo from a script by Kent Rotherham.

“Return to Base” Plot: The SWAT team undertakes its final mission when a violent crew of ex-pat Russian mercenaries holds Los Angeles hostage after planting hundreds of hidden explosives across the city in a bid to extort the release of their brutal leader, Dmitri Rykov. When Rykov is brought to SWAT for safekeeping, SWAT HQ comes under attack, forcing Hondo and 20-Squad to fight for their very survival. Episode 22, the series finale, was directed by Billy Gierhart and written by Matthew Brown and Daniela Labi.

Sony Pictures Television Greenlights Spinoff with Shemar Moore

SWAT Season 8 Finale Cast — David Lim, Annie Ilonzeh, Niko Pepaj, Shemar Moore, Anna Enger Ritch, Patrick St. Esprit and Jay Harrington in the ‘SWAT’ season 8 finale (Photo: Bill Inoshita/Sony Pictures Television/CBS © Sony Pictures Television)

SWAT Description, Courtesy of CBS:

S.W.A.T. stars Shemar Moore as a former Marine and locally born and raised SWAT sergeant tasked to run a specialized tactical unit that is the last stop in law enforcement in Los Angeles. Torn between loyalty to where he was raised and allegiance to his brothers in blue, Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson strives to bridge the divide between his two worlds.

Committed to the job, Hondo is equally devoted to his marriage and fatherhood. The other members of Hondo’s elite S.W.A.T. unit include David “Deacon” Kay, an experienced S.W.A.T. officer and dedicated family man who always puts the team first; Victor Tan, who started in the LAPD Hollywood Division and uses his confidential informants in the community to help the team; Zoe Powell, a tough and loyal team member trying to reconnect with the son she gave up for adoption as a teen; and Miguel “Miko” Alfaro, a headstrong officer who overcame a troubled childhood, and is now a trusted 20-Squad addition following a rocky transfer to Los Angeles S.W.A.T.

Responsible for the management of all Metro Division S.W.A.T. units is Commander Robert Hicks, a senior LAPD official with the Special Operations Bureau. With Hondo leading the charge, these dedicated men and women bravely put themselves at risk to protect their community and save lives.