‘S.W.A.T. Exiles’ Episode 9 Release Date, Time and Where to Watch

Few broadcast crime dramas have defied television’s cancellation cycle quite like ‘S.W.A.T.’, which survived two axings on CBS before concluding its eight-season run in May 2025. Rather than letting the tactical franchise fade, Sony Pictures Television kept the production crew working by greenlighting ‘S.W.A.T. Exiles‘, a 10-episode continuation starring Shemar Moore as Sergeant Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson. As the spinoff approaches Episode 9 of its freshman season, fans following the show from network television to premium cable are eager to see how Hondo’s unit handles its highest stakes yet.

Moving away from broadcast allowed showrunner Jason Ning to trade standalone network formulas for grittier, serialized storytelling across cable and streaming. Sony Pictures Television filmed the first season independently before landing at Starz, surrounding Moore with five new recruits played by Lucy Barrett, Adain Bradley, Zyra Gorecki, Freddy Miyares, and Ronen Rubinstein, as Variety confirmed. With only two episodes remaining, the pressure surrounding Hondo’s untested 44 Squad has reached a breaking point.

‘S.W.A.T. Exiles’ Episode 9 Release Date and Time

‘S.W.A.T. Exiles’ Episode 9, titled “The Vault,” is scheduled to premiere on Friday, November 20, 2026. Streaming subscribers can access the penultimate installment on the Starz app and digital on-demand platforms beginning at 12:00 a.m. ET, which translates to 9:00 p.m. PT on Thursday night for West Coast viewers. Linear cable viewers can also catch the broadcast premiere on the Starz television channel on Friday night at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, or 9:00 p.m. CT.

While several early third-party episode trackers mistakenly listed “The Vault” as the eighth chapter, Starz officially aired “Edgemont” as Episode 8 on November 13, placing “The Vault” in the ninth slot one week before the November 27 season finale, “Hard Exit”. Clocking in at 44 minutes, Episode 9 is directed by Denzell Dandridge and written by Jen Graham Imada.

Where to Watch ‘S.W.A.T. Exiles’ Episode 9

In the United States, ‘S.W.A.T. Exiles’ streams exclusively through Starz, whether via the standalone Starz app or as a channel add-on through Prime Video, Hulu, and Apple TV. A standard standalone Starz subscription costs $11.99 per month, though introductory promotional offers are frequently available for new customers.

International fans can also follow the series through dedicated regional broadcasters and streaming partners. New episodes stream on Crave in English Canada and air on Sky One in the United Kingdom, while viewers elsewhere can watch on Stan in Australia, Sky GSA in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, and Disney+ across Latin America.

‘S.W.A.T. Exiles’ Episode 9 Preview: What to Expect in “The Vault”

Starz has not yet released an official episode synopsis for “The Vault,” keeping specific mission details tightly under wraps ahead of the two-part endgame. However, Episode 8, “Edgemont,” left Hondo and Commander Pike (Lenora Crichlow) reeling after a trap for former-prisoner-turned-assassin Adam Max (Tim Griffin) ended with Max dying of poisoning during interrogation. With his final words, Max uttered “70 David,” confirming Hondo’s suspicion that someone currently or formerly connected to S.W.A.T. is behind the plot to dismantle the program.

That revelation puts Hondo and Pike’s fragile alliance under immense strain, especially since she previously sat on the Internal Affairs board that forced him out. Moore previously teased the friction between the two leaders, saying, “It’s an interesting game of chess between the two of them, but Hondo has to fight for his dignity, fight for his truth, protect himself,” in an interview with TV Insider. Meanwhile, Hondo must navigate the fallout of Malik Anderson’s (Bradley) abrupt undercover transfer in Episode 7 after Malik previously served as a reluctant mole inside the squad.

Episode 9 also brings a major homecoming for longtime fans, as original series star David Lim is confirmed to return as Officer III Victor Tan in the penultimate hour. Tan’s cameo follows months of discussion after Moore addressed the spinoff’s pared-down legacy roster by stating, “Business is business,” as reported by Entertainment Weekly, following Episode 1 appearances from Jay Harrington and Patrick St. Esprit. Whatever secrets emerge inside “The Vault,” viewers need not worry about an unresolved cliffhanger, as Sony Pictures Television already renewed ‘S.W.A.T. Exiles’ for Season 2 in August 2026.

Who do you think is behind the “70 David” conspiracy targeting Hondo’s unit, and what do you hope to see from Victor Tan’s return in ‘S.W.A.T. Exiles’ Episode 9 — share your predictions in the comments below!