best episodes of S.W.A.T. poster

A locally born and bred S.W.A.T. lieutenant is torn between loyalty to the streets and duty to his fellow officers when he's tasked to run a highly-trained unit that's the last stop for solving crimes in Los Angeles.

8 Seasons
154 Episodes
Returning Series
Crime Action & Adventure Drama
Cast & Characters
episode image School
8.9/10 (951 votes)

#1 School

S2:E11

The SWAT team faces difficult reminders of a past school shooting when they receive a warning that a copycat plans to re-enact the crime. As the team races to stop the new threat, they flash back to the day of the tense first mission.

episode image Life
8.5/10 (195 votes)

#2 Life

S8:E3

20-Squad faces down a prison hostage situation, only to be thrown into deeper danger when a bomb explodes, freeing maximum-security prisoners from their cells, including someone with a personal grudge against Hondo.

episode image Stigma
8.3/10 (512 votes)

#3 Stigma

S3:E18

Hondo and the SWAT team race to save Buck, their former unit leader, when he goes off grid and they fear he plans to harm himself. Flashbacks reveal the search for Buck, which coincides with one of the team’s most brutal missions, as each team member receives counseling and discusses the untold mental and emotional difficulties inherent to working in SWAT.

episode image Last Call
8.3/10 (260 votes)

#4 Last Call

S7:E7

After the shocking shooting of a member of 20-Squad, Hondo and the team launch a citywide manhunt for the robbery crew responsible. Meanwhile, Deacon's plans for his future hit a snag, and Powell and Alfaro clash over a tricky issue.

episode image Twenty Squad
8.3/10 (227 votes)

#5 Twenty Squad

S7:E13

SWAT faces their deadliest adversary yet when a violent cell of extremists looks to extract vengeance by blowing up half of Los Angeles, potentially killing thousands.

episode image Open Season
8.2/10 (141 votes)

#6 Open Season

S8:E9

When Hondo learns there’s a $1 million bounty on his head, 20-Squad must race to uncover the mysterious enemy from Hondo’s past who’s intent on revenge. Also, Deacon and Tan butt heads over Tan’s changes to SWAT academy.

episode image Invisible
8.1/10 (466 votes)

#7 Invisible

S2:E19

The abduction of Luca and Street’s neighbor sends the SWAT team in pursuit of a home invasion crew targeting domestic workers to gain entry into upscale homes. Also, the SWAT division prepares to help Mumford mark a major career milestone.

episode image Immunity
8.1/10 (455 votes)

#8 Immunity

S3:E4

Deacon’s family gets caught in the crosshairs of a drug cartel when he and the SWAT team aim to bring down its leader, a former foreign rebel force leader running drugs in plain sight via a local flower market. Also, Hondo receives troubling news regarding his father, and Tan is forced to go before an internal review board due to his girlfriend’s indiscretion.

episode image Good Cop
8.1/10 (427 votes)

#9 Good Cop

S3:E12

Hondo and the SWAT team rally to support Street when he puts his life on the line to help his foster brother Nate break away from a drug ring.

episode image Farewell
8.1/10 (365 votes)

#10 Farewell

S5:E22

When control of a university chemistry lab is seized, the team races to thwart a devastating terror attack.

episode image Legacy
8.1/10 (290 votes)

#11 Legacy

S6:E22

The team works with the DEA and their iron-jawed leader, Mack Boyle, to stop a ruthless cartel boss waging war on the streets of Los Angeles as he exacts revenge on those who killed his son.

episode image Family Man
8.1/10 (237 votes)

#12 Family Man

S7:E8

The SWAT team faces off with a family of doomsday preppers barricaded inside their fortress of a home, and Deacon finds himself at the center of the storm. Also, Tan clashes with a reporter covering the situation and Powell grapples with meeting the child she gave up for adoption 18 years ago.

episode image SNAFU
8.1/10 (235 votes)

#13 SNAFU

S7:E10

As 20-Squad scrambles to track down a cold-blooded sniper terrorizing Los Angeles, Hondo discovers a link to his own South L.A. neighborhood that brings a personal twist to the hunt for the deadly shooter. Meanwhile, Tan finds himself questioning his leadership abilities while Powell and Alfaro compete in a classic game of SWAT tag.

episode image Vanished
8.1/10 (205 votes)

#14 Vanished

S8:E1

SWAT tackles a mission with personal ties for Hondo when they race to find a group of missing students and their bus driver, Hondo's former high school football coach. Also, Hicks has reservations regarding Hondo's new 20-Squad team addition, Devin Gamble, a cop with a family background deeply entrenched in crime.

episode image Gang Unit
8.1/10 (187 votes)

#15 Gang Unit

S8:E2

When a spree of brutal stash house robberies spills into L.A., 20-Squad must team up with the sheriff's department's gang unit to unmask a violent crew who leaves no witness alive.

episode image Deep Cover
8.1/10 (96 votes)

#16 Deep Cover

S8:E12

While working undercover for 20-Squad, Alfaro encounters associates from a previous undercover case in Long Beach, embarking on a dangerous mission that stirs up unresolved issues from the past.

episode image S.O.S.
8.0/10 (564 votes)

#17 S.O.S.

S2:E5

Hondo and Lina go undercover to infiltrate and take back a cruise ship that’s under siege by drug smugglers who will execute passengers if they detect police on board. Street enters the SWAT Training Academy and finds the competition fiercer than he expected.

episode image 1000 Joules
8.0/10 (497 votes)

#18 1000 Joules

S2:E10

The SWAT team sets out to recover dozens of DNA evidence kits stolen from an LAPD crime lab and bring in the crew responsible, after a close friend of Hicks is harmed during the theft. Financial strain at home makes it difficult for Deacon to focus on his role as leader of the SWAT division’s annual holiday toy drive.

episode image Day of Dread
8.0/10 (479 votes)

#19 Day of Dread

S2:E21

The SWAT team finds itself under internal investigation after a civilian is killed as they attempted to bring in the city’s most wanted criminal. As the mission details are revealed, the force’s internal affairs team calls Hondo’s leadership into question.

episode image Diablo
8.0/10 (398 votes)

#20 Diablo

S3:E21

The SWAT team searches for a group of drug smugglers who crash a plane in a Los Angeles suburb and scatter, after a joint mission with the DEA to stop the shipment goes awry. Also, Hondo tries to make amends with Nichelle, Luca experiences anxiety about his return to the field, and Deacon hesitates when asked to speak to a group of recruits about mental health.

episode image Lockdown
8.0/10 (393 votes)

#21 Lockdown

S4:E16

When four escaped prisoners take control of a courthouse with Hondo and Deacon inside but unarmed, the two race to save the lives of innocent civilians while trying to avoid detection themselves. Street visits his mother in the hospital and faces a pivotal decision.

episode image Survive
8.0/10 (402 votes)

#22 Survive

S5:E9

When Deacon enlists Chris’ help on an off-duty private security detail, they struggle to survive when they’re attacked by a drug cartel looking to kidnap their wealthy VIP client, on the new day and time.

episode image Incoming
8.0/10 (330 votes)

#23 Incoming

S5:E19

When a plane carrying Street and the dangerous prisoner he's transporting is hijacked, the team races to save the innocent passengers onboard -- and one of their own; Hondo takes a big step in his relationship with Nichelle.

episode image End of the Road
8.0/10 (261 votes)

#24 End of the Road

S7:E5

While training with Long Beach SWAT, Street discovers a biker club has stolen a cache of armor-piercing bullets and brings 20-Squad into the hunt for the gang before they can pull off a daring and deadly heist. As Hondo struggles with changes at work, Nichelle finds herself at odds with her former colleague Bruce.

episode image Whispers
8.0/10 (227 votes)

#25 Whispers

S7:E11

Tan finds himself on a one-man mission to save his new love interest and her journalist co-workers when mercenaries take over a black-tie correspondents' dinner. After the group escapes, it's up to SWAT to track down the well-trained gunmen.

episode image The Sepulveda Protocol
8.0/10 (153 votes)

#26 The Sepulveda Protocol

S8:E4

A blackout throws the city into chaos, forcing 20-Squad onto the streets for an emergency patrol day, which quickly escalates when Hondo and team uncover a terror threat.

episode image AMBER
8.0/10 (116 votes)

#27 AMBER

S8:E11

The squad races to find a missing child who was abducted from her front yard; Hicks is faced with a difficult decision concerning Gamble.

episode image Kangaroo
7.9/10 (466 votes)

#28 Kangaroo

S2:E23

The SWAT team goes in pursuit again of the militant group The Emancipators, when the criminals hold a live stream kangaroo court to publicly execute city politicians. Also, Hondo fights to lift Darryl’s spirits; Deacon feels unworthy as he prepares to receive one of the LAPD’s highest honors; and Street catches a break in the search for his missing parolee mother.

episode image Bad Cop
7.9/10 (428 votes)

#29 Bad Cop

S3:E11

Street is caught between his duty to SWAT and his commitment to his foster brother, Nate when Nate is ensnared in a criminal enterprise that could ruin them both. Also, the SWAT team goes after a ruthless crew that uses deadly force while stealing from card casinos, and Buck approaches Deacon to partner on a private security opportunity.

episode image The Fugitive
7.9/10 (360 votes)

#30 The Fugitive

S5:E16

When bodycam footage left at a local news station seems to show Hondo shooting two police officers, he is forced to go on the run while the team works to clear his name.

episode image Zodiac
7.9/10 (295 votes)

#31 Zodiac

S5:E21

When a home invasion turns deadly, the team embarks on a race to track down priceless antique artifacts before any more lives are lost; Leroy enlists Hondo's help after an overdose hits close to home.

episode image Seizure
7.8/10 (827 votes)

#32 Seizure

S1:E10

As the SWAT team goes inside a prison riot to rescue civilian hostages, Hondo suspects the inmates have an ulterior motive behind the uprising. Also, when Deacon’s wife, Annie, stops by headquarters to celebrate Deacon’s 10th anniversary with the SWAT division, her visit takes an unexpected turn.

episode image Inheritance
7.8/10 (519 votes)

#33 Inheritance

S2:E7

The SWAT team hunts for a band of criminals re-enacting the crimes of the infamous Symbionese Liberation Army. Seeking expertise on the original crime spree in the 1970s, Luca and his father review the files of Luca’s late grandfather who worked for SWAT during the era of the original crimes. Hondo experiences discrimination from a fellow officer during a SWAT training seminar for local law enforcement in Arizona.

episode image Lion's Den
7.8/10 (430 votes)

#34 Lion's Den

S3:E8

The SWAT team engages in tense negotiations with a family that takes a local officer hostage when they’re evicted from their home due to eminent domain. Also, Hondo reflects on his personal life choices as he helps his father through a medical crisis and Chris’ relationship with Kira and Ty reaches a critical juncture.

episode image Knockout
7.8/10 (384 votes)

#35 Knockout

S3:E15

Deacon’s second job working private security at a high-profile boxing match places the SWAT team in the middle of a kidnapping case when a prize fighter’s wife is abducted. Also, Hondo’s young charge, Darryl, becomes frustrated with his lack of paternal rights regarding his infant son, and Tan prepares to introduce his critical mother to his girlfriend, Bonnie.

episode image Hotel L.A.
7.8/10 (384 votes)

#36 Hotel L.A.

S3:E17

The SWAT team must protect a hotel full of civilians after a joint task force mission with the LAPD Gang Division goes wrong, and the city’s most dangerous gang leaders scatter across the building to find an escape. Also, Luca’s efforts to coordinate the team’s mission are complicated when his brother, Terry, a freelance stringer reporter, crosses police lines to shoot footage.

episode image Honeytrap
7.8/10 (226 votes)

#37 Honeytrap

S7:E9

When a female robbery crew "honeytraps" and kills several rich VIPs, Hondo and 20-Squad are called in to assist FBI Agent Jackie Vasquez in capturing the dangerous fugitives before the death toll rises. Commander Hicks is shocked when his new love, Maggie, abruptly ends their relationship without rhyme or reason. With help from Deacon and Dr. Wendy, Hicks makes an important decision about his romantic future.

episode image Human Interest
7.8/10 (152 votes)

#38 Human Interest

S8:E5

Tan is left reeling when his girlfriend is kidnapped, and 20-Squad must race to track down a violent cartel leader who may be behind the abduction.

episode image Left of Boom
7.8/10 (145 votes)

#39 Left of Boom

S8:E8

Hondo and the SWAT team race to stop a nuclear attack on Los Angeles when radioactive material is stolen from a local lab.

episode image Day Off
7.7/10 (488 votes)

#40 Day Off

S2:E9

When the SWAT team is called in to work on their day off to end a hostage situation, they discover one of the captives is a wanted felon. When Hondo saves his sister after she's been roofied at a nightclub, he uses his day off to hunt a serial rapist.

Cast & Chracters

character image Daniel 'Hondo' Harrelson

Daniel 'Hondo' Harrelson

Actor: Shemar Moore
character image David 'Deacon' Kay

David 'Deacon' Kay

Actor: Jay Harrington
character image Victor Tan

Victor Tan

Actor: David Lim
character image Robert 'Bob' Hicks

Robert 'Bob' Hicks

Actor: Patrick St. Esprit
character image Zoe Powell

Zoe Powell

Actor: Anna Enger Ritch
character image Miguel Alfaro

Miguel Alfaro

Actor: Niko Pepaj
character image Devin Gamble

Devin Gamble

Actor: Annie Ilonzeh

The highest rated episode of S.W.A.T. is "School" (S2E11) with a rating of 8.90.

This episode received 951 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "3 Seventeen Year Olds (1)" (S4E1) with a rating of 6.50.

This episode received 873 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Seizure" (S1E10) with a rating of 7.80.

This episode received 827 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Cuchillo" (S1E2) with a rating of 7.10.

This episode received 1,079 votes.

The highest rated episode is "School" (S2E11) with a rating of 8.90.

This episode received 951 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Pride" (S2E16) with a rating of 6.70.

This episode received 598 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Stigma" (S3E18) with a rating of 8.30.

This episode received 512 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Kingdom" (S3E6) with a rating of 7.40.

This episode received 422 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Lockdown" (S4E16) with a rating of 8.00.

This episode received 393 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "3 Seventeen Year Olds (1)" (S4E1) with a rating of 6.50.

This episode received 873 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Farewell" (S5E22) with a rating of 8.10.

This episode received 365 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Old School Cool" (S5E11) with a rating of 7.10.

This episode received 360 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Legacy" (S6E22) with a rating of 8.10.

This episode received 290 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Atonement" (S6E11) with a rating of 7.00.

This episode received 413 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Last Call" (S7E7) with a rating of 8.30.

This episode received 260 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Good for Nothing" (S7E3) with a rating of 7.30.

This episode received 251 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Life" (S8E3) with a rating of 8.50.

This episode received 195 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Hot Button" (S8E6) with a rating of 7.40.

This episode received 166 votes.

Name Department Job
Glen Enzen Crew Transportation Coordinator
Aaron Rahsaan Thomas Production Executive Consultant
Kent Rotherham Production Executive Producer
Nicolas Bradley Production Producer
Shemar Moore Production Producer
Barry De Vorzon Sound Theme Song Performance
Robert Duncan Sound Original Music Composer
Robert Hamner Writing Original Series Creator

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