As CBS’s popular crime drama S.W.A.T. prepares to kick off its 13-episode final season, fans are bracing for bittersweet goodbyes. Original cast members Kenneth “Kenny” Johnson and Alex Russell, who have portrayed Dominique Luca and Jim Street since the series began, will be moving to recurring roles in Season 7, set to premiere on Friday, February 16.
Despite their reduced screen time, showrunner Andrew Dettmann assures fans that their characters will receive the attention they deserve. “Looking at Season 7 being the final 13 episodes, we wanted to give everybody their proper curtain call,” Dettmann shared in an exclusive interview with TVLine. “The episodes we have planned for them are really focused on their characters and the evolution of their storylines.”
Dettmann expressed excitement over the upcoming episodes featuring Luca and Street, emphasizing that no character will feel underserved in this concluding chapter. “If this was the end for us, we wanted to ensure that everyone felt their arcs were complete,” he said. “There are some really good episodes for Alex and Kenny, for Street and Luca.”
In addition to the changes for Johnson and Russell, recurring player Anna Enger Ritch has been promoted to series regular as Officer Zoe Powell.
In a surprising turn of events, CBS previously announced a reversal of its decision to cancel S.W.A.T., opting instead to grant the show a final season after listening to the passionate feedback from its viewers. Amy Reisenbach, President of CBS Entertainment, along with Katherine Pope, President of Sony Pictures Television Studios, stated, “We are pleased that we found a way to bring it back and give closure to the show’s storylines and characters, which audiences deserve.”
S.W.A.T. will kick off its farewell journey on February 16 at 8/7c with the first half of a two-part premiere. In this exciting opener, Hondo (Shemar Moore), Hicks (Patrick St. Esprit), and Powell embark on a mission to Mexico City to capture a fugitive who evaded Hondo’s grasp a decade ago. However, when the operation takes an unexpected turn, Hondo finds himself back on the trail of a killer, determined to fulfill a promise made ten years prior.
As fans eagerly await the final season, it’s clear that S.W.A.T. is committed to delivering a satisfying sendoff for its beloved characters.
