After escaping cancellation on two separate occasions, the police procedural drama, S.W.A.T. was finally cancelled. In under a week, the universe was saved as Sony Pictures Television revealed that there would be a spin-off titled S.W.A.T. Exiles. Shemar Moore will return as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson Jr. to lead the new show as the only confirmed actor returning from the original series…for now. There have been suggestions from studio executives hinting at the prospect of fan-favorites from the original S.W.A.T. series joining the spin-off in some capacity. Now, ahead of production kicking off, character descriptions have begun to come out.
Filming on S.W.A.T. Exiles will begin in September, according to a report from TV Line, with casting currently underway for five characters. Joining Moore’s Hondo will be two characters described as a Black former Marine from South Central, described as charismatic, and an undercover cop who has a questionable shooting in his past.
Filming on S.W.A.T. Exiles will begin in September, according to a report from TV Line, with casting currently underway for five characters. Joining Moore’s Hondo will be two characters described as a Black former Marine from South Central, described as charismatic, and an undercover cop who has a questionable shooting in his past. The other three characters being cast include
an amputee who has the distinction of being at the top of her class and refuses to settle behind a desk. The second, a tactical prodigy whose social skills are disruptive. Lastly, the spin-off will feature a former beauty queen who now works as a law enforcement influencer.
Exactly how the plot of S.W.A.T. Exiles will play out still remains under wraps. Since the off-shoot was announced, Moore has made it abundantly clear that he is excited about the opportunity. Looking forward to the new series, Sony Pictures TV president, Katherine Pope, revealed in an interview that there is a very real possibility for the new series to feature some of Hondo’s colleagues. “It’s a universe,” Hondo said. “There is a clear world that we’re exploring here. We’re a few weeks in. We’re still putting it all together, but for sure, I think you can expect some of your favorites to be a part of it in some way.”
‘S.W.A.T. Exiles’ Has Provoked Some Strong Emotions
Moore has made it clear that he is excited to return to the role, describing himself as “the Tom Brady of S.W.A.T.” However, the excitement is not shared by all of Moore’s colleagues. Jay Harrington, who played David “Deacon” Kay for all eight seasons of the show, revealed he’d “not once” heard anything about a proposed spin-off in the past year and had no sense the news was coming. The actor revealed his “disappointment” with how the upcoming offshoot was rolled out in a previous interview. David Lim, who played Victor Tan in all eight seasons of the series, also shared a message about the upcoming spin-off. Lim’s comments read:
“I’d be lying if I said the rollout of the new spinoff didn’t sting. It was tough to see it announced just two days after our finale — with no mention of the cast who helped build S.W.A.T. from day one. After 8 incredible seasons, it felt like we were brushed aside when there could’ve been a moment of reflection and recognition — for the people who built this show, and for the impact it had on so many.”
