S.W.A.T. may be among the list of shows canceled in 2025, but that universe is not gone just yet. After getting canceled for a third time, the CBS procedural will live on in the form of a spinoff series, S.W.A.T. Exiles, starring Shemar Moore. Much of the cast have since spoken out about the new series and the disappointment over the fact that they won’t be in it, but one star opened up about a storyline the spinoff needs to resolve, and I need it as well.
The series finale of S.W.A.T. was not a big event, per se, but it was still filled with plenty of action. However, not every story was resolved by the end of the episode, and Annie Ilonzeh would love nothing more than to see Gamble’s story continue on S.W.A.T. Exiles. She told ScreenRant that Gamble’s brother still has a lot to be explored, especially with the way it ended:
The show did leave on quite the cliffhanger! Her brother [Leon] really disappointed her, lied, and ended up being shady. I think he'd really have to prove himself to her that he's not mixed up in the shady stuff. I mean, it calls his name, and they're twins. Not only is that her brother, but they are from the same [womb]. So, she was heartbroken, for sure. It would be really nice to explore that as those two.
Considering Ilonzeh only joined S.W.A.T. for its final season, fans didn’t get to see too much of her complicated family. Even though we did get a lot of it, including what was going on with her dad and what her brother is like, there was only so much that could be included without sharing too much too fast. That storyline definitely was not as fleshed out as it should have been, and Ilonzeh knows what the fans want. It also helps that she wants the same thing:
As I've moved around in the world and just talked to people who have seen the show, they really love that dynamic between Devin and her twin brother, so it would be so nice to explore that even more. We don't really know where those two will go, in terms of family or friendship, so it would be nice to explore that, for sure.
It’s sad that we only got a season with Annie Ilonzeh as Devin Gamble, and even though we did get to explore some of her family and backstory, it didn’t feel like enough. Since S.W.A.T. Exiles will be centering on mostly new characters as Hondo leads a new team of recruits, it’s hard to predict whether any other OG stars will appear. Luckily, Ilonzeh would be down to come back as Gamble in whatever way, shape, or form:
Yeah, I've said it so many times, and I'll continue to say it. It was one of my favorite projects to work on and one of my favorite shows. The cast, the crew, the storylines, the character, the action, the impact that it has on the viewers - on me and even my family, personally. They really loved watching this show too, as a whole, not just because I was on it. Whichever form it returned in would be something that I would jump on for sure to get back into gear and do my thing.
There are only 10 episodes in S.W.A.T Exiles, and at this point, no other casting news has been announced. How other stars could return is hard to predict, but S.W.A.T. has more than proved on numerous occasions that 20-Squad is family for life. They all more than likely still keep in touch with each other and even still hang out, which would make for an easy excuse to bring someone back, like Gamble.
More information about S.W.A.T. Exiles should be announced soon, but now, the speculation will continue. It would be nice if the series were to touch on Gamble’s storyline with her brother and the rest of her family, even if it’s brief, especially since Ilonzeh is interested in returning. For now, though, the eighth and final season of S.W.A.T. is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription.
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