S.W.A.T. fans, not to mention the cast and crew, have gone through as many celebratory ups and disappointing downs as any show I can think of, with CBS cancelling the action-drama for the third time after rescuing it from the dead twice before. Despite continued viewer protests and even one star’s faith in its return, the show wrapped production in March and aired its non-conclusive series finale on May 16. Then, two days later, Sony Pictures Television ordered up a spinoff.
That’s right, the military drama that could is somehow returning to the small screen once again, only this time in a brand new way, as a spinoff that’ll go by the name of S.W.A.T. Exiles. It was a wild shock to end the weekend on, especially after star Shemar Moore posted a touching farewell to the dedicated fanbase. It appears that may have been a ruse of sorts, as the actor later dropped an Instagram post with the grand reveal of Hondo’s big return.
The good vibes coming off of his smiling face are definitely palpable, too, as he shared the news first by saying:
What’s goody, what’s goody? It’s ya boy. It’s a great day. Shemar Moore in the building. You know me, eight years strong. Daniel ‘Hondo’ Harrison. Here come that man. Say, to all my homies, fans and baby girls, everybody out there around the world who supported us for eight years: first of all, thank you, thank you. We couldn’t have done this without you, eight years strong. And I know the sad news is we got canceled. We got canceled. But the good news is we don’t stop fighting. And guess what happens when you don’t stop fighting? We won.
Technically, Shemar Moore should have repeated "we got canceled" one more time to factually line up with past events. Which isn't a knock on the show, but rather pointing out that not even three separate axings could successfully keep Hondo Harrison off of our TVs. The show should have its own metaphorical sash filled with merit badges.
In any case, the beloved actor continued, saying:
S.W.A.T. ain’t going nowhere. Hondo ain’t going nowhere. There’s a new version of S.W.A.T. coming your way. Yeah, I said it. There’s a new version of S.W.A.T. coming your way, and it’s gonna be called S.W.A.T. Exiles. Hondo, back in the building. S.W.A.T., back in the building. Start shooting this summer. Say it loud, say it proud. S.W.A.T. and Hondo, back in the building.
In the caption of the post, Moore notes that Hondo is back "not just to lead, but to rebuild," and mentions the show will be bringing in some new recruits, but without room for error, at least where the characters are concerned.
Here are a few details that we know so far from Sony Pictures TV's big announcement made at this year's LA Screenings event (via Variety):
- S.W.A.T. Exiles earned a 10-episode series order from the studio.
- Production on the spinoff is set to begin this summer in Los Angeles.
- CBS is not currently confirmed to be the spinoff's home, as Sony Pictures TV will be shopping it to various broadcast and cable networks, as well as streaming services.
- Lucifer and The Brothers Sun vet Jason Ning will be handling showrunner duties, and will also serve as an executive producer alongside Shemar Moore.
- Sony aims to find "the right homes and partners" for S.W.A.T. Exiles that will not only appease the already existing fanbase, but will also "attract new viewers."
- Sony noted in the announcement that it's "preserving jobs for the 200-person local production crew" who worked on the original series for its eight-season run.
It's very clear that Sony TV's execs are bullish about the spinoff's chances at becoming a success as the original did, and I'm intrigued to learn where it might end up. Obivously it would be a logical move for Exiles to be available with the same Paramount+ subscription that provides access to S.W.A.T. proper, but if the goal is indeed also to bring in new fans, perhaps a shift in setting is on the way.
Which will absolutely affect when fans might get their eyeballs on the new series. If it manages to get picked up at CBS again, there's a relatively decent chance it could debut before the 2025 TV schedule has ended, but that wouldn't be possible if it lands at Netflix where the entire season would need to be filmed in its entirety before earning a release date.
While waiting for more news, let Shemar Moore's smiles guide you through whatever whatever woes your day might bring.
Jason Ning is also working with Sony Pictures TV on a series adaptation of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon from author Wang Dulu's Crane-Iron book series. And considering his past efforts on The Expanse and Mrs. Davis, I'm thinking the action in S.W.A.T. Exiles will be just as impressive as what came before, if not more so. Here's hoping Moore will deliver new videos to clue us in on every stage of the process.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
