S.W.A.T.’s Exiles spinoff didn’t get the warmest welcome from fans after only Shemar Moore returned to the show — but what else can viewers expect from the series?
The chairman of Sony Pictures Television, Keith LeGoy, recently hinted that other former S.W.A.T. stars could still make cameos after backlash, sharing at the Banff TV Festival on Sunday, June 8, “There is a S.W.A.T. family and that family is important. We would love to have other family members involved in some way, whether it’s all of them all of the time, some of them some of the time, or something in between.”
LeGoy acknowledged that they are “still figuring out” how to bring in more cast members. He also weighed in on Sony Pictures Television picking up the show for 10 episodes without a distributor set in stone yet.
“We’re going to take that risk on ourselves because we believe in our capabilities,” he added about possibly selling the show to one global streamer or broadcasters territory by territory, as well as in the U.S. “Is there risk? Yes. Did we acknowledge that risk and then kind of embrace it? Yeah.”
LeGoy remained confident in their distribution plan.
“This business was founded 100 and something years ago, on people taking risks on their creative judgment, and on their kind of ability to finance their creative vision in whatever way,” he noted. “I think sometimes we’ve gotten a little too risk averse in this business, we’ve got a little too fear based, and sometimes you need to run towards something which is a little bit scary.”
He concluded: “But, to be honest, we’re much more excited by the opportunity than we are scared of the risk.”
S.W.A.T., which premiered in 2017, finished its run on CBS last month after eight seasons. Just two days after the finale, Sony Pictures Television announced a spinoff starring Moore, 55, and a new cast. The decision received backlash since Jay Harrington, David Lim, Patrick St. Esprit, Anna Enger Ritch, Annie Ilonzeh and Niko Pepaj also took part in efforts to revive the series.
Moore stood by the decision, saying in an Instagram video, “Nobody likes change. I understand that. I get it 100 percent. But without change, you can’t grow. You can’t win without taking your lumps. It ain’t easy making it in the game of Hollywood. It ain’t. TV shows don’t last eight years anymore. The game has changed. But S.W.A.T. Exiles, baby! S.W.A.T. Exiles. Bigger, bolder. S.W.A.T. on steroids.”
He continued: “I’m not saying I’m Tom Brady, but I’m the Tom Brady of S.W.A.T. That’s not arrogant. That’s not ego. It’s a fact. I’m the quarterback. I’m Shemar Moore a.k.a Hondo. But I had a squad. A strong squad. A family. A team. And I would be remiss If I didn’t say out loud to the world and to them — because I know they’re watching this — I love you. I respect you. I appreciate you.”
Lim, 41, who has been with the show since season 1, was the first cast member to officially break his silence on the drama.
“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,” he wrote via Instagram on May 28. “After eight 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.”
Harrington, 53, recently showed Moore more support but admitted he had no idea there was anything in development.
“[I found out about S.W.A.T. Exiles] the day before. Shemar reached out to all of us to say, ‘This is what’s going on,’” he revealed to TV Line this month. “There’s talk that they’ll reach out to us about stuff. He wanted to be the one to tell us, and say ‘Your reps will find out shortly.’ That’s when I told my reps, and they had no idea.”
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