After S.W.A.T.'s third and likely final cancelation, I am worried that the show will ignore its sweetest storyline. After CBS canceled S.W.A.T. season 9, all hopes of a final wrap-up were being pushed into the season 8 finale, which can only show so much. The S.W.A.T. cast fought hard to get the show renewed one last time, but it seems as though CBS' decision is final.
S.W.A.T. had originally been canceled briefly in season 6 and then more seriously in season 7. However, the decision was reversed both times, which led to the highly anticipated S.W.A.T. season 8. With S.W.A.T.'s impending ending, there are still a few storylines that need to receive closure, but I am worried that its best unfinished arc will be pushed aside and ignored in favor of stronger action.
S.W.A.T. Is Likely Ending Without Its Promised Chris & Street Ending
S.W.A.T. Will Focus On 20-Squad Instead
With the announcement that CBS has canceled S.W.A.T. so close to its season 8 finale, the writers have not been given a lot of time to wrap up the season with a proper series finale. As a result, some storylines will inevitably have to be pushed aside to make room for the finale that makes the most sense for S.W.A.T. Unfortunately, TVLine has shared the synopsis for S.W.A.T.'s series finale, and it has revealed that Chris and Street's wedding did not make the cut. Read the full synopsis below.
When an auto carrier truck gets hijacked by a high-speed crew, Hondo encounters a ghost from his past – a violent car thief thought to be long-dead. As the brutal road warriors tear across L.A. in pursuit of a mysterious $60 million car, Hondo’s old rivalry reignites, and he’s forced to confront a long-held fear. Also, Gamble is thrust into a personal crisis when her brother, Leon, becomes tangled in the investigation, putting Gamble’s SWAT future in jeopardy.
Then at 10 pm, the SWAT team undertakes its final mission when a violent crew of ex-pat Russian mercenaries holds Los Angeles hostage after planting hundreds of hidden explosives across the city in a bid to extort the release of their brutal leader, Dmitri Rykov. When Rykov is brought to SWAT for safekeeping, SWAT HQ comes under attack, forcing Hondo and 20-Squad to fight for their very survival.
The S.W.A.T. season 8 finale is set to be intense and dramatic, but not so unlike any other S.W.A.T. episode and that is by design. In a separate interview with TVLine, S.W.A.T.'s showrunner, Andrew Dettmann, revealed that the team wants "the viewers to feel that Hondo and 20-Squad will go on" even though the show is ending. This explains why a Chris and Street wedding was not a priority when writing the finale. Writing in the wedding would make it feel like a proper ending, but if 20-Squad just keeps fighting, it is as if the show never really ends.
Why S.W.A.T. Is Unable To Stage An On-Screen Chris & Street Wedding
The Season 8 Cancelation Has Made Things Difficult
As nice as it would be to see Chris and Street's S.W.A.T. wedding in the series finale, the chance of it happening is extremely low. The main issue is timing. If the producers of S.W.A.T. had known about the show's cancelation prior to season 8, maybe there would have been a better chance of ending the show with their marriage. However, everyone involved in the show was expecting it to continue well into the future, so there was not much leeway to write in their wedding now since they thought they would have time to do so in the future.
As the actors who play Chris (Lina Esco) and Street (Alex Russell) have left S.W.A.T., bringing them back for an episode dedicated to them can also be tricky. If both actors have prior commitments to other projects, it can be difficult to bring them back at short notice. The sudden S.W.A.T. season 8 cancelation has hurt everyone, and it probably means we won't see a Chris and Street wedding happen in the coming episodes.
How S.W.A.T. Can Make Up For Not Holding An On-Screen Wedding For Chris & Street
S.W.A.T. Could Bring Back The Characters
Not having a Chris and Street wedding in the S.W.A.T. season 8 finale does not necessarily mean it will never happen. The wedding could happen off-screen through a mention or a tease by the other characters. Even though Chris and Street no longer appear regularly on S.W.A.T., their close connection to the other squad members has created friendships for life. As a result, the pair could easily be referenced by someone else. Another option would be having a current S.W.A.T. character mention that they have received a wedding invitation in the mail and leave it at that.
S.W.A.T.'s writers and producers could also make up for their decision to focus on 20-Squad rather than the wedding by giving everyone closure. The last season finale had a rough ending because CBS' decision to reverse S.W.A.T.'s cancelation meant many characters and storylines were left in awkward positions. In a way, I would rather have a concrete, solid ending with no wedding than have an open-ended season finale with one.
However, the best way that S.W.A.T. can make up for not showing Chris and Street's wedding is to have the characters appear one last time in the finale. The producers and showrunners have revealed that they will not be returning, but finales are often all about surprises. The official synopsis for the two-part finale has been revealed, but it says nothing about the cast. It might be naively optimistic, but I will hold onto hope for one final appearance by both Chris and Street until the credits roll on S.W.A.T. season 8, episode 22.
Source: TVLine, 2
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