After two surprising cancellations and two even more shocking revivals, the cop drama that debuted in 2017 with Los Angeles native son Hondo (Shemar Moore) promoted to head of SWAT is really going out this time with back-to-back episodes.
“Heading into the finale, Hondo is going to be challenged to keep the team together. He has always referred to and thought of 20-Squad as a family, but now that notion will be tested like never before,” says S.W.A.T. executive producer Andrew Dettmann.
In the first hour, an auto carrier truck is hijacked a high-speed crew – and an old rivalry with a violent car thief thought to be long dead ignites for Hondo. As the outlaw road warriors race across L.A. in pursuit of a mysterious $60 million car, the brave SWAT leader must confront a deep fear.
Next, says Dettmann, comes “a battle pitting SWAT against the most formidable and well-trained opponents they’ve ever faced” — Russian mercenaries who’ve planted hundreds of explosives around the city. The showdown takes place “in a setting that was inconceivable prior to knowing that this is our last episode,” the executive producer reveals. “The entire team is in the crosshairs and under attack, and their survival becomes Hondo’s focus.”
As Hondo struggles to hold the team together he learns more about what it means to be a leader with the help of Hicks (Patrick St. Esprit). “We reach new ground with almost all of the characters,” Dettmann says. “Deacon [Jay Harrington] realizes what really matters to him at SWAT. Tan [David Lim] considers a new career path within the LAPD. Powell [Anna Enger Ritch] and Alfaro [Niko Pepaj] cement their bonds of friendship. And Gamble [Annie Ilonzeh] makes a life-altering decision about her role with the team.”
The characters gain a greater appreciation and understanding for each other in the course of the finale. “It’s a reflection of how our cast and crew have become so incredibly close over the course of the show, and those relationships and affections feel only stronger knowing that we’re near our end,” Dettmann says. “By shining a light on the respect and commitment each of the characters have for each other, we’re giving a nod to our larger family and the bonds we’ve made.”
After one last car stunt that Dettmann teases “maybe tops our already amazing résumé,” the finale reaffirms Hondo’s commitment to the team and L.A.: “Even if we’re no longer along for the ride, Hondo and 20-Squad will still be piling into [armored vehicle] Black Betty and making the city safe.”
S.W.A.T., Series Finale, Friday, May 16, 9/8c, CBS
