Less than 48 hours after the SWAT series finale aired on CBS, longtime SWAT lead Shemar Moore announced that the franchise would continue via a new spinoff titled SWAT Exiles. Fans were elated to know SWAT would continue, but then came the news that Moore was to be the only original cast member returning for the spinoff. Not only was Moore to be the only cast member returning, but reports soon surfaced that many members of the cast were upset about not being asked back for the spinoff and were blindsided by the news. This seems to indeed be the case, as evident in the statement released by original cast member David Lim.
Just over a week after word first broke that SWAT would be continuing via a new spinoff, Lim has broken his silence on the planned spinoff, and it’s clear fans weren’t the only ones blindsided by the spinoff plans.
“I’ve been sitting with everything that came out last week, and I just want to say this: Being a part of SWAT for the past 8 seasons has been one of the great honors of my life. I poured my heart into playing Tan—and even more than that, into the team and friendships we built on and off screen,” Lim began in a new Instagram post addressing the spinoff for the first time.
“What made SWAT special wasn’t just the action, or one character. It was the squad. The bond. The camaraderie. The shared blood, sweat, tears, and laughs we gave to every episode. That effortless chemistry was there from the very first day we came together for the pilot, and it carried through all 8 seasons,” he continued. “I’m proud of how we fought for a ninth season. We believed we still had more to give, more stories to tell. We wanted it for our crew, for each other, and for the newer faces just joining us. It wasn’t in the cards for all of us—and that’s okay. We had a magical run and went out on a high note with those final two episodes.”
That’s when the energy shifted in tone as Lim pivoted from reflecting upon the show to addressing the planned spinoff. As Lim made it clear that learning of the spinoff stung, particularly with how word of the spinoff came without any mention of the rest of the cast. In Lim’s words, it felt as though the rest of the cast was brushed aside and overlooked, and he’s not at all wrong.
“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 SWAT from day one. After 8 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.”
Lim closed the statement in thanking fans for the messages of support that have come pouring through. He also seemed to hint that he's unsure what the future might hold and cast an understandable doubt over whether he might return to play Tan again.
While it is exciting to know that SWAT will live on and the spinoff will help keep 200 crew members employed, there is no denying that Sony Pictures TV dropped the ball with its handling of this spinoff. As Lim noted, what made SWAT special was not just one character, but rather the show’s ensemble.
There is no discounting Moore’s impact, and we’re glad he’s getting the chance to return for the spinoff; however, he alone is not what made the show special. It was about the whole unit, with each team member bringing something unique to the table and making the show into the series we fell in love with. Yes, it makes sense that Sony was unable to bring the entire ensemble back for this spinoff, but there doesn’t seem to be a reason they couldn’t have brought back at least a few additional members of the cast or, at the least, made an effort to find some way to involve the rest of the cast.
Lim and the rest of the cast fought just as hard to save the show each time it was canceled, including following its cancellation this year by CBS. They loved this show just as much as Moore, and it’s a real shame the cast was blindsided and cast aside in the way they have been.
We can only hope that Sony will reconsider its decision and find a way to bring more of the original cast back into the fold. At this point, who knows if the cast would even want to return after how Sony handled the reboot announcement.