Shemar Moore won’t rule out returns of Deacon, Street, or Luca on SWAT

SWAT has been bidding farewell to characters for what was going to be the final season. With their unexpected renewal, can the show bring any of them back?

The CBS drama is in a very rare position for a show. TV history is filled with series planning for another season only to be unexpectedly canceled. Rarer is a show that was set to end only to get renewed. Such is the case with SWAT.

In May 2023, CBS outraged fans by canceling the popular series. The backlash was so huge that CBS agreed to bring the show back for a 13 episode final season. The 2023 Hollywood strikes delayed season 7 before it premiered in February 2024. 

The show has been shaking up the cast big time since that return. First, Street (Alex Russell) aided the San Diego SWAT team on a case. When their leader was killed in the line of duty, Street felt they needed leadership and decided to transfer over there. He had a low-key farewell while also revealing he was planning to pop the question to Chris.

Then, Luca (Kenny Johnson) was badly wounded in a shooting. While he recovered, his injuries meant he could no longer be on SWAT. Unable to take being in a desk job, Luca retired in a grand send-off by his teammates.

Finally, after wrestling with the question for a while, Deacon (Jay Harrington) decided it was time to retire. That left SWAT down several members, and clearly, this was meant to pave the way for the planned series finale on May 17.

However, CBS threw everyone by renewing the show for an eighth season. So does this mean there's a chance those departed members can return?

Shemar Moore on the return of past SWAT characters

It was obvious the producers were truly convinced that this was going to be the last ride for the show, and proper endings for Street, Luca, and Deacon were planned. So, having to start over is tricky as it's logical season 8 has Hondo leading a new team even if fans wish there's a way to bring the other guys back.

Speaking to Deadline, Shemar Moore shared how they had approached this year as a full finale in grand style.

"We were smart. At the tail end of the strike, me and the producers and the writers got together at my house and I said, 'Ok, what are we going to do this year?' I said, 'If this is it, let's go out with a bang. Let's give them our signature. Let's give them the action: helicopters, chase scenes, motorcycle chases, fight scenes, Hondo sprinting through an alley. Let's rock them.'.. So when you get to the finale, you'll see we shaped it in a way that it's either our swan song or our new beginning. We literally didn't change anything in the writing."

Obviously, had the producers known there was a chance CBS would change their minds, they wouldn't have given such final exits for the characters. Thankfully, Moore addressed the possibility of some of those guys returning. 

"Change is hard; so now we have some OGs, myself as Hondo, Deacon, Hicks , Tan and some newbies. But regarding those people that you miss, nobody died. And in the world of Hollywood, anything can happen."

For the chances to bring folks back, Deacon is the easiest as he might realize retirement isn't quite right for him and agrees to come back to the team. Street likewise left the door open as he could feel the San Diego SWAT team's now in good enough shape that he could make his way back to L.A. It'd also be great to see Chris joining him, especially if they've finally gotten married.

Luca is the trickiest as the show made it pretty clear his injuries prevent him from ever being back on SWAT and his retirement seems to close the door to a return. He may pop in now and then for a cameo, as it's logical he'll have set up some sort of security business to work with the team. However, a full return to duty appears unlikely. 

It's an odd situation, as rarely does a TV show get a chance to craft a good finale and then have to undo it. At least it looks like SWAT could still bring some old faces back while mixing in some new characters for a full season 8 that continues the show's remarkable run.

SWAT season 7 airs Fridays at 8/7c on CBS.