S.W.A.T. Fans Left Disappointed by Series Finale Following Cancellation
Just because S.W.A.T. is concluding for the third time doesn’t mean that viewers will feel fulfilled by the finale.
In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, star Annie Ilonzeh shared that it’s “really hard to say satisfied” regarding the series finale, adding, “There was so much more juice to squeeze out of it. So you’re really like, ‘Wait, I just left a whole meal on the table. I am not full. I’m not satisfied.’”
Ilonzeh, along with the rest of the cast, expressed their appreciation for the attempt at closure.
“In terms of storytelling and being a farewell, I think we’re all content with where these futures would lead,” she mentioned. “But it still leaves you with some questions. There are questions.”
Inspired by the 1975 TV show and the 2003 film adaptation of the same name, S.W.A.T. focuses on the Los Angeles Police Department. The CBS series debuted in 2017 and ran for six seasons before it was set for a seventh and final season. CBS later reversed this decision, allowing S.W.A.T. to receive a season 8. However, that celebration was short-lived, as the network cancelled the show for a second time in March.
“This show is so damn good. I’m talking about everything that happened in front of the camera and behind the scenes — all of it combined. It’s such a disappointment [but] we’re still fighting,” Ilonzeh, 41, explained. “We’ve got our petition with 70,000 signatures and it’s still gaining momentum. Every time we launch a significant push on our socials, people join the fight by signing and reposting, and we’ve gotten some interest.”
Ilonzeh emphasized that the fight for renewal is not over.
“We are crossing our fingers. There is an ongoing discussion. I hope I can share that we really did it — we rallied for a third time,” she added. “But we’re making noise. Producers and interested streamers are noticing — they’re acknowledging, ‘OK, this matters.’ If we can plug and play, we’re all set to go. We don’t want this journey to end.”
If S.W.A.T. were to be renewed again, it would be its last, with Ilonzeh stating, “I was just talking to [my co-star] Shemar [Moore] yesterday, and he said, ‘If we do this for a third time — whenever we are canceled again — I will be fine with it. I won’t be fighting for a fourth [time] because we really did it and we’ll conclude on that note.’ We will finish with the fight and the victory and take in all of this and get the most out of it. We will know that we did it, we did our part, and we can walk away happy campers.”
The cast of the beloved procedural is genuinely appreciative of the tremendous fan support.
“What a remarkable achievement, if we could reach double-digit seasons. It’s still fantastic to celebrate enduring television with a devoted fan base. That becomes your family,” Ilonzeh concluded. “We’re holding out hope that our petition numbers will continue to rise. We also hope that they take our voice seriously and think, ‘Let’s make this happen.’”
S.W.A.T. airs on CBS Fridays at 10 p.m. ET. New episodes stream the following day on Paramount+.
