Apprehension was always going to be part of the S.W.A.T. spinoff.
S.W.A.T. Exiles was a huge risk, a show that was filmed long before a network even greenlit it.
There were some well-meaning reasons behind the risk, such as keeping 300+ people in jobs in Los Angeles after CBS canceled S.W.A.T., but the question was always whether the new series was needed.
Shemar Moore brought it up, making it clear that if this series was going to go ahead, it needed to be different from the mothership.
So, despite all my apprehension, I decided to go into this series with a completely open mind, and I’m so glad I did.
A Darker Vibe — Both In View and Feel
From the very beginning of S.W.A.T. Exiles’ series premiere, it’s clear things will be different.
Hondo has a hard edge, showing he’s been through struggles in the two years since S.W.A.T. ended.
It doesn’t take long to understand why he has that edge, either. He’s divorced from Nichelle and sees his daughter less than he thought he would have when she was born.
As we get through the episode, we learn that his mother died during that time, and he still struggles to drive by her house, which he’s had to sell.
Hondo shows animosity toward Hicks, who he believes didn’t have his back when push came to shove, and Hondo was forced into retirement.
The system has worked against him for years, making it clear that it would rather protect itself than admit failures.
Once Hondo is back with the force, the building takes on a darker vibe. It looks like a basement of an old police station rather than the high-tech, grand setting 20-Squad experienced.
All this sets the tone for what to expect, making it clear that while there will still be some similarities to the original series, we can’t expect everything to be the same.
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S.W.A.T. Exiles Doesn’t Waste Too Much Time on Backstory
One thing I feared going in was having to wait a few episodes to find out why Hondo was pushed out in the first place.
I thought we might get a few teases here and there, but the full story would come out around the midway point.
So, when the answers all came out by the halfway point of S.W.A.T. Exiles, I was relieved. It meant that I could get into the vibes of the new show and focus on the new characters.
Now, part of me wishes the failed mission had something to do with 20-Squad, but having a never-before-seen character die keeps the door open for more S.W.A.T. characters to return.
And there are some intriguing characters.
They have their own backstories to tease out, and none of them seem suited for each other.
When this show was initially promoted, my immediate reaction was that we were getting a Suicide Squad team, and everyone told me I was wrong.
They kept saying nothing hinted that the top brass didn’t really care about them.
Well, I was right!
As Hondo quickly works out, nobody cares about them. They have all screwed up in some way, and it’s like the top brass wants to prove that none of them are worthy of being on the force.
They’re too focused on what their followers think, or they have a history that prevents them from trusting other people.
Getting Hondo’s story out of the way quickly gives the new characters’ backstories room to breathe, and I look forward to learning more about them.
Will they rub me the wrong way? Absolutely! There’s a lot not to like about each and every one of them, but I could say that about Hondo, too.
None of these characters are “perfect.” They’ll make mistakes and say something dumb, but that’s what makes a grounded, realistic cop drama.
I’m here to be annoyed, and I’m here to see how Gen X and Gen Z work together — man, Hondo has his work cut out for him!
That moment Sammy put the book on his desk had me howling. It was my favorite part of the installment.
A Mole Story With a Twist
Now yes, I rolled my eyes hard at the introduction of a mole storyline in the S.W.A.T. Exiles trailer.
It’s an overdone premise, and I just didn’t want to have to figure out who we were second-guessing as we got to know them.
Then the first hour didn’t even seem to touch on the idea of a mole. Hondo didn’t mention it, and nobody seemed that off.
In fact, the focus seemed to be on someone at the top trying to get rid of Hondo and even S.W.A.T. as a whole.
Then the twist came at the end, and we learned that Malik Henderson is going to be the mole. And yes, going to be.
Not that he is right now.
We get that very last scene where he agrees to work on the inside for some unknown face, and my guess is it’s someone at the top who is frustrated that Hondo managed to pull off a mission without support.
Remember, Henderson came back to the team after Hondo figured out what was going on and put the mission together with Sammy, Ethan, Jude, and Cassidy.
What are the chances that someone at the top reached out to him between him walking away in anger and deciding to come back?
Now that we know who the mole is, it sets up an intriguing story.
We get to like the other team members, and we get to see whether Henderson has a chance at redemption as he gets to know the real Hondo.
Hondo already has a soft spot for Henderson, noting that he’s an ex-Marine, and it’ll be fun to watch how his own bias plays a part in potentially overlooking the danger Henderson poses.
So, I’m here for it. S.W.A.T. Exiles offers something a little bit different from an overdone plot, and I want to see how it ends.
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