Shemar Moore is back on TV as Hondo in S.W.A.T.: Exiles, airing Fridays on Starz.
The actor told Good Housekeeping how fans made the show possible.
Shemar also teased what’s to come from S.W.A.T.: Exiles season two.
Shemar Moore is officially back on TV.
More than a year after CBS canceled S.W.A.T., the actor is reprising Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson in the spinoff series S.W.A.T.: Exiles, airing Fridays on Starz. The show follows Hondo as he leaves retirement to lead an experimental unit of new agents.
Shemar knows fan loyalty isn’t something to take for granted. When he stopped by the Good Housekeeping office to promote S.W.A.T.: Exiles, he said fans agreed with him that Hondo’s story wasn’t over.
“I tried to be respectful, but I tried to be honest,” he told us about the later years of S.W.A.T. and coming back for the spinoff. “I just said, ‘Hey, make it make sense.’ I just didn't feel like we were done yet, and I understand nothing in life, let alone this game of Hollywood, lasts forever. While the fans made some noise, I really believe they wouldn't love me if I didn't put out a product that they can engage in. So it's not just me is my point—it's the show, and they fell in love with the show."
Now that S.W.A.T. has expanded beyond one series, Shemar is ready to give fans a new taste of Hondo with new cases, recruits, and more. And with S.W.A.T.: Exiles already renewed for season two, he says there’s more room to play with the storylines than the show has ever had before.
“I will admit that because we made a show with no platform, fans may feel like it’s similar to its time on a network,” he added. “We had to be a little more PG or safe because we didn't know who was going to pick us up. Now with Starz being our home, oh, it's on and cracking. I'm excited for everyone to see season one. But I'm focused on season two because no matter what you feel about season one, I already know we're going to bring the heat in season two.”
While fans don’t know what’s next, Shemar is insistent that both he and the future of S.W.A.T.: Exiles wouldn’t be where they are without them.
“What I do know is, without Young and the Restless, at least for me, there's no Criminal Minds,” he concluded. “Without Criminal Minds, there's no S.W.A.T., and without the success of S.W.A.T., Starz ain't paying attention to us. So, one leads to the other. So it's not just about being on TV and being a cool actor—there's a lot that goes into it. But yeah, without the success of the mothership, there is no S.W.A.T.: Exiles.”
We can’t wait to tune in!
