Actor Shemar Moore has taken to Instagram to voice his disappointment with CBS for canceling “S.W.A.T..” Moore has starred as LAPD Sargent Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson on the series since it premiered in November 2017. The show is an updated version of a 1970s procedural drama of the same name. CBS announced on May 5th that season 6, which ends on May 19th, will be the end of the series.
Moore took to social media to give his thoughts. “It makes no sense,” he said. “We’ve done nothing wrong. We did everything that was asked for.” He pointed out “S.W.A.T.” had grown its ratings over the past few seasons. Currently averaging 6.82 million viewers over seven days.
Not only does the show draw viewers, but he was also quick to point out how diverse it is too. “Did you know that I am the only African American male lead on network TV,” Moore asked. ” Noting while LL Cool J stars on “NCIS: Los Angeles” (also in its final season), Chris O’Donnell is number one on the call sheet. CBS is renewing “The Neighborhood” starring Cedric the Entertainer, “CSI: Vegas” starring Paula Newsome, and “The Equalizer” starring Queen Latifah.
“S.W.A.T.” is the most diverse show on CBS,” said Moore. “CBS, when I got hired to be Hondo on S.W.A.T., was getting a lot of flak for lack of diversity.” And while this may sound like sour grapes from someone who just lost their job, the actor says it goes a bit deeper than that. “I will get in a lot of trouble with CBS because I’m calling them out,” he explained. “Because they’ve been wonderful to me for 26 out of my 29-year career. But to abruptly get told that you’re canceled when you led us to believe last week — and the week before, and the week before that — that we would have some semblance of a season seven to at least say goodbye, if not continue. And to abruptly be told, ‘You’re done.’”
It seems the reason for the cancelation had more to do with politics and licensing, since it is a co-production between Sony Pictures TV and CBS Studios, which does complicate things. “S.W.A.T.” executive producer Shawn Ryan even mentioned some possible issues with a 7th season in an interview he gave in March. At the time he said another season was “up in the air.” “There’s no reason why the show shouldn’t be picked up, other than the economics of the business are changing,” Ryan said. “CBS and Sony will or will not figure out a way to economically make a season seven work.”
But Moore ended his video about “S.W.A.T.“’s cancellation with an air of optimism. “I understand it’s not personal — it’s business — but I still have faith that S.W.A.T. will live to see another day,” he said. “So I’m asking my homies, my fans and my baby girls, and the rest of the world who follow me or follow the show, follow the cast, my brothers and my sisters: Make some fucking noise. And let them know that canceling S.W.A.T. is a fucking mistake.”
UPDATE
As of 4:25pm on Monday, May 8th, CBS has officially changed their mind, and renewed “S.W.A.T.” for a 7th (and final) season!
You can catch “S.W.A.T.” on CBS, Hulu, and Paramount +. Check out Moore’s full video below:
