S.W.A.T.

I’m an avid TV series watcher, and the list of the series I’ve finished is pretty long. Because of that, I find some TV series to be repetitive and boring. I do like action series, but most are pressing on either the super-heroic chord or the dramatic one. It’s difficult to find a good action show that has good character development and realistic action sequences.

S.W.A.T. is one of them. No, not the movie. Never the movie. The movie is terrible. It wouldn’t be missed if that movie never seen a light of day ever again. I’m talking about the series. It’s based on similar characters from the movie, which is based on some other series aired in 1975.

True, the acting can be better in certain cases (Jim Street is played by someone acts like a guest kid actor), but the backstories and the diversity of people are remarkable. The acting of Shemar Moore is the force pulling the show forward (though gets a bit repetitive) and Hondo is a great character with stories from BLM and Marine roots.

What captivated me was the attention to realism and tactical movement. S.W.A.T. teams are highly trained and tactical, and they make split second decisions by evaluating the options in the moment. But they enter into calculated and weighed situations, keep it in their control. They move in pairs and pragmatically, and are ready to act on & adapt to shifting situations.

The show reflects this nicely, and you can feel how much the actors train in the action sequences. They may not be police force themselves, but they certainly act like it and do it nicely.

I also loved how much emphasis they put onto the distrust between the police and the black community. The history, the George Floyd tribute, the attempts to have civilian first responders for mental illness related calls, the difficulties that the police are having, the corruption within the force, all of it was nicely embedded into the stories. Highlighting the issues on both sides, putting the spotlight on characters trying to overcome those issues, was a nice touch.

Anyway, I’ve managed to finish the 6 seasons, and now I’m waiting for the 7th and final season. I do think the show has the potential to go for a longer run, especially with some more character changes, but it’s better to see them end on a high note than as a disappointment.