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Adorable fan favorite Shemar Moore is getting serious with his latest TV project, S.W.A.T.
Although it has the same upbeat theme song as the original 1975 show — which may evoke thoughts of unease — Moore said his version of S.W.A.T. This is not the case. Considering the political and social environment we are in, there are many leading issues in policing that need to be addressed.
“We upgraded S.W.A.T. for 2017,” Moore said, cheekily referencing the theme song, which he said was the same but “had a little more flavor.”
Perhaps most notable is the quote from the first trailer, where a black citizen questions Moore’s S.W.A.T. group member Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, what color is he: black or blue? The so-called “blue curtain” (a code of silence among police officers) is a much-discussed topic these days, especially in the US, and Moore said the 2017 edition of S.W.A.T. Don’t shy away from any topic.
But it’s not all heaviness, he said. Of course, there will be content that delves into interpersonal relationships and character development stories, as is the case with every primetime drama. Global News caught up with the diverse cast of S.W.A.T. at the Television Critics Association’s summer session, and here are some things we learned about the show.
S.W.A.T. was partly inspired by real-life experiences with police officers
Some of the actors know police officers in real life, and coupled with the recent spate of police shootings of unarmed black men in the United States, this could be a complicated, dichotomous situation when portrayed on network television. The showrunners (and Moore) are confident that they will be able to pull it off.
Co-executive producer Aaron Rahsaan Thomas believes real-life inspiration was key to authenticity and made Moore’s character especially compelling, since as a biracial man, he would have to juggle both sides.
“On the one hand, a 12-year-old child who was my neighbor was shot and killed by the police,” he said. “On the other hand, another neighbor of mine is also a real police officer, so we had a love-hate relationship with police growing up.
I’ve always felt as though someone who understood both sides of the Black Lives Matter vs. Blue Lives Matter debate would make a compelling character. So it was time to think about a show idea, an idea of a character, combine that with an iconic title like S.W.A.T. It seemed to me a really, really great place to start. An entertainment show as well as a recent conversation is making its way into the zeitgeist about someone who could be on both sides of that debate.”
“I think the characters on the show are heroes and I think you can support the police but also support the truth, but there are certain situations, times and events that should not happen,” I said. “What interests me about this show is looking at the police and the communities they’re policing, and seeing if there’s a way to bring these people closer together, and Hondo really is that means.”
This is not just a ‘stupid’ action program
It’s tempting to think of S.W.A.T. just another cop show with no substance, but it seems like the entire cast and crew are on to something bigger and better. Their ultimate fear is that people skip the show before watching it.
