S.W.A.T. Showrunner Says Departed Fan-Favorite Couple Are Due For On-Screen Return: “The Audience Would Love That”
The showrunner of S.W.A.T. season 8 teases the return of a fan-favorite couple. Even though S.W.A.T. season 8 will mark a new chapter for the CBS show, there is a lot of fondness for relatively recently departed cast members Alex Russell and Lina Esco. They played Jim Street and Christina Alonso, respectively, with Russell being the more recent departure from the hit action drama.
In an interview with TVLine, ahead of the season 8 premiere at 8 PM ET on Friday, October 18, showrunner Andrew Dettman addressed the possibility of fan-favorite couple Street and Alonso coming back for a wedding. Dettman offered an update on Street and Alonso, talking about hopes for them to have an on-screen wedding. Read the full quote below:
“You know, I would love to [do a wedding]. In our minds, Street and Chris are still very much part of the SWAT family.”
“[Street and Chris] are still together, doing their thing. We did that little nod that they’re engaged, always hoping that we would have the opportunity to [follow up with a wedding]. The door is open to all of the characters form the past [to return in some capacity], because I think the audience would love that and we would love that. The door is open for Luca or Street or Chris to somehow work back into some episodes. I would be thrilled about that.”
S.W.A.T. Perfectly Leaves The Door Open For Jim Street & Chris Alonso To Return
They Got Fitting Send-Offs
Esco, who portrayed Chris Alonso since the start of S.W.A.T., left the show in part to pursue other career opportunities after five seasons of being on the CBS show. It’s explained that Alonso shifts her focus to running a safe house for immigrant women. But the exit is handled amicably, with references to the character and her relationship with Street.
When asked about the chances of characters like Street and Chris returning, even Luca (Kenny Johnson), Moore has echoed that it’s possible because none of the former S.W.A.T mainstays were killed off.
Street’s departure from S.W.A.T. season 7 is more of a whirlwind. He works one more final case with Hondo (lead star Shemar Moore) before moving out of L.A. to reunite with Chris. When asked about the chances of characters like Street and Chris returning, even Luca (Kenny Johnson), Moore has echoed that it’s possible because none of the former S.W.A.T mainstays were killed off.
Cast departures on network series like S.W.A.T. happen for a variety of reasons, whether because the actor wants to move on, for budgetary reasons, or because the story calls for it. Those three key reasons can often be a combination that makes an unpopular exit difficult to avoid. But at least in this case, the possibility of a return remains alive and well.
