Season 8 Gets Two Cast Changes and Changes
The eighth season of SWAT has been dropping casting news, casting changes, and some updates on its story.
SWAT Season 8 will bring some significant cast changes as new character details are revealed ahead of the series’ return. Although originally set to end with season seven, CBS reversed course earlier this year and confirmed that SWAT would be getting an eighth season. However, with this confirmation came a slew of cast departures.
According to Deadline, S.WAT season 8 will see actress Annie Ilonzeh, best known for her role as Emily Foster on Chicago Fire, join the cast in a recurring capacity. Ilonzeh will play Devin Gamble, a character who promises to shake things up. In another change, Niko Pepaj has been promoted to series regular for upcoming episodes. Pepaj, who has played Miguel Alfaro since season 6, appearing in a total of 12 episodes, will now be a regular.
SWAT SEASON 8
New Featured Characters in SWAT Season 8
According to the character description, Devin Gamble was born into a family deeply involved in crime. This family background led her to develop a desire to free herself from her dark past. Gamble believed she had achieved her goal as a promising newcomer to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). However, her father’s arrest for a crime described as “heinous” forced her to leave Los Angeles and join the Oakland Police Department. Hondo (played by Shemar Moore) brought Gamble back, knowing that she would be an important part of his new team.
As for Miguel Alfaro, the character initially had problems with Jim Street (Alex Russell), but quickly adjusted and began helping the team. Alfaro’s increased presence follows a narrative thread that sees Hondo add two members to his team. However, SWAT Season 8 will also be missing some familiar faces, including Street.
Goodbyes and Expectations
Street and Kenny (Dominique Luca) were both written off in Season 7 of SWAT, though both characters are still alive and could return as guest stars. Rochelle Aytes, who played Hondo’s wife Nichelle, is also leaving the regular cast to take on a new role in the upcoming CBS series Watson. However, the hope is that she could still recur.
Either way, SWAT’s surprise eighth season will have a new dynamic and promises to bring a lot of new things to fans of the series.
