Alex Russell teases SWAT return, 'This one feels special!'

SWAT season 7 hasn’t quite been the same without the likes of Jim Street and Dominique Luca on 20 Squad. As two core members of the show’s central team since the beginning, fans are still adjusting to the exits of Alex Rusell and Kenny Johnson, whose journeys on the show came to a close before the halfway point in the season as the writers wrote off their respective characters Street and Luca. 

Lessening the sting of their departures was the fact that season 7 was intended to be the show’s final season and their exits tied into their characters' final season storylines. Well, now that the show has been renewed for an eighth season, fans are eager to know whether we might ever get the chance to see Street or Luca back in action as part of 20 Squad. 

At the moment, CBS has not announced the cast for season 8 nor has Russell or Johnson commented on their potential returns to reprise their fan-favorite characters. What is known, however, is that Russell is heading back to SWAT this season… just not in the way fans might be hoping. 

Alex Russell announces return to SWAT as the director of season 7 episode 10

Although we’d love to see Alex Russell return to SWAT in front of the camera to reprise his role of Jim Street, Russell’s upcoming return to the show will occur behind the scenes in a very meaningful way. As Russell revealed via Instagram, he’s recently returned to the SWAT set to take on directing duties for the tenth episode of season 13, “SNAFU,” which is slated to air Friday, April 26 at 8/7c on CBS. 

“ALL NEW SWAT Friday 8/7c on CBS. Directed by yours truly,” Russell shared on Instagram in a post shared on April 22 which was accompanied by a pair of behind-the-scenes photos from the set including one shot with Russell and his former co-star Shemar Moore.

Russell later offered up another round of behind-the-scenes photos from his return as director, while promising fans that the episode “feels special” as he gave a shoutout to the writer of the episode Charlie Haddaway for creating an amazing hour of television. 

“This Friday’s episode of SWAT is extra special because it’s written by my dear friend, the super-talented Charlie Haddaway. He wrote a damn good episode of television and everyone came together and worked super hard and really breathed life into it. This one feels special! Check it out Friday 8/7c on CBS,” Russell teased. 

The episode will see 20 Squad scrambling to track down a cold-blooded sniper who is terrorizing LA, one who ends up having a surprise connection to Hondo that “brings a personal twist to the hunt for the deadly shooter.” 

This marks the third time Russell has stepped behind the camera to direct an episode of SWAT. He made his directorial debut in season 5 as the director of the eighth episode of the season, “Safe House,” and put his director’s cap on again the following season as director of season 6, episode 10, “Witness.” 

Don’t miss a new SWAT this Friday at 8/7c on CBS!