SWAT boss confirms the return of SPOILER in season 8

SWAT season 7 has come to an end, and thanks to CBS’s decision to uncancel the series, 20 Squad will return for another season in the fall and when they return it seems they’ll be doing so with a newly minted official member of the squad. 

In a post-mortem interview with TVLine, SWAT showrunner Andrew Dettman confirmed that Niko Pepaj, who joined the show as a recurring character in season 6 and returned in season 7, will be coming back to reprise his role as Officer Miguel Alfaro. It was hinted that Alfaro would be officially joining 20 Squad in the season 7 finale and Dettman has confirmed he will be one of six 20 Squad team members featured in the upcoming eighth season of the show. 

Season 7 was a rough one for Alfaro who was trying everything in his power most of the season to get a permanent position on 20 Squad. After weathering some rough waters in the final two episodes of the season, Alfaro finally proved himself to 20 Squad’s other members and will be a permanent fixture on the team next season. 

He’ll be joined by Hondo, Powell, Deacon, and Tan as well as a yet-to-be-determined member of the team who will round out the six-member squad. 

Dettman wouldn’t reveal who that sixth team member might end up being telling TVLine, “ we’ll have to see what Hondo decides for Season 8,” when asked about who the final member of the team will be. While we don’t know who it the show might tap to fill the final spot on the team, we do know who won’t be coming back to 20 Squad next season. 

SWAT won’t be bringing Street of Luca back for season 8 as series regulars

While SWAT might be coming back for another season, the show will not be bringing back Alex Russell or Kenny Johnson as series regulars. Both Russell and Johnson’s roles on the show were reduced in season 7 with original members of the cast both being reduced from series regulars to guest stars in what was supposed to be the final season. 

Russell appeared in just one episode as Jim Street, while Johnson’s character Dominique Luca appeared in only two episodes as part of his character’s sendoff. 

SWAT showrunner Andrew Dettman reminded us that the two characters are alive and could potentially return in the future but was quick to make it clear that neither actor will be coming back as a series regular next season telling TVLine, “I don’t see them coming back [as series regulars], at least not in the near future.” 

The departure of both Russell and Johnson from the show was a creative decision and both actors did leave on good terms. Russell even returned to direct an episode in season 7 following his character’s last episode. What seems to have happened is that the pair were let go from their series regular roles as cost-cutting efforts which is a common practice these days. Many shows have had to let longtime members of the cast go or reduce the number of episodes they appear in in order to save money in the ever-changing landscape that is broadcast. 

While we won’t be seeing Street or Luca back as main characters, we do hope the SWAT writers find a way to bring them back into the mix somehow in the future as we missed both characters across the seventh season. 

SWAT returns for season 8 this fall on CBS!