Series star Shemar Moore is calling out CBS for canceling S.W.A.T. after six seasons. Recently, it was reported that the show had been axed, and this came as a surprise considering the high ratings the series was pulling in. The issue reportedly came down to financial disagreements behind the scenes, but in any case, Moore wants the network to know that they screwed up by pulling the plug on S.W.A.T., when the popular show was also the “most diverse” program that they had. The actor shared a video to Instagram to reveal that he’s now clean-shaven as a way of “starting fresh” and moving forward, but he’s also sharing his candid thoughts on the S.W.A.T. news.
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“It makes no sense,” Moore said of the situation, pointing out the high praise and viewership drawn by the show consistently over the past two years. “We’ve done nothing wrong. We did everything that was asked for.”

Moore says this cancelation is also bad news for diversity on television. He notes how he is the only African American male lead on broadcast television (not streaming or cable), pointing out how Chris O’Donnell was first on the call sheet over LL Cool J for NCIS: Los Angeles (which was also recently canceled, it should be noted). Moore then says how S.W.A.T. was the most diverse show on CBS altogether.

As Moore says, “S.W.A.T. is the most diverse show on CBS. CBS, when I got hired to be Hondo on S.W.A.T., was getting a lot of flak for lack of diversity. If I post this, and I think I might, I will get in a lot of trouble with CBS because I’m calling them out. Because they’ve been wonderful to me for 26 out of my 29-year career.”

He added, “But to abruptly get told that you’re canceled when you led us to believe last week, and the week before, and the week before that, that we would have some semblance of a season seven to at least say goodbye, if not continue. And to abruptly be told, ‘You’re done.’ Now, there’s a lot of politics… it’s all about money, y’all.”

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Shemar Moore Thinks S.W.A.T. Can Live On

CBS

While S.W.A.T. is seemingly finished at CBS, Moore hasn’t given up on continuing Hondo’s story. He further teases that he believes there’s a new life for the show that could be had, and he’s hoping that by the fans showing their support for the program, that will generate enough interest for CBS and Sony to work things out and order a new season of S.W.A.T.

“CBS is gonna wake up and realize their mistake,” Moore says. “Sony is going to realize that this is not the right move. I hope we can have a kumbaya and come back together and continue this show, because it’s a good time for families across the world.”

Moore then insists he’s not so much worried about himself, but he’s concerned about the rest of his S.W.A.T. family and crew. With that said, he admits he feels some hurt and disappointment over putting in so much just for the show to get canceled abruptly, despite its ongoing success.

“I will be fine, but I’m upset because I busted my whole entire ass to prove that I could do this, and I did prove that I could do this, but I’m also humble enough to know that I did not do this alone,” Moore says. “The world took us in and embraced us, and the ratings have only been getting better and better and better. I’m not bitter, I”m a little bit sad.”

He added, “I understand it’s not personal. It’s business. But I still have faith that S.W.A.T. will live to see another day. I don’t know where and I don’t know how. So I’m asking my homies, my fans and my baby girls, and the rest of the world who follow me or follow the show, follow the cast, my brothers and my sisters. Make some f**king noise, and let them know that canceling S.W.A.T. is a f**king mistake.”

Time will tell if Moore’s plea has an effect on S.W.A.T.’s fate.