Of the shows that are ending or being canceled in 2025, S.W.A.T. is arguably one of the biggest titles on the list. The CBS procedural – led by Shemar Moore and available with a Paramount+ subscription – met its demise earlier this year after having escaped the cancellation axe twice in the last few years. However, major news arrived in May, when a spinoff series, subtitled Exiles, was announced, with Moore returning to head it up. That move reportedly rubbed some other franchise alums the wrong way, including David Lim, who reacted while an exec shared their take on the pick-up.
What Did David Lim Have To Say About S.W.A.T. Exiles Being Greenlit After The Parent Show’s Cancellation?
Throughout all eight seasons of S.W.A.T, David Lim played the role of Officer III Victor Tan, a devoted team player with a keen knowledge of drug trafficking in Los Angeles. Upon wrapping Season 8, Lim was among the cast members who marked the end of production with a sentimental social media post. Following the spinoff announcement, Lim returned to Instagram after “sitting with everything” and expressed his pride over the work he and his colleagues did for eight years. Lim also got real about how he took the spinoff news:
I’d be lying if I said the rollout of the new spinoff didn’t sting. It was tough to see it announced just two days after our finale—with no mention of the cast who helped build S.W.A.T. from day one. After 8 incredible seasons, it felt like we were brushed aside when there could’ve been a moment of reflection and recognition—for the people who built this show, and for the impact it had on so many.
The Quantico alum’s post was accompanied by a group shot of the TV drama’s cast and crew. He went on to thank the fans for their support, and the warm messages they’ve sent him as of late. While the star is saddened by the “sting” of a new show being revealed so quickly, and with a new cast, he “couldn’t be more proud” of what he and his collaborators managed to create. As he put it, “no version of this story can take that away.” Check out the post below:
Everyone certainly has their own perspective when it comes to a given situation, especially when it comes to a matter like this one. It goes without saying that David Lim – who shared his hopes for the show to continue ahead of its cancellation – is certainly entitled to his feelings. All the while, some may wonder how the big brass at Sony TV feels about all of this.
How Did A Sony Exec Explain The Circumstances Behind The Spinoff?
Since the announcement of S.W.A.T. Exiles, the producers have been open about how they sought to keep the franchise going. Sony TV Studios bosses Katherine Pope, Keith Le Goy and Ravi Ahuja were instrumental in making the new show happen. Pope and Le Goy participated in an interview with Variety, during which they discussed the spinoff’s conception. As Pope explained, it all began with her and others attempting to keep the OG show going at CBS:
We were working so hard to try and get a new home for ‘S.W.A.T.’ the mothership. And Keith said to me, ‘Well, what about that spinoff we’ve always talked about?’ We knew the power of the brand and the power of the team, and then we started thinking about the need to keep our crew, the need to keep our stages, our desire to keep the show in L.A. with everything going on in our city and in our business. That just provided a bit of urgency to the whole thing. We thought about it, talked about the team, talked about the creative. I give it to Keith and Ravi for saying, ‘let’s just keep going. Let’s roll into it, and we’ll find great partners, and we’ll find the right home for it. But let’s not delay If that means keeping our crew together, keeping this show’s heart intact. Let’s just do it.’ And so that’s it. It’s all happened so fast.
That fast timeline tracks with what’s been reported in recent weeks regarding behind-the-scenes issues. Apparently, the cast and most of the writers of the mothership show only learned about the offshoot a few days before it was announced to the public. Sources claimed at the time that some of them were taken aback after hearing about what was set to happen. Shemar Moore himself shared “bittersweet” feelings about moving forward with the new show but said that he was “not gonna apologize” for the opportunity.
S.W.A.T. Exiles will see Shemar Moore’s Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson training a new team of young recruits. While there will be new faces in the mix, Katherine Pope and co. also promised in that same interview that some franchise vets will appear. So that could open the door for David Lim and others to reprise their roles. Nevertheless, a potential guest spot is different from series regular status.
Regardless of the difference of opinion on the situation, S.W.A.T. Exiles is still being shopped around, and 10 episodes have been ordered. While the show remains in the works, fans can check out the OG series, which is streamable with a Netflix subscription.