The CBS drama felt well poised to react to the unrest since cop-community relations were already in its DNA.
Several meetings including a particularly long one in Moore’s backyard would follow between the actor and writers.
We actually looked at it as an advantage.
There is an element of influence that we hold.
The question is, what are you going to do with that responsibility?
We had been addressing these issues for the previous three seasons.
SHEMAR MOORE:It’s fun to be on an exciting, kick-ass cop show.
I’m the lead actor and I’m proud to have achieved that.
But I’m also a producer on the show.
I felt that there was an opportunity and a large responsibility to stay, as they say,woke.
I saw plenty of Andy Sipowiczs and Spenser for hires and Kojaks.
Even Gil Grissom onCSI.
SR:I’m not saying that we’re suddenly presenting a “woke cop” on our show.
AT:No one wants to be preached to.
We want it to be entertaining.
That’s the goal.
What can we expect from tonight’s premiere?
We got the idea of doing a flashback episode to when Hondo was 17 years old.
So we thought we’d film this word for word for season 4.
Then the social unrest hit this summer and caused us to reevaluate everything.
We did keep major elements but added a modern-day element of what was going on in this country.
It made it better.
And then, what Darryl is going through with the rest of us this past summer.
SM:We find a nice balance so you don’t feel like you are watching the news.
It’s our most ambitious season yet.
I don’t know that we’re done seeing them.
These things go back and forth.
So I don’t know if the antiheroes are necessarily going away.
The fourth season ofS.W.A.T.debuts tonight at 9 p.m.
