Why SWAT Season 7 Was The Last For Alex Russell And Kenneth Johnson

SWAT season 7 demoted two original cast members, with Kenny Johnson and Alex Russell having significantly fewer appearances in the most recent season. SWAT returned to CBS for season 7 after a complicated cancelation and then a reversal due to an issue that came down to budgeting and licensing fees, and there were several shake-ups in the cast. SWAT season 7 saw Anna Enger Ritch upgraded to a main cast member after recurring for most of season 6 as Zoe Powell. However, that wasn’t the only casting shakeup.

Despite being main cast members from SWAT seasons 1-6, Kenny Johnson and Alex Russell only featured in season 7 as guest stars. This was a huge shift, and while the promotion of Anna Enger Ritch’s Zoe Powell helped fill the gap somewhat, many viewers still noted the lack of screen time for Johnson’s Dominique Luca and Russell’s Jim Street. The creative reasons for the change in the

cast were tied to the original plan for SWAT season 7 to be the last.

Why Dominique And Jim Were Hardly In SWAT Season 7

Plans were Made For The Character’s Exits When Season 7 Was Due To Be The End Of SWAT

It was confirmed in February 2024 that two of the original regular cast members would only be appearing in a recurring guest capacity in SWAT season 7. Prior to the seaoon premiere, TVLine confirmed that Kenneth “Kenny” Johnson and Alex Russell, who respectively play Dominique Luca and Jim Street, will only recur during SWAT season 7.

While the announcment was made prior to CBS reversing the cancelation and confirming SWAT season 8, the plan wasn’t changed for the 7th season to be the final appearances for Jim Street and Dominique Luca. When the decision was made public, showrunner Alex Dettmann gave his assurances that there’d be a satisfying ending for the two original cast members before they left SWAT:

“Looking at [Season 7] being the final 13 [episodes], we wanted to give everybody their proper curtain call, so the episodes that we have for them are really focused on their characters and the evolution of their storylines.

“I’m really excited about the episodes we have for [Luca and Street]. The idea for the final 13 was that, if this was the end for us, nobody feels like they were underserved. There are some really good episodes for Alex and Kenny, for Street and Luca.”

How SWAT Season 7 Handled The Departures

Street And Luca Both Got Intense Send-Off Episodes

While SWAT will continue with season 8 and potentially beyond, season 7 was the end of the road for Jim Street and Dominique Luca. Neither appeared much in the most recent season, with Kenny Russell’s Jim Street only featuring in a single episode, and Alex Russell’s Dominique Luca only present for two. Season 7, episode 5, “End of the Road” marked the final appearance of Jim Street, who audiences got to see one final time as he worked with Hondo when a case became too big for his new team (Long Beach SWAT) and Street called in the LAPD for help.

Luca’s farewell from SWAT was a little more bittersweet than Street’s.

Luca’s farewell from SWAT was a little more bittersweet than Street’s. While Jim Street moved out of LA to settle in with a new team and his romantic partner, Chris, Dominique Luca was shot while trying to stop a robbery in episode 7, “Last Call”. He didn’t die, but he was significantly injured. While he managed to make a recovery and put away the criminal who shot him, the bullet severed a nerve that severely impeded his ability to move his hands fast enough to draw a weapon in time. This effectively put an end to his career, and Luca left the LAPD SWAT team — a decision that he was incredibly emotional about.

Every Major SWAT Exit, Explained

Street And Luca Aren’t The Only Characters To Leave SWAT

Street and Luca may have left the cast after SWAT season 7, but they’re not the only character exits on the show. An early departure from SWAT involved Stephanie Sigman, who played the role of Jessica Cortez. Initially the Commanding Officer of the LAPD Metropolitan Division and love interest of lead character Hondo (Shemar Moore), it was explained that Cortez left the LAPD for a job at the FBI. Off-camera, it was explained that Sigman left the CBS series to explore other opportunities.

SWAT season 7 demoted two original cast members, with Kenny Johnson and Alex Russell having significantly fewer appearances in the most recent season. SWAT returned to CBS for season 7 after a complicated cancelation and then a reversal due to an issue that came down to budgeting and licensing fees, and there were several shake-ups in the cast. SWAT season…