S.W.A.T. premieres November 2nd, 10pm on CBS.
Why develop a new cop show if they’re all the same anyway? S.W.A.T. is a reboot of the 70s TV show of the same name, but takes most of its queues from the 2003 movie that the original series inspired. It’s exactly what CBS wants in its prime time lineup: A shallow procedural with lots of sirens.
Reviewing a show like S.W.A.T. is pointless. You’ve already made up your mind if you’ll be watching or not. Fans of similar shows like NCIS and SEAL Team will ignore the script’s flaws and just sit back, relax, and enjoy the action unfold. More “informed” television viewers (some might call them pretentious) won’t give a second thought to this franchise.
It’s interesting to note that S.W.A.T. doesn’t really have a gimmick or anything special about it. Take another law enforcement program, such as Blue Bloods. Crime cases are of course a large part of that show, but family relationships and the characters’ home lives are big themes as well. S.W.A.T. has a solid star in Shemar Moore, yet it will need something besides mindless shooting to succeed, even on a basic network.
TV and City 