S.W.A.T. Exiles episode 2 put a new puzzle at the center of the series: why Ethan will not let anyone open one door in his apartment. Showrunner Jason Ning explained the setup, and the fast-building chemistry between Hondo and his new boss, to TVLine.
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S.W.A.T. Exiles Episode 2: What Is Behind Ethan’s Door?
In the episode, which aired Oct. 2 on Starz, Ethan invites his fellow recruits to his apartment but forbids one of them, Jude, from opening a certain door. Jude backs off, and the contents stay a mystery.
“It is a bit of a mystery box, and we do get to see it at some point,” Ning told TVLine. “It pays off in a really cool, emotional way at the end of the season.”
Ethan is dealing with a recent brain injury that has affected how he processes emotions, according to TVLine. Ning said Ethan invited the group over because human contact helps his healing, and that his growth will not erase the core of who he is.
Hondo and Commander Pike
S.W.A.T. Exiles episode 2 also introduces Commander Angela Pike, played by Lenora Crichlow, as the new boss of Hondo, played by Shemar Moore. Ning said the pair clicked on screen right away: “as soon as we put them on screen, we knew there was chemistry.”
He stopped short of promising a romance for the pair introduced in S.W.A.T. Exiles episode 2. The writers are aware of the chemistry and are “monitoring the situation closely,” Ning said.
Where to Watch the Spinoff
The series follows retired operative Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, who must lead an experimental S.W.A.T. unit of untested young recruits after a major operation fails. The cast also includes Lucy Barrett, Adain Bradley, Zyra Gorecki, Freddy Miyares and Ronen Rubinstein, along with returning faces Jay Harrington and Patrick St. Esprit.
S.W.A.T. Exiles premiered Sept. 25 on Starz with a 10-episode order, and new episodes arrive on Fridays, according to TheWrap. Starz recently made headlines for another reason in our report on the Starz Fios blackout. For more on the studio behind the series, read about Sony Pictures Television’s Mike Wald retiring after 32 years.
