Shemar Moore and the cast of S.W.A.T. have entertained audiences for years. Despite its cancellation, CBS decided to bring the show back for a final season, much to the fans’ delight. Over the years, the show has had its ups and downs. For example, many fans consider Annie Kay (played by Bre Blair) to be their least favorite character. But when it comes to deciding which episodes are the least popular, it’s useful to understand the context.
One episode, “3 Seventeen Year Olds,” from Season 4, which aired in November 2020, has the lowest IMDb rating of 6.4 out of 10. This rating is based on almost 800 votes. The timing of this episode is significant because it came after the George Floyd protests. The episode deals with the LA Riots of 1992 and connects it to current racial justice movements, which seems to have influenced its rating.
Some viewers were unhappy with the political themes in this episode. For instance, IMDb user losey_michelle gave it a one-star rating, saying, “All the Fall shows so far are so political! I’m so tired of it I’m ready to cancel my subscription again and go back to just watching Netflix and Prime. They are one-sided too!!” Similarly, user sosohappy-60885 complained, “I just wanna watch TV after a long day. It’s bad enough I see this daily on the news and ALL social media, but TV shows now too? Ughh.”
On the other hand, some viewers found “3 Seventeen Year Olds” to be deeply impactful. The episode is highly polarizing, with some giving it a perfect 10/10 rating. For instance, a Reddit thread has many comments from viewers who felt emotional and moved by how the episode addressed the complicated relationship between the Black community and the police. Redditor u/Fragrant-Humor-2816 said, “This episode though… the tears… it was so intensely beautiful, heartbreaking, intense. It broke me again.”
Others, like IMDb user carolynjackson-71670, rated it 8/10, noting that police shows should highlight both the strengths and flaws within the system. They believe that while a single episode won’t resolve deep sociopolitical issues, it can keep important conversations going.
Everyone has their own take on TV episodes, and S.W.A.T.‘s attempt to tackle serious issues with “3 Seventeen Year Olds” shows how art and politics often intersect. While some viewers might prefer their entertainment free of political content, others appreciate when shows engage with real-world issues.
