Darryl Henderson hasn’t been seen in SWAT for a while, here’s what happened to him. After ending his stint on Criminal Minds as Derek Morgan, Shemar Moore went on to lead his own CBS procedural as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson. While he is undoubtedly the show’s true lead, SWAT’s success comes from its supporting cast, which includes Darryl, who is not only tied to Hondo professionally, but they also have a deep personal bond.
Played by DeShae Frost, Darryl has been a recurring character in SWAT since season 1. He wasn’t part of the original cast, but he was introduced in the episode, “Homecoming.” He didn’t become a more prominent character in the show until later in season 2. Throughout his stint in SWAT, Darryl was an integral character in Hondo’s arc. As the son of his incarcerated friend, Leroy, Hondo took it upon himself to help navigate his life. Despite some difficulties, the pair eventually developed a deep bond, which resulted in Hondo officially adopting Darryl as his own son.
Darryl Is At College In SWAT Seasons 5 & 6
Hondo and Darryl’s collective arc is arguably one of the best in SWAT. Amid the crime-fighting thrill of the procedural, the characters’ human connection is what grounds it. So, it’s understandably frustrating that the show has yet to bring back Darryl again since the end of season 4. This means that he wasn’t in SWAT seasons 5 and 6. The last proper update about the character established that he opened an auto shop with his Leroy. Aside from that, however, he is busier studying in college, which effectively explains his absence.
Despite sitting out the last couple of SWAT seasons, the show hasn’t fully forgotten Darryl. Thanks to Hondo’s occasional stories about him, it has been revealed that he has finally moved into his own place — a great development, considering his checkered past. It also indicates that the pair maintains a great relationship, even though it doesn’t play out on the screen. After SWAT was canceled and then uncancelled by CBS, however, the police procedural still had more time to bring him back for a final appearance. Otherwise, another update from Hondo will be great.
How Darryl Can Still Return For SWAT Season 7
SWAT has seen its fair share of departures, including the Lina Esco and Jessica Cortez. However, amid a string of missing characters in the show, Darryl has the best chance of returning. For starters, his continued great relationship with Hondo will make it fairly simple for him to be reincorporated into the series. Perhaps he pop back in while he’s on break from college. If CBS wants to prominently feature him before the show fully bows out, maybe a final Darryl-centric storyline can play out, which also increases the stakes given Hondo’s ties to him.