Ep 1. Pilot

S.W.A.T. (2017) is an American action television series which follows the Los Angeles Police Department's Special Weapons and Tactics team in their duty to protect the city from dangerous criminals. Season 1 episode 1, titled "Pilot," sets the groundwork for the series by introducing viewers to the main characters and the high-intensity situations they encounter while serving the public.

The episode begins with the LAPD attempting to diffuse a tense situation involving a gang of robbers who are holding a group of hostages in a bank. Despite the police's efforts to communicate directly with the robbers, the situation escalates quickly, leaving the SWAT team no choice but to intervene. The SWAT team, led by Sergeant Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson (played by Shemar Moore), successfully rescues the hostages, but not without significant collateral damage.

Following the bank robbery, Hondo is promoted to Team Leader of the SWAT team, but faces a difficult decision when he is tasked with leading a mission that he feels is unnecessarily high-risk. The mission is to arrest an infamous drug lord, T, who is holed up in a heavily guarded building.

Hondo consults with his longtime friend, Deacon (played by Jay Harrington), a member of his team, before accepting the mission. Though Hondo is unsure of the mission's success, he is determined to put his team's skills to the test and complete the task.

As the team prepares for the mission, they receive intel that T has also prepared for their arrival and has set traps and explosives throughout the building. Despite the danger, the team successfully infiltrates the building and captures T.

Throughout the episode, Hondo must balance his personal relationships with his duty to protect the city. He is torn between his relationships with his fellow officers, including his former flame, Jessica (played by Stephanie Sigman), and his duty to uphold the law and protect the public.

Despite the complexities and dangerous situations the team encounters, they successfully complete their missions through brilliant teamwork and precision tactics.

Overall, "Pilot" sets up the series well and establishes the high stakes and intense situations that SWAT team members must navigate in their line of work. The episode sets the tone for the series, leaving viewers eager to see what challenges the team will face in future episodes.