HOME / ENTERTAINMENT / TV

‘SWAT’ Season 4 Episode 3: Will Hondo adopt Darryl? Fans think kid will be 'messed up' when Leroy gets out of jail

Towards the end of the episode, titled 'The Black Hand Man', Hondo tells Darryl that he will not speak on his behalf at the parole hearing

Hondo (Shemar Moore) was in a dilemma after his imprisoned childhood friend Leroy (Michael Beach) asked him for a favor in the episode ‘The Black Hand Man’. Back in the episode ‘Homecoming’, Leroy asked Hondo to protect his son Darryl (Deshae Frost) from gang violence.

The favor brought Hondo and his SWAT team into contact with a new local crime outfit. Talking about Leroy, the leader of the outfit told Hondo, “Leroy’s been out of the game for a while.” Now, Hondo is conflicted as he needs to decide whether he should speak on Leroy's behalf at the parole hearing. 

Towards the end of the episode, Hondo tells Darryl that will not speak on his behalf at the parole hearing. "Listen to me please..." Hondo requests Darryl, noticing he is sad about it. Telling him how his mother warned him to "stay safe," Hondo narrated a childhood tale, "It took me years to realize she was terrified. You are 17 years old and you have so much to look forward to. But you make one wrong move and everything can go wrong." Not just that, Hondo also added, If I truly thought, he could be clean, I would have done it." 

Before that, Hondo called Darryl and asked, “You good?” That's when Darryl told him, “I just got out of class and got a call from prison.” Hondo asked, “Your pa?” Darryl explains how he said he might get an early release and that Hondo would help him at his parole hearing. “Oh, kid. I'm sorry I didn't know he was gonna reach out to you like that,” Hondo replied, adding, “Look, I haven't decided whether or not I will speak at the parole hearing.

When Hondo asked, “How are you feeling about the possibility of him being back?” Darryl remarked, “Excited, I guess, but nervous. I haven't seen him in the real world since I was a little kid. I spent half my life trying to be like him and the last couple trying not to...” Hondo assured him, “Darryl, as far as I'm concerned, I'm always going to be here for anything you need and no matter what happens with your father, nothing we have is going to change.” 

Fans love his relationship with Hondo and some even hope Hondo adopts him. "I want Darryl to stay with Hondo!!" one said and another posted, "Darryl wants to stay with Hondo! I hope and pray he does!" A third one said, "This kid is going to messed up when Leroy gets out of jail. I think Hondo should adopt him." 

When one fan said, "Love Darryl and Hondo’s relationship!" executive producer Aaron Rahsaan Thomas tweeted, "Agreed. @shemarmoore and @Deshae_Frost play well off each other. #SWAT@swatcbs." Now, with that thumbs up from Thomas himself, does that mean Hondo will adopt Darryl? After all, they do make a good team, don't they? 

Saying no to his request, Hondo told his friend Leroy that he would have to go through his parole hearing without his help. Even as Leroy begged him saying he was a changed man, Hondo didn't budge and put him on hold, saying "Next time!" Looking at Leroy's fit of rage, many fans feel Leroy might take revenge on Hondo for doing that.

"Yep Leroy is going to try to get revenge on Hondo. I see a storyline where Leroy pays some parolees to try to take out Hondo or worse his son Darryl will be kidnapped and taken from Hondo," one said and another posted, "Thank you Hondo you had Daryl best interest, Leroy was lying all along no plan to change." A third said, "He's raising your son, Leroy. Yet you can't be thankful for that?" And another added, "Leroy JUST proved Hondo was right in NOT talking on his behalf." 

The third episode of ‘SWAT’ Season 4 premiered on Wednesday, November 18 from 10-11 pm ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.