The Shocking Truth Behind Kenny Johnson's Departure from The Shield in Season 6
Kenny Johnson's departure from The Shield in season 6 was driven by creative decisions However, this exit ultimately opened doors for him, leading to a new role on the television series SWAT
Summary
Kenny Johnson's character, Detective Lem, was killed off in The Shield for creative reasons and was a part of the show's planned ending.
The rest of the cast members of the show were initially unhappy with Johnson's departure but eventually came to comprehend the decision made by the writers. Following his stint on The Shield, Johnson secured a role on S.W.A.T. based on his professional connection with creator Shawn Ryan.
Regrettably, Kenny Johnson's portrayal of Detective Curtis "Lem" Lemansky did not span all seven seasons of The Shield due to the actor's departure after the season 5 finale. The FX crime drama aired from 2002 to 2008, revolving around the corrupt Strike Team, a faction of police officers operating within the Los Angeles Police Department. Their tactics, often unlawful, were employed to increase their success rate, without much consideration for dispensing justice in the community.
In addition to Johnson's role as Lem, the central cast of The Shield featured Michael Chiklis as Vic Mackey, Walton Goggins Jr. as Shane Vendrell, and David Rees Snell as Ronnie Gardocki. Other key members who appeared throughout the show's seven seasons included Catherine Dent as Danny Sofer, Reed Diamond as Terry Crowley, Michael Jace as Julien Lowe, Jay Karnes as Dutch Wagenbach, Benito Martinez as David Aceveda, and Glenn Close as Monica Rawling. While various actors joined and left the series over its duration, Johnson's departure was particularly astonishing.
Kenny Johnson’s Curtis Lemansky Was Killed Off For Creative Reasons
In a shocking turn of events during the season 5 finale of The Shield, Shane made the tragic choice to drop a grenade into Lem's car, resulting in his death. Misguided by the belief that Lem would implicate the rest of the Strike Team in the Money Train heist, Shane thought he was protecting himself and his friends. However, this act only sealed Shane's fate and caused him to lose someone he considered a close friend.
The decision to write off Kenny Johnson's character, Lem, from the show was made by the writers for creative purposes. In a 2022 interview conducted by Entertainment Weekly with the cast and crew of The Shield, creator Shawn Ryan revealed that he had a specific plan for how he wanted the series to conclude by season 7, and it all began with Shane's actions in the season 5 finale. While fellow actors Michael Chiklis and Walton Goggins Jr. initially felt upset about their co-star's departure, they eventually came to understand the creative reasons behind it. Despite feeling sadness over his character's fate, Johnson ultimately accepted and made peace with the writers' decision.
Kenny Johnson’s Exit Led To Him Gaining A Role On S.W.A.T.
Shawn Ryan, the creator of the FX show, ultimately decided that killing off Kenny Johnson's character, Lem, was the best direction for the story. However, this did not mark the end of Ryan and Johnson's working relationship. Following the conclusion of The Shield, Ryan collaborated with Aaron Rahsaan Thomas in developing the television series S.W.A.T. for CBS. In 2017, Johnson was cast to play Dominique Luca in the show. Ryan expressed remorse for how Johnson learned about Lem's death in The Shield, as he found out from someone else instead of Ryan himself. Nevertheless, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Ryan stated that he believes S.W.A.T. has made up for this.
