Southland

I've been on IMDb for quite sometime now, but have yet to feel compelled to write a comment. I suppose my biggest concern is that one of my favorite shows (i.e. Freaks & Geeks, The Class, Undeclared, etc.) will again meet its' demise if not for full and utter fan support.

Right out of the gate, this show grabs you with not necessarily likable characters, but real characters. It makes no excuses for the way people act or the situations life inevitably holds for us on a daily basis. It is not over-dramatized, watered-down or needlessly careful. It's appeal is rather than being presented as a miniseries, it is shot more in the tradition of a motion picture or cable series (not unlike The Wire -- best show EVER) where measures are taken after the shoot to make it prime time friendly without being corny or sappy.

Though it's too early in the game to give this a 10, I can say that if you haven't checked this out yet, do yourself a favor -- you won't be disappointed.

To start I have to say that the pilot episode was amazing and the show only got better until the season finale.

I have been policing for some time now and have yet to find a show that depicts policing as accurate as Southland. Sure there are some scenes in this series that are a bit over dramatized, as in any show; however, the attitudes, behaviours and problems officers face are very real.

Many of the messages Cst. COOPER says to his "rookie" Cst. SHERMAN are very valid in policing today and are often utilized. SHERMAN's responses to things that he has to see and experience are spot on.

The fact that many of the terms used in Southland are not sugar coated, as in other TV series, blows my mind and is what keeps me watching. I see far too much in other series where the characters actually seem awkward as their language doesn't reflect what their behaviour is showing or the producers want to appease the censors and use softer language.

Having two separate views of cases may distract some people, but this is exactly what it is like in reality. There are detectives in the same division as the front line officers and although they may work together on some incidents, often go about their day on different paths.

The finale is and what will make me a dedicated viewer because of how close it hits to home. As an officer you tend not to try and get involved in your neighbours business, this is a reality in today's world where anything can happen if you choose to do so.

All in all amazing acting, real characters, real settings and scenarios. I recommended this show to all my co-workers and anyone else interested in television shows depicting policing as it really is.

9/10 (Only reason I didn't give a 10 is because I don't believe anything is ever perfect).

Southland turned out to be better than the ads for it made me believe. The ads seemed a little over the top, heavy handed even, but the show itself worked very well.

Michael Cudlitz's Officer Cooper has that nice combo of jaded and cynical but still obviously caring. His character seemed most likely to be over the top from the commercials, but in the context of the show came across about as close to perfect for the moment as you could ask. Looking forward to more with this character.

Benjamin McKenzie as Officer Ben Sherman also did very good. We didn't learn a whole lot about the character in the Pilot, but that makes sense in the debut as we will most certainly be learning more about him. Well acted by Mckenzie and has a nice rapport with Officer Cooper, that will by nice to watch develop.

Everything else in the show worked, and apart from a couple of moments that didn't quite jibe with the reality of the rest of the episode, makes me optimistic for the rest of the series.

Over the past twenty years we have seen an absolute invasion of cop shows and crime dramas on the small screen. Some have been highly acclaimed, like "NYPD Blue", and others have been long running, like "Law and Order". But all those shows developed notoriety based on strong characters and overly developed drama, a combination that seemed to be a necessary formula for prime time. The end result was entertainment at the cost of realism and integrity, as show plots became as convoluted as the characters. Think "The Shield", except that show had a very narrow focus. Now there's "Southland", and after the first few episodes it becomes immediately apparent that it is a show that will not be well received because it is vastly different than what has appeared before. Simply put, it will not live up to mass market expectations of what should constitute a crime drama. This is unfortunate. "Southland" offers a different perspective. It is simplistic without sacrificing depth, an effect achieved by cutting out unnecessary interactions and plot developments. The scope of coverage is revolutionary as well, with the portrayal of several different divisions--patrol, homicide, organized crime. The characters are developed and highlighted by both their strengths and flaws, making their statements through the performance of their duty without becoming preachy or pathetic. They are not all perfect and selfless, but instead are presented as basically moral and slightly jaded. It is not a testament as a whole of the LAPD, therefore it does not require the presentation of issues that are unnecessary to the purpose of the show--racism, sexism, corruption. The continuity is beneficial, and unusual enough to be revolutionary. The acting is solid. The greatest surprise is Regina King, who appears as a socially struggling homicide detective, a drastic change from the often overbearing or domineering African-American female roles she has been stuck in. Her portrayal of a heartfelt but complex detective is spot on. C. Thomas Howell delivers an absurdly believable rendition of an alcoholic, barrel-driven patrolman. Michael Cudlitz and Ben McKenzie are the most intriguing, as they are the rookie/veteran partnership who have common integrity and incredibly different backgrounds, yet manage to work together without the clichéd buddy-buddy relationship. And the subject matter? Raw, gritty, realistic, without fanciful or violent action scenes. From the mundane, to the absurd, to the disturbing. The difficulties of police work are highlighted, and obstacles are not always overcome. It has been many years since a television show has delivered a straightforward, pulse-pounding episode, as evidenced by number seven, "Derailed". If you dislike crime dramas or cop shows, you obviously won't like Southland. For the rest, it will probably be a toss-up. Stop looking at what the show doesn't present, and focus instead on what it does offer, and you will discover how exceptional it is.

I think Southland deserves to be considered amongst the great series: The Sopranos, The Wire, Breaking Bad, Deadwood, Better Call Saul, Rome, Dexter, Oz, Lilyhammer, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, Ray Donovan and Peaky Blinders. It is also, arguably, the most underrated. It should never have been on NBC, which NBC realized, and then it went to cable at TNT. It flourished creatively, in its 4 seasons there, but never found it's audience. If this show had been on HBO, I think more people would have found it and sung its praises. Even Emmy didn't see what an incredible cast the show had and what brilliant writing it employed. Also, unlike so many long-running series, it's final Season 5 was its best. It was not supposed to be its final Season, TNT decided to cancel it, which only goes to show the unfulfilled promise that lay ahead.

There was not a single bad performance with any cast regulars, but Michael Cudlitz and Regina King stand out, closely followed by Shawn Hattoy and Ben McKenzie. C. Thomas Howell blows it out of the water in a supporting role and Lucy Liu and Gerald McRaney nail it in guest spots. The scenes with Cudlitz and McRaney, S5 E7, Heroes, is the stuff that should be taught in acting classes and should have garnered both Emmy nominations.

Best Season: 5 Best Episodes: Season 5, E7, 8, 9 and 10.