- Southland (TV series)
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Southland 
An intertitle from the seriesGenre Police procedural, drama Starring Kevin Alejandro
Arija Bareikis
Clifton Collins, Jr.
Michael Cudlitz
Shawn Hatosy
Regina King
Michael McGrady
Benjamin McKenzie
Tom Everett ScottTheme music composer Frederico de Brito and Ferrer Trindade Opening theme "Canção Do Mar" by Dulce Pontes (Instrumental Version) Country of origin United States Language(s) English No. of seasons 3 No. of episodes 23 (List of episodes) Production Executive producer(s) Ann Biderman
Christopher Chulack
John WellsLocation(s) Los Angeles Production company(s) John Wells Productions
Warner Bros. TelevisionBroadcast Original channel NBC (Season 1)
TNT (Season 2–present)Original run April 9, 2009 – present External links Website Southland (promotionally styled SouthLAnd) is an American drama[1] series created by writer Ann Biderman and produced by Warner Bros. Television. It premiered on NBC on April 9, 2009. On May 1, 2009, NBC announced that Southland had been renewed for a second season with an initial 13-episode order to begin airing on Friday, September 25, 2009 at 9:00 pm, one hour earlier than its original time slot.[2] On August 27, 2009, shortly before its scheduled premiere, NBC moved the opening of its second season to October 23, 2009, citing the need to promote the show more fully.[3] On October 8, 2009, NBC announced that the series had been canceled.[4]
On November 2, 2009, TNT announced it has purchased the rights to Southland's original seven episodes, as well as six completed episodes from its second season. Southland began airing on TNT on January 12, 2010.[5][6] On April 26, 2010, TNT announced it had picked up Southland for a ten-episode third season to begin airing on January 4, 2011.[7] TNT's renewal of the show included a substantial budget cut and corresponding cast reduction.[8] Southland has been renewed for another ten-episode fourth season on March 22, 2011[9] and according to the official web page will start broadcasting on January 17, 2012.[10]
Contents
Plot
See also: List of Southland episodesAccording to NBC, Southland takes a "raw and authentic look" at Los Angeles and the lives of the LAPD officers who police it. The show's first season centers on the experiences and interactions of LAPD patrol officers and detectives, and is more a character-driven drama than a police procedural.[11][12] Among the characters are rookie Officer Ben Sherman and his training officer, John Cooper; Detective Lydia Adams, who must balance work with responsibility for her mother; Officer Chickie Brown, who aspires to be the first woman on the elite SWAT Team; and Detective Sammy Bryant, whose home life interferes with his working life.[11] Ultimately, it was the dark tone of the series, deemed inappropriate for 9:00 pm, that led NBC to shut down production and cancel the show after previewing the first six episodes of the second season.[4] TNT began negotiating a move from NBC shortly after the show's cancellation, a process that took nearly a month.[6] TNT's rebroadcast of the first season was mostly uncensored, with only the more extreme profanity bleeped out.
Cast
Following the change of network, the second season, which premiered on TNT following the rebroadcast of the first season, de-emphasizes the ensemble cast and focuses more on the Adams and Sherman characters and their partners. Stories now center more on how crimes come together, with less-serialized storylines.[13][14] Budget cuts prior to the third season production resulted in further changes to the cast. Roxana Brusso, Hedy Burress, Denise Crosby, and C. Thomas Howell are the only recurring cast members remaining after the budget cuts.
Main cast
Actor Character Rank Assignment Arija Bareikis Chickie Brown Police Officer III Hollywood Division Michael Cudlitz John Cooper Police Officer III+1 (Senior Lead Officer) Hollywood Division Shawn Hatosy Sammy Bryant Detective II (Season 1-3) Police Officer III (Season 4)
Gangs and Narcotics Division Regina King Lydia Adams Detective II West Bureau Detectives Michael McGrady Daniel "Sal" Salinger Detective III Gang and Narcotics Division Benjamin McKenzie Ben Sherman Police Officer II Hollywood Division Tom Everett Scott Russell Clarke (Seasons 1, 3; recurring Season 2) Detective II Former Administrative Services Bureau—fired from the department in "Sideways" Kevin Alejandro Nate Moretta (Seasons 1–3;) Detective II Former Gang and Narcotics Division—deceased Recurring cast
Actor Character Notes Laz Alonso Detective III Gil Puente (Seasons 2–3) Teams with Bryant and Moretta for a task force investigating Trinney Day Emily Bergl Tammi Bryant (Season 1–present) Detective Bryant's wife Roxana Brusso Detective III Alicia Fernandez (Season 1–present) West Bureau Detectives—Detectives Adams' and Ochoa's supervisor Hedy Burress Laurie Cooper (Season 1–present) Officer Cooper's ex-wife Denise Crosby Captain Susan Salinger (Season 1–present) Detective Salinger's wife Patrick Fischler Detective I Kenny "No-Gun" (Seasons 1–2) Gang and Narcotics Division Jenny Gago Detective II Josie Ochoa (Season 3) West Bureau Detectives; Adams' partner C. Thomas Howell Police Officer III Bill "Dewey" Dudek (Season 1–present) Hollywood Division—Officer Brown's recovering alcoholic partner Lex Medlin Detective I Andy Williams (Seasons 1–2) Gang and Narcotics Division Amaury Nolasco Detective Rene Cordero (Season 2) West Bureau Detectives—Adams' interim partner Marty Ryan Sergeant I Wallace (Seasons 1–2) Hollywood Division—Assistant watch commander/supervisor Jamie McShane Sergeant II Hill (Season 3) Hollywood Division—Assistant watch commander/supervisor Lucy Liu[15] Police Officer III Jessica Tang (Season 4) Officer Cooper's partner Lou Diamond Phillips[16] (Season 4) Dorian Missick[17] (Season 4) Detective Adam's partner Crew
The series was created by Emmy Award winning writer Ann Biderman. Biderman began her television writing career on the first season of police drama NYPD Blue. The series' executive producers are Biderman, Christopher Chulack and John Wells. Wells and Chulack, both also Emmy Award winners, had previously worked together on cirically acclaimed medical drama ER and emergency services drama Third Watch. Many other crew members had previously worked with Wells and Chulack on these series. Wells and Biderman also write for the series and Chulack is a regular director. Biderman left her executive producer position after the second season but continued to write for the series third season.
Ex-police officer Angela Amato Velez served as a consulting producer and writer for the first season. She had previously worked for the executive producers on Third Watch. Dee Johnson also served as a consulting producer and writer for the first season. She had previously worked with Wells and Chulack on ER. Emmy Award winning writing team Mitchell Burgess & Robin Green were hired as executive consultants and writers for the second and third seasons. They had previously worked together as executive producers on The Sopranos. Diana Son served as a consulting producer and writer for the second season. She had previously worked on the crime drama Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
David Graziano became a co-executive producer for the second season. Andrew Stearn was a producer for the first two seasons and was promoted to co-executive producer for the third season. Stearn had previously worked on Third Watch. Jonathan Lisco was hired as a co-executive producer for the third season. Lisco is a former lawyer and created the New Orleans police drama K-Ville. The series is produced by Jon Pare.
ER and Third Watch veteran Nelson McCormick is also a regular director for Southland. Steadicam expert J. Michael Muro serves as a regular cinematographer and occasional director for the series. Dana Gonzales is the other regular director of photography.
Reception
Alessandra Stanley for The New York Times compared Southland favorably to series like The Shield, Rescue Me and The Wire in citing the series debut as "one of the most gripping opening episodes of any network crime series". Noting the show's "bold, contemporary tone", Stanley concluded that "Southland is commendably stinting and cold, a series that doesn’t aim to please, and is all the more pleasurable for it."[18] In a second review a year later, Mike Hale was less effusive in his praise. While commending the series for fine performances from its cast—in particular Cudlitz, McKenzie and Hatosy—and its combination of straightforward immediate plots and long-range storytelling, Hale criticized the "heavyhandedness" he saw in some of the writing, noting especially the "sententious lectures about the nature of police work" delivered to Sherman by Cooper in the pilot episode. He finds the show "worthy" but in need of work to qualify as a classic.[19]
Dorothy Rabinowitz of The Wall Street Journal says "Prattle is, in any case, a minor note compared with the crackling pace of the first script, its evocative mood of menace at every turn, each police car racing to destinations that will reveal who knows what tragedy or unspeakable sight."[20] The Kansas City Star stated the show in even a more positive light saying "Southland is built to be bigger, and in that sense it succeeds immediately, thanks to excellent casting (especially Michael Cudlitz and Regina King as a cop and a detective), gritty location shooting around L.A. and storytelling that doesn’t hold the viewer’s hand."[21]
DVD release
Shortly before its TNT premiere, Warner Home Video released the first season on DVD in an uncensored version, with the profanities intact.
In May of 2011, they also released the second season in a similarly uncensored version. However, the title is only available through the studio's manufacture-on-demand program.
No release date has been given for the third season to be released on DVD, but it will also be available only through Warner's MOD program.
The studio is not currently considering Blu-Ray releases for any of the show's three seasons.
DVD Name Region 1 Release Date Region 2 Release Date Region 4 Release Date Ep # Discs Additional Information Season 1 January 26, 2010[22] TBA TBA 7 2 Southland: Redefining the Cop Drama. Season 2 May 24, 2011[23] TBA TBA 6 2 This DVD is made available through the Warner Bros. Made on Demand DVD Program, Amazon.com, and Target.com. Season 3 TBA TBA TBA 10 TBA International broadcasting
Country Network Series Premiere 
ArgentinaSpace June 10, 2010 
AustraliaGEM November, 2010 
BrazilSBT[24]
Space
March 14, 2011 
BulgariaPRO.BG January, 2010 
Canada (English)
Quebec (French)CTV
Super Channel
Séries+April 9, 2009 (season 1)[25]
March 15, 2010[26]
June 5, 2010
FinlandMTV3[27] February 23, 2011 
FranceOrange Cinéchoc January 10, 2010 
GermanyKabel1[28] 2011 
IcelandStöð 2 April 6, 2010 
Ireland3e June 6, 2010 
ItalyAXN January, 2010 
NorwayTVNorge September 28, 2009 
PortugalFox Portugal November 30, 2009 
South AfricaM-Net Action May 2010 
SloveniaKanal A September 2011 
SwedenTV3 October 7, 2009 
TurkeyDiziMax January 2010 
United KingdomMore4[29] July 1, 2010 References
- ^ Wyatt, Edward. NBC's Latest Drama Has a (Temporary) Home, New York Times, April 8, 2009. Accessed August 5, 2009.
- ^ Littleton, Cynthia; Schenider, Michael (May 1, 2009). "NBC picks up 'Southland'". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118003122.html. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
- ^ Bryant, Adam (27 August 2009). "NBC Pushes Southland's Premiere to October". TVGuide.com. http://www.tvguide.com/News/Southland-Premiere-Delayed-1009248.aspx. Retrieved 2009-08-27.
- ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (October 8, 2009). "Southland Cancelled". The Hollywood Reporter. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/blogs/live-feed/nbc-cancels-southland-premiere-52356. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
- ^ "TNT Picks Up Acclaimed Drama SOUTHLAND". TNT. 11/2/2009. http://news.turner.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=4777.
- ^ a b Stetler, Brian. Turner Entertainment Sees the Broadcast Networks as Its Fattest Target, The New York Times, November 1, 2009. Accessed January 15, 2010.
- ^ "Turner Newsroom: Home". News.turner.com. http://news.turner.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=5111. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie. "‘Southland’ Facing Budget & Cast Trims –". Deadline.com. http://www.deadline.com/2010/05/southland-faces-budget-reduction-cast-trims-on-tnt/. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
- ^ "Southland Renewed for Fourth Season by TNT - Ratings | TVbytheNumbers". Tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com. 2011-03-22. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/03/22/tnt-renews-southland-for-a-fourth-season/86671. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
- ^ TNT - Southland: Home
- ^ a b http://www.nbc.com/southland/about/
- ^ Sullivan, Brian Ford. The Futon's First Look: "Southland" (NBC), The Futon Critic, April 1, 2009. Accessed January 24, 2010.
- ^ Sullivan, Brian Ford. NBC at TCA: Leno, Silverman Draw Focus, The Futon Critic, August 6, 2009. Accessed January 24, 2010.
- ^ Borzillo-Vrenna, Carrie and Megan Masters. "NBC at TCA: Chuck Update, Southland Retools & More". E! Online, 5 August 2009.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ From the Pampered Life to Police Work on the Mean Streets
- ^ Hale, Mike (2010-03-01). "Patrolling for Felons and Kudos on Sun-Blinded Streets". Nytimes.com. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/arts/television/02southland.html. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Dorothy. Truth and Consequences, The Wall Street Journal, April 3, 2009. Accessed January 15, 2010.
- ^ Barnhart, Aaron. New network shows: Haven't I seen you before?, The Kansas City Star, April 8, 2009. Accessed January 15, 2010.
- ^ "Southland DVD news: Press Release for Southland - The Complete 1st Season: Uncensored". TVShowsOnDVD.com. http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Southland-Season-1-Press-Release/12957. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
- ^ "Southland DVD news: Announcement for Southland - The Complete 2nd Season (Uncensored)". TVShowsOnDVD.com. http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Southland-Season-2/15288. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
- ^ Ronei. "Séries Da Tv Aberta: Sbt Estreia Mais Uma Nova Série". Seriesdatvaberta.blogspot.com. http://seriesdatvaberta.blogspot.com/2011/03/sbt-estreia-mais-uma-nova-serie.html. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
- ^ "SOUTHLAND Debut Wins Timeslot with 1.34 Million Viewers on CTV". channelcanada.com. April 13, 2009. http://www.channelcanada.com/Article2819.html. Retrieved March 30, 2010.
- ^ "Super Channel Southland schedule". Super Channel. http://www.superchannel.ca/series/view/43080967/Southland/. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
- ^ "Southland". MTV3.fi. 2011-08-21. http://www.mtv3.fi/southland. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
- ^ "Kabel eins zeigt 2010 Southland". Wunschliste.de. 2009-07-31. http://www.wunschliste.de/news/5373. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
- ^ Holmwood, Leigh. More4 buys LA cop show Southland, The Guardian, August 28, 2009. Accessed January 15, 2010.
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