Southland (TV series)
| Southland | |
|---|---|
| File:Southland Intertitle.jpg An intertitle from the series | |
| Genre | Drama |
| Created by | Ann Biderman |
| Starring | (In credits order) Kevin Alejandro Arija Bareikis Michael Cudlitz Shawn Hatosy Regina King Michael McGrady Benjamin McKenzie Tom Everett Scott |
| Theme music composer | Dulce Pontes |
| Opening theme | "Canção Do Mar" (Instrumental Version) |
| Country of origin |  USA |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 7 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Ann Biderman Christopher Chulack John Wells |
| Production locations | Los Angeles, CA |
| Production company | John Wells Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | April 9 – May 21, 2009 |
Southland is an American drama[1] series created by Emmy Award winning writer Ann Biderman. It premiered on NBC on April 9, 2009 in ER's Thursday time slot. 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 Thursday time slot.[2] 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 abruptly announced that the series had been canceled.[4]
Plot
According 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 seven episodes[1] center around the experiences and interactions of LAPD patrol officers and detectives, and is less a police procedural than a character-driven drama.[5][6] 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.[5] The second season was to de-emphasize the ensemble cast, and instead follow the Adams and Sherman characters and their partners. Stories were to center more on how crimes come together, with less-serialized storylines.[7][8] 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]
Cast
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Kevin Alejandro | Detective Nate Moretta |
| Arija Bareikis | Officer Chickie Brown |
| Michael Cudlitz | Officer John Cooper |
| Shawn Hatosy | Detective Sammy Bryant |
| Regina King | Detective Lydia Adams |
| Michael McGrady | Detective Daniel "Sal" Salinger |
| Benjamin McKenzie | Officer Ben Sherman |
| Tom Everett Scott | Detective Russell Clarke |
Ratings
| No. | Episode | Air Date | Viewers (million) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Unknown Trouble" | April 9, 2009 | 9.86 |
| 2 | "Mozambique" | April 16, 2009 | 9.58 |
| 3 | "See the Woman" | April 23, 2009 | 8.40 |
| 4 | "Sally in the Alley" | April 30, 2009 | 6.68 |
| 5 | "Two Gangs" | May 7, 2009 | 6.50 |
| 6 | "Westside" | May 14, 2009 | 4.64 |
| 7 | "Derailed" | May 21, 2009 | 6.39 |
Episodes
| Episode number | Title | Written by | Directed by | Original airdate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Unknown Trouble" | Ann Biderman | Christopher Chulack | April 9, 2009 | |
|
In the series premiere, John Cooper, a seasoned Los Angeles police officer and his rookie trainee, Ben Sherman, respond to a call that ends in a deadly shoot-out – and Ben is left questioning whether or not he has what it takes to become a police officer. Even though John is cool to the new recruit and his straitlaced "Beverly Hills" past, his honed insight and honest, no-nonsense advice is invaluable to the young rookie: "Look sharp, act sharp, be sharp. You do what they teach you in the academy, you will die." | |||||
| 2 | "Mozambique" | Ann Biderman | Nelson McCormick | April 16, 2009 | |
|
When officers John Cooper, Ben Sherman and Chickie Brown rescue a baby girl found alone crawling across the middle of an LA intersection, the hunt for her mother begins. Detectives Lydia Adams and Russell Clarke examine the scene looking for clues, and soon Lydia finds herself affected by the search and must deal with some past issues – taking a personal interest in reuniting the baby with its mother. Meanwhile, officers Sammy Bryant and Nate Moretta are unable to find the financial resources to put a juvenile key witness in police protection after an attempt on her life and must now convince the DA to place her in a student police program. And back at the station, everyone gathers for a retirement party for Dewey. | |||||
| 3 | "See the Woman" | Ann Biderman | Christopher Chulack | April 23, 2009 | |
|
Officers John Cooper and Ben Sherman start out the day thinking they have nothing in common, but – after responding to an eclectic array of patrol calls – at the end of their watch, they discover this is not true. When Ben reveals details of his past to the department therapist and to Cooper, the motivation behind his decision to be a cop becomes clear. Elsewhere, Dewey becomes star struck by Timmy Davis (guest star Tom Sizemore) a famous, self-obsessed actor. In true "Dewey" style, he mischievously decides to party with the celebrity, rather then book him – leading to a rift in his partnership with Chickie Brown. Trouble ensues when Dewey loses track of the burnt-out actor, and Chickie finds herself questioning her decision to take him on as her partner. | |||||
| 4 | "Sally in the Alley" | Angela Amato Velez and Ann Biderman | Christopher Chulack | April 30, 2009 | |
|
Gang Detectives Sammy Bryant and Nate Moretta have their work cut out for them when an unidentified female is found dead in the middle of a Los Angeles alley – and her body is being used for target practice by gang members. The tension mounts for Nate when his little sister disappears revealing a secret from his past that blindsides Sammy. Elsewhere, Detective Russell Clarke (Tom Everett Scott) is offended by Lydia's (Regina King) suggestion that he was too personal during a consult with a victim's sister. | |||||
| 5 | "Two Gangs" | Dee Johnson | Nelson McCormick | May 7, 2009 | |
|
After a drunken car accident, Detective Salinger's gun is stolen by gang members in a dangerous neighborhood. When Gang Squad Detectives Nate Moretta and Sammy Bryant arrive on the scene to help out their boss, Moretta reluctantly agrees to assist Bryant in the search for the perpetrators and Salinger's weapon without calling it in. Launching an off-the-books manhunt to retrieve the weapon, they make a disturbing discovery – that the gangs are no longer afraid of the police; a local gang is using assault weapons, bullet-proof vests and military tactics to become a powerful urban street army – ready to declare war. Elsewhere, still preoccupied with her personal life, Detective Lydia Adams is caught off guard when a man exposes himself to her outside her home. | |||||
| 6 | "Westside" | Angela Amato Velez and Dee Johnson (Teleplay) Ann Biderman (Story) | Nelson McCormick | May 14, 2009 | |
|
Detectives Lydia Adams and Russell Clarke have their work cut out for them when jewlery thieves begin robbing Bel Air homes. Officer Ben Sherman discovers that he knows one of the home invasion victims and finds himself breaking police policy by becoming personally involved. Elsewhere, gang Detectives Sammy Bryant and Nate Moretta wait around an LA courthouse while Janilla (guest star Carla Jeffrey) prepares to testify in a gang-land trial. Concerned for her well being, Bryant decides to takes Janilla to his home to assure she is safe. | |||||
| 7 | "Derailed" | Ann Biderman | Christopher Chulack | May 21, 2009 | |
|
In the season finale, the day takes a turn for the worse when officers John Cooper, Ben Sherman, Chickie Brown and Dewey find a member of Marta's Avenue gang dead in a trunk outside Dodger Stadium. Meanwhile, Detective Bryant convinces Lydia to take in Janilla in order to ensure her safety. Elsewhere, Detective Salinger becomes increasingly frustrated with his growing rift with his teenage daughter. | |||||
International broadcasting
| Country | Television network | Date of premiere |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | CTV | April 9, 2009[9] |
| United Kingdom | More4[10] | TBC |
| Norway | TVNorge | September 28, 2009 |
| Sweden | TV3 | October 7, 2009 |
References
- ^ a b 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. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
- ^ Bryant, Adam (27 August 2009). "NBC Pushes Southland's Premiere to October". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2009-08-27.
- ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (October 8, 2009). "Southland Canceled". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ a b http://www.nbc.com/southland/about/
- ^ Sullivan, Brian Ford (April 1, 2009). "The Futon's First Look: "Southland" (NBC)]". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ Sullivan, Brian Ford (August 6, 2009). "NBC at TCA: Leno, Silverman Draw Focus". theFutonCritic.com. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ Borzillo-Vrenna, Carrie and Megan Masters. "NBC at TCA: Chuck Update, Southland Retools & More" E! Online, 5 August 2009.
- ^ "CTV Announcements: For Immediate Release". CTV Television Network. 2009-02-26. Retrieved 2009-05-14.
- ^ Leigh Holmwood (2008). "More4 buys LA cop show Southland". The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-08-28.