User reviews

Southland is absolutely one of the best cop dramas to ever be made! There are thousands of cop shows out there to choose from but this is among the best and most original I've ever seen. The cast is excellent and make it a very believable show. It really is one of the more underrated shows in television history!

Southland is one of the best and most underrated police series to ever be put on television! Everyone knows that there are thousands of cop shows out there to choose from but this is among the best and most original I've ever seen. It's a surprisingly fresh take on the cop show genre. Every episode is compelling and will hold your interest. Just read through the reviews to see what people really think of it. The cast is excellent and make it a very believable show. It's just such a gritty and realistic show about cops. It's a shame that it ended when it did because it should of went on for a few more seasons. With all the crap shows they revive these days I'd love to see them bring this show back.

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.

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).

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.

Obviously a tv show will have some dramatic elements, but overall this was one of the most accurate cop shows made at that time. I have retired and I suspect the job isn't as enjoyable as it was in the 80's through early 2000's, but the creators got this show right. The themes, the attitudes, personalities and overall feeling of the job are very well done. Southland and Bosch do a great job of getting the details right when it comes to police stories.

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.

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.

I work in the field, and I was genuinely impressed. Based on the pilot this show looks like it could be excellent. What strikes me is the focus on the very real impact of the job on the officers. In the real world, an officer doesn't fire his or her weapon at another person and then respond in a cavalier way or crack one liners (as you might believe from watching other cop dramas). The normal reaction is actually shock, and a massive adrenaline dump. and it takes time to process and deal with it. And as for language, I agree that I would rather see this show on cable where the realistic language wouldn't have to be bleeped out. Real officers and real bad guys don't say 'shucks and darn'... But bravo for NBC for putting something like this together. Can't wait to see more!

This show is amazing. I literally stumbled upon it during the 2020 holidays while I was off work with nothing much to do due to laying low and staying safe from the COVID. This series was a holiday treat! I literally am embarrassed to say how fast I watched it but it was THAT GOOD. And I am a tough person to get sucked into a tv binge. This show grabs you from the first couple of minutes. The characters have a lot of depth and the acting is great for a TV series!! This show was a launch pad for a bunch of great actors that are now hugely well known. The storyline is thought provoking and very relatable to our continued and current cultural issues where people are still refusing to practice tolerance and acceptance. This show depicts the desperate need to demand equality. When I realized this show was almost a decade old and still, today, we suffer from the same national struggle that sickens me, these same issues of racial profiling and global discrimination will definitely be upsetting when watching southland but this show has a soul that makes HOPE seem like it just might be an actual possibility. Enjoy!

At first this looked to be a kind of watered-down version of "The Shield" but the first-rate production work and the quality of the acting kept me interested. As the characters interacted and events unfolded I detected an intention to present a realistic -- if condensed -- version of life on the streets for LAPD. More importantly, I could sense that, unlike so many of today's TV dramas, this program seems to have something to say. Generally speaking, only TV producers Dick Wolf and David E. Kelley can be counted on to deliver on that score -- at least for the first ten years or so! For me, the jury is still out on "Southland". So far, so good ... Just watched the second episode -- better than the first -- solid! This really IS turning out to be a cop version of "ER" ... grounded in realistic detail ... focused on the minute by minute challenges of realistically portrayed characters. This one could be a keeper!

Great cop show! Up the with the best to be made. Real and genuine!

Just finished watching the last episode of season one. Astounding!

Good TV shows like this don't seem to last for long. OZ, Homicide, 3rd Watch, Law & Order UK, Southland.

Why? We need more. Please.

Update after nearly finishing all episodes: Now I understand why it was cancelled - they ran out of content.

The main recurring theme is partnership, trust, or lack thereof when some cops make mistakes either intentionally or not. It became tedious by the 4th season.

The other theme is LA crime, and that got tedious quite quickly also because most of these thugs are: mid 20s, petty or gang crime, pregnant girl/wife, ruinign their child's life. It never evolves to other types of crime like corruption or premeditated murder, or whatever. Basically it is too dull to get the attention and when its not (like that police station shoot out) they don't give it enough story (ended up to be just a random guy. Wait, what?! You wasted a good story bois).

It was good while it lasted. Auf Wiedersehen.

i am impressed with this show. most of all i'm impressed with regina king. she is a standout talent in whatever role she takes on, and to say she is believable in this role is an understatement. not once do i stop believing i am actually watching a detective in the LAPD who is totally emotionally invested in her work. with her eyes she can convey more emotion than most actors can with the finest dialog Hollywood has to offer. ben mckenzie as "ben" is believable in this role. he seems to find roles that suit him well (stoic, troubled, mysterious, ready to throw down) and although he isn't quite a great actor he has great moments. michael cudlitz as his partner plays the role of the bully veteran patrolman to a T. anyone who hangs around with enough big city cops has met someone just like this guy (if not a dozen). his performance is a treat. with the heavy use of hand-held cameras and the documentary style of filming, at times it all combines to give the feel of a live-action reality show, and i can see why some onlookers were reportedly duped into thinking ben mckenzie had traded professions for real. there are some flaws in the show, and some of the story lines involving lesser characters seem contrived and unconvincing at times. but with a few adjustments and a whole lot more of miss regina king this show could find a place of its own amongst a crowded field of cop shows.

We get so many cop shows these days that it becomes difficult to watch them all and so you will have to pick one out of the lot. Well to me Southland is by far the best cop series of them all. It feels all so real to me, every story grips you. It's like you are cruising through the streets of Los Angeles yourself trying to catch the bad guys. The characters are all top notch in this show. Cooper, Bryant, Adams and Sherman all have their own different personality that gives this show the necessary boost. I watched the complete five seasons of this series in less then two weeks. That's how good I thought it was. Too bad it's all over.

I am going to school to be a police officer in WI. The pilot was so REALISTIC. Awesome. This show is probably going to let a lot of people know that being a police officer, Detective, or any job within the police is really just a job, an awesome one, like the FTO said "this is a front row show the greatest show on the earth..

I am a big 24 nut and I actually prefer watching southland.. cuts out all the bullshit.

I would have to say.. Really good acting especially on the FTO's behalf.. he did a great job at letting everyone watching what it is like to be a rookie police officer, and how hard it is to complete the training guidelines and pretty much be a prick to your trainee.

Keep it up... That pilot was amazing.

2009 Best Series...

It was perfect. I loved the gritty look, the hand-held camera work was awesome (it was very fluid and gave the show a reality show feel, almost like an episode of Cops) and the locations all so well chosen...

The stories were all terrific and I felt very true to life.

Ben McKenzie is terrific as the earnest rookie and Regina King shone, it's probably her best role. The other cast is all so good too.

NBC was stupid for canceling this show and keeping Jay Leno on the air. I like Jay, but his show doesn't need to be on five nights a week. Maybe they'll move it to once or twice a week and bring back the solid dramas NBC used to be known for.

As for Southland, I really hope this show gets a chance with another network.

If it does, I'll watch this show wherever it ends up.

I came across this by accident. I was at a friends house and saw Lucy Liu in LAPD uniform with the obligatory mirrored sunglasses on TV and I had to know what show it was.

I watched season 1 and wasn't too impressed, but then the character development kicked in and I was hooked. This is a show about the LAPD but more than that its a journey with these characters and its a hell of a journey.

Regina King and Michael Cudlitz are brilliant but the whole cast is outstanding. The dialog and storytelling are so cleverly done, it doesn't spoon feed you like some cop shows. At the end of season 5 I just wanted more.... so I watched it all again. Excellent!

Superb casting, competent acting, excellent direction. A cut above the rest. Gritty and real. Great shooting around the Los Angeles area and good writing make this one of those addictive shows that I like to watch and ponder.

Okay so the idea is to remain alert in our viewing, neither merely react nor let ourselves be numbed by what's on the screen. In this way all the cinematic elements fall into place and we can discard what gets in the way of seeing clearly.

This for example, it's about a day in the life of Los Angeles cops patrolling the streets. The whole thing is held at a distance the makers would probably describe as unsentimental and real, it's shot in a docu style, they don't go out of their way to idealize cops and victims. We get all this in a diaristic format that no feature film could afford that lets us just tangle with life.

For a while it's powerful stuff. All of that power for me comes from the abstract way we are lowered into this world (in the shoes of a rookie cop on his first day) and left to swim. It's a meaningless world that has been already spinning off by itself as we enter. We know little about the characters and learn little for a long time except what we see of them during the job. Their job is our viewing as well, having to face damaged life in every corner.

All of this plays not just against a Los Angeles backdrop, the city is the protagonist. I came into this as part of a cinematic project about LA and I found one of the most vibrant depictions of it, the camera hurls itself everywhere, from fancy Bel Air mansions to ghetto backalleys. Some of the most evocative shots frame desperate characters on the rooftops of buildings with clear skies in the back.

So to see clearly into this is to get this blueprint of a transient world of suffering with people tracing aimless orbits through the city. Very little is meaningfully changed or redeemed and each day is only another opportunity to go in and out of suffering, stay alert and present. Nothing builds, everything dissolves back into the smoggy air come nightfall.

Like most TV this is eventually diluted the more it goes on, life becomes plot, the dilemmas become habit. By that point we are as numbed as the weary cops of 20 years we met on that first day. But for a while it offers a glimpse no other work I know of at this point does; imagine, in another 20 years time people are going to look back and find it tame.

That must have been the pitch: "ER with cops". So you get about six beautiful-looking main characters, all with conflicts with one another and with their families and with the job itself, social problems, insights into procedure, and then after a while you realise you're watching a (slickly produced) soap opera with nothing to say. 'The Wire' it isn't.

The shaky 'cinema verité' camera, homage to Godard I guess, is actually well done; it's scaled back in scenes where you need to know what you're seeing. It still dates Southland terribly.

Would you sit and watch ER from the beginning? If you missed Southland at the time, you won't worry either.