Southland—187 ’d
After five crimetastic seasons, Southland, “One of the best police dramas ever made”, according to TNT channel, has been cancelled. You got to give ’em credit at TNT—despite this faint praise—they did after all rescue the show from network nincompoops NBC. But, despite the injection of star turn appeal in the shape of Lucy Liu, and some of the best script writing ever seen on television period—Southland will not return.
Cynics might argue that a show as hard hitting as Southland was doomed from the start—the shows sense of darkness was always too tangible for the televisual mainstream. But it was that sense of darkness, along with the shows willingness to deal with issues of race, sexuality, transgression and redemption, that made Southland so very special in the first place.
Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to sell bovine snack foods against such a real and iconoclastic show, and that in the end is what killed it dead.
Sure, Southland had its fair share of heartthrobs and hotties, but it was never going to be as curvaceous and square-jawed as the NCIS primetime pack. Crimezine predicts however that the very many talented folk involved with Southland will go on to bigger and better things—watch this space.
So what now? Crimeziners who are jonesing for a Southland fix would be well advised to investigate the work of former LAPD detective sergeant Joseph Wambaugh. For the square eyed amongst you, the aforementioned NBC are touting Chicago PD their new cop show for the 2013-2014 season —from the same team behind Chicago Fire. Just goes to prove Crimezines long-held belief that cop shows are like the Chinese Communist army—you think you have seen the last of them off—then a whole new battalion comes marching over the hill.
TNT contacted Crimezine with this message
TNT has made the difficult decision not to renew Southland for another season. We are enormously proud of Southland, which stands as one of the best police dramas ever made. Executive producers John Wells, Chris Chulack and Jonathan Lisco, along with creator Ann Biderman and our partners at Warner Bros. Television, have given us five seasons of powerful, unforgettable storytelling, for which we are deeply grateful. We also want to thank the amazing cast for their impassioned, no-holds-barred performances, and the production team for their tenacity shooting on the streets of real-world Los Angeles. We wish everyone associated with Southland the very best.
Crimezine 