Pretty much every single review I've read was very positive:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123870613377483923.html

http://tv.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/arts/tele...;ref=television

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/tele...south08.article

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117940003...l?categoryId=32

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/tv-rev...003959955.story

LA Times and USA Today weren't all that please, and the best one was this user comment:

The Wire was the best.

I held off watching the Wire- mostly because I live in such close proximity to such a lifestyle- I need not turn on the tv!!!

But I must say, what I have seen of the Wire is the reason I can't enjoy cop shows today. I'm thinking to myself- these cops are so well trained! They are such professionals! They care to solve all these crimes and not just the few!! I meant what I said early about my cynicism, but this show was enjoyable for me. I wasn't looking for realism, and was quite comfortable with the pace and characters.

But is there such thing as realism in television? It can be inspired by, focus around, but it can never be real! It's that philosophical question of can a copy, of a copy, of a copy be any good?

NBC renews Southland

Warner Bros. TV gets 13-episode order

Nellie Andreeva


NBC has renewed midseason drama “Southland.”

The network on Friday night picked up 13 episodes from the cop drama exec produced by John Wells.

The Warner Bros. TV-produced series, starring Ben McKenzie, was a late addition to NBC’s midseason slate. It got off to a very strong start in “ER’”s Thursday 10 p.m. slot. The ratings have since slipped, but the network brass has been high on “Southland’”s broad appeal, creative potential and Wells’ solid track record as a showrunner.

Still waiting to hear their fate are bubble series “Chuck,” “Law & Order,” “Medium” and “My Name is Earl.”

NBC and “Earl” producer 20th TV are in negotiations for a full-season pickup. Odds are also in favor of renewals for “Medium,” probably as a midseason replacement again, and for veteran “L&O.” “Chuck” also is still in contention.

NBC is slated to present its fall schedule to advertisers Monday in New York.


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i06056b3e43453484541cb18d1585b70a

Glad to hear the show has gotten a 13-episode order. I enjoyed Thursday's episode, "Sally in the Alley," but the show needs some tweaking. For the first time, I felt that all the stories fell flat... I see what the tried to do with the ending, but it was kinda blah and the whole Nate reveal was too rushed and without emotion. They need to change it a little bit, otherwise John Wells might just have his first major flop.

Moved to Fridays, at 10.

Moved to Fridays, at 10.

:lol:

I've been anticipating this shows arrival over here (I forget which network picked it up), due to the positive reviews... until now.

NBC cancels 'Southland'

NBC has reportedly cancelled Southland ahead of its second season premiere.

The new season of the Ben McKenzie-fronted cop drama was originally due to drop on September 25, but was then pushed back to October 23.

However, production on the show is now being shut down after just six episodes and Dateline NBC will now take its Friday slot, says The Hollywood Reporter.

NBC has not confirmed when the six produced episodes of Southland will air.

Producer John Wells said: "I'm disappointed that NBC no longer has the time periods available to support the kind of critically-acclaimed series that was for so many years, a hallmark of their success.

"We remain extremely proud of Southland and are actively looking for another home for the series."

Earlier this year, former Prison Break star Amaury Nolasco abruptly departed the project after filming just three episodes.

So, what's the deal? Not a good show after all? Didn't perform well in the ratings?

Aaaaw, that effing sucks!

NBC claims the show was too dark for the 9 PM ET slot, which baffles me, because they knew what the show was like when they gave it another season.

They're just idiots. I didn't even like the show all that much but to jerk people around this way, especially John Wells, who gave them a big show in ER, is baffling.

Four days after the abrupt cancellation of sophomore series "Southland" by NBC, chatter intensifies that the gritty cop drama may find a second home at TNT.

TNT was an obvious choice as it shares a corporate parent with Warner Bros. TV, which produces the critically praised series with studio-based John Wells Prods.

But sources on Monday indicated that talks between the two sides are advancing.

"We continually look at all programming opportunities that fit our portfolio of brands," TNT said in a statement.

"Southland," which stars Benjamin McKenzie, shot six episodes of its second season before being shut down by NBC last week.

TNT has been active in the cop drama genre, from its biggest hit, "The Closer" to its most recent offering, "Dark Blue," both from WBTV's sister Warner Horizon.

TNT has yet to decide on the future of "Dark Blue," which recently wrapped its first season.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3ib26dae96f6367a44acb2857acd7729da

Keep up the faith, "Southland" fans.

John Wells, executive producer of the recently canceled NBC drama, called actors on the show late last week to tell them he is in talks with two networks about the cop series finding a new home.

Wells reportedly didn't identify the networks, but TNT, corporate sibling of show producer Warner Bros. TV, has been interested in acquiring the series and is considered the most likely contender to pick it up.

Even if a deal is to be made to go to another network, there are indications that "Southland," whose production was shut down by NBC this month, won't resume filming anytime soon. The potential buyer would run the seven episodes from the first season and the six produced episodes from the second as a 13-episode freshman cycle.

I hadn't done the math and seen that combined there are 13 episodes. That's good for a cable network because they can package it as one season and start fresh. Of course depending on the success of those episodes, they'd probably want to retool the final episode to create a cliffhanger or some sense of closure. The only problem is if the show could sustain 7 weeks in reruns airing as new episodes on this new network. Would the hope be to find a new audience because I can't see old fans tuning in in droves for that.

Whatever the case I just want the show back. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed.

TOLDJA! NBC Lets 'Southland' Go To TNT

<span style="font-size:10.5pt;">The life of a TV drama can be just as dramatic as the turbulent world of its characters.Case in point: TNT's "Southland," which airs its season finale tonight.

The cop show went through a near-death experience when it was suddenly dropped by NBC -- only to be picked up last fall by TNT for its second season.

Then, while it was shooting in a rough Los Angeles neighborhood, a melee added scary authenticity to the show's portrayal of police life on the streets.

And in a final moment of suspense, the creators are holding their breath, wondering if TNT will renew "Southland" for a third season.

"The actors are on hold and there's a cutoff date in June by which they have to be notified," says producer Christopher Chulack. "We're hoping for a decision in mid-to-late April."

A greenlight would let Chulack continue with his fly-on-the-wall drama, which makes audiences "feel like they're on patrol with the cops. You only know what they know. You're never ahead of them."

"Southland" is shot entirely in Los Angeles locations with small, mostly handheld Red digital cameras. "They're easier to get into back seats, can shoot over the cage, then be handed out the window to continue the shot when the cops get out of the car," says Chulack.

On one occasion the show's realism almost got out of control. In the first episode of season two, one scene was shot in an area called the jungle, just south of the Baldwin Hills district. "We invited local people to be in that scene and got all the right permissions from neighborhood shot-callers," says Chulack, who helmed the episode.

The script called for a crowd to riot against police activity in the neighborhood. Then something unexpected happened. A woman in the scene who was behaving in an unruly manner left the location and returned to her nearby apartment, where she had an altercation. "All of a sudden 10 cop cars and a helicopter were pulling up for a drug investigation," Chulack recalls.

"Then all these real cops spotted us and came down to see what we were doing. So now the sketchy guys who were in the scene working with us see all these real cops, and it got kind of tense. When you see (actor) Michael Cudlitz struggling to get back into the car with people squashing and pushing him, that's real. The intensity and the spontaneity on the cast members' faces when people are screaming at them, that's real."

Such realism, says Chulack, wouldn't have been possible on a production using large cameras, dollies and directors chairs. "We didn't have a video village -- just men with cameras on their shoulders."

Chulack spoke to Daily Variety from Wilmington, N.C., where he's shooting a new medical drama for CBS. How will he juggle the new project and "Southland" if the latter gets picked up? "I hope I have that problem," he says.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118017249.html?categoryId=3683&cache=false</span>