Southland: The Complete First Season Uncensored is compelling drama at its finest. It’s no wonder why TNT picked this show up! You must own it on DVD this week.
L.A. is sandy beaches and Bel-Air mansions and flawless bodies. And it’s gang bangers and drug deals gone wrong and apartments crammed with almost as many people as cockroaches. It’s Southland, the place where a rookie cop and his savvier, veteran colleagues struggle to make a difference. Here in a 2-Disc Set are all seven Season One Episodes of the gripping, lightning-paced series about the men and women who live their lives – professional and personal – on a jagged edge, taking on criminals, victims and a sprawling city tainted by vice and seething with danger. It’s hellish work. But, as one wised-up cop says, “Every once in a while, you get to take a bad guy off the street for good. And that, my friend, is God’s work.”
Release Date: January 26, 2010
Rating: NR
Running Time: 300 Minutes
Southland is raw and gritty surprisingly because it is about the people not the forensics. This is one of the best character driven shows to come to television in quite some time. Southland follows the personal and professional complicated lives of officers and detectives in South Los Angeles and is portrayed by an incredible ensemble cast and written by a very well talented writing team who have no problem being as realistic and detailed as possible. Ben has been out of academy for 6 months and on his first day on the job, is forced to shoot an escapee. Throughout the 7 episodes, viewers not only find out about his past but his training officer and partner, John’s past, and it will rock you. Also a training officer, Chickie is conflicted with reporting her partner, Dewey who seems to be the most irresponsible cop on the job. The one who is the complete opposite is Lydia, who is the most compassionate cop on the job. She doesn’t spend too much time dating, and for good reason apparently. She puts more than 100% into her work and because she is such a good person, she takes in a young girl who has been helping the police and needs a place to stay when her Grandmother is shot. Though she doesn’t seem to understand the price that she will have to pay for trying to stay in both worlds until gang bangers come into Lydia’s home. Lydia’s partner, Detective Russell seems to be doing well until in the final episode he and wife are shot in their home. There is so much more to Southland, as an officer is dating a drug addict and another officer gets involved with a reporter. That’s not all. As Actor, Arija Bareikis mentions in the special feature, “People are interested in the dark side of human nature” and that is what is shown on location in Los Angeles. The show is shot documentary style, which makes the realness of the stories come forth so much more. Everything from the writing to the cast to filming on location, all of it makes this show so special and if you are not watching, you are truly missing out on an excellent show.
Special Features:
Redefining the Cop Drama – This feature takes viewers behind the scenes shooting on location in Los Angeles as interviews are shown the cast and crew who discuss everything about creating the show, casting real people, and shooting in LA for LA (using the RED camera at times for the documentary style effect). Executive Producer/Director, Christopher Chhulack, Executive Producer, John Wells, and Executive Producer/Creator/Writer, Ann Biderman mention how there was 9 months of research, and they were very focused on breaking the molding and showing what it is really like being a police officer. Location Manager, Michael Haro and Police Technical Advisor, Chic Daniel had a few things to say as well. The cast members that appear in this feature include Tom Everett Scott, Michael Cudlitz, Regina King, Michael McGrady, Arija Bareikis, Kevin Alejandro, Ben McKenzie, and Shawn Hatosy and it is interesting to hear them talk about their experience filming in parts of LA that they normally would not experience. This is a very well put together special feature. My only issue is that the executive producers did not talk about re-writes or deleted scenes, and what’s to come. Though it is still worth the watch!
Own Southland: The Complete First Season Uncensored on DVD January 26, 2010.