Southland makes its return to television on TNT this Tuesday, January 12th at 10/9c, airing the previously NBC aired 7 episodes of Season One followed by 6 all new episodes starting Tuesday, March 2 at 10/9c!

Airing tomorrow night is the extended “Pilot,” commercial free including 6 minutes of extra footage that you won’t want to miss!

From the beaches of Malibu to the streets of East Los Angeles, this fast moving drama takes viewers inside the lives of cops, criminals, victims and their families. In the series premiere, seasoned police officer John Cooper and his rookie trainee Ben Sherman respond to a call that leaves Ben questioning whether or not he has what it takes to become a police officer. Meanwhile, homicide detectives Lydia Adams and Russell Clarke race against the clock in the search for a missing girl who may have been abducted. Gang-squad detectives Nate Moretta and Sammy Bryant hunt for a witness after an innocent victim is gunned down in a drive-by shooting. One of the witnesses, a teenage girl named Janila (guest star Carla Jeffery), seems unafraid to aid in their investigation, even though her cooperation might prove dangerous. Her information leads to a raid by burned-out police officer Dewey (guest star C. Thomas Howell) and his partner, Chickie Brown.

What an incredibly compelling opening to this gritty and somewhat graphic one hour drama. Southland is not cookie cutter entertainment nor is this show about learning a moral lesson. Southland simply follows the personal and professional lives of officers and detectives in South Los Angeles. What an incredible ensemble cast…everyone of them will leave you wanting to know more about their characters, each who lead their own complex lives. Right away, we are introduced to characters who have to ask themselves…“Do I have what it takes for the job? My marriage? Do I have what it takes to straighten out my community and stop a racial war?”

Viewers will not only be engrossed in following several cases and seeing the ups and downs of the job (including the emotional toll it takes on each individual), but viewers will be able to appreciate the show all the more as Southland is filmed on location in Los Angeles. Just a few moments into the Pilot, it is noticeable how the show is shot almost like a documentary and on top of that, the stories are as realistic as it gets on television, so it’s a definite reality check for viewers everywhere.

Southland is an incredibly thought out and planned, well written, dark drama. While there is room for comedic lines here and there, the show is so heavy that it just seems better without any lightening of the subject matter. And while the storytelling might seem to be a bit scattered, everything packed into the Pilot will have you anticipating more from the lives of these incredibly complex characters in the dull yet exhilarating…South LA.

In the new episodes beginning Tues., March 2, the tables turn in the power struggle between Ben and John when Ben must face a difficult choice in dealing with his partner’s addiction to pain medication, without which he could no longer work in the field. Ben is unable to escape his troubled Beverly Hills background and he gets personally involved in a case on his first solo day on patrol. And following public humiliation by her partner, Chickie makes an effort to regain her confidence and footing in the field despite being ostracized by other cops.

After Russell is shot, Lydia struggles with loyalty and the stress of balancing her personal life with the difficulty of her job. Nate and Sammy join a drug task force with Nate’s old friend Gil, but Sammy feels left out of their bond.

On the personal front, Sammy and his wife make a decision to have a baby. Nate and Mariella, who have just had another baby, must deal with Mercedes, Nate’s oldest daughter who recently learned that Nate is her father, and is still angry and acting out because Nate wasn’t honest with her about her past. Mercedes’ behavior will eventually have devastating consequences. And Sal also has trouble with his daughter who uses her knowledge of his affair to manipulate him.

Talk about hard hitting drama!

Watch the premiere of Southland on TNT Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 10/9c.