Southland

:

Season 1
  • Network: NBC , TNT
  • Series Premiere Date: Apr 9, 2009
Season #: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 22
  3. Negative: 1 out of 22
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Critic Reviews

  1. Newark Star-Ledger
    Reviewed by: Alan Sepinwall
    60
    It looks great, makes good use of Los Angeles locations and has a solid ensemble cast (including Regina King and Tom Everett Scott as detectives). But it feels emotionally empty in the same way "Third Watch" so often did.
  2. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Mary McNamara
    60
    In theory, Southland could turn out to be a rich and textured cross between, say, "Hill Street Blues" and "Crash" with a little "Training Day" on the side, but the pilot, for all its horrific crimes and grimy street scenes, is strangely bland.
  3. PopMatters
    Reviewed by: Lesley Smith
    60
    If visuals are not mundane in Southland, neither is the dialogue, especially the incidental repartee that oils coexistence in a high-stress profession.
  5. Time
    Reviewed by: James Poniewozik
    58
    Ten years ago, Southland would have seemed revolutionary on TV. But now it does feel like network playing catch-up with cable.
  6. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Hank Stuever
    50
    The pilot episode is laden with so much setup for countless other characters that the network should have supplied a flow chart.

Awards & Rankings

43
#43 Best TV Season of 2009
30
#30 Most Discussed TV Season of 2009
27
#27 Most Shared TV Season of 2009

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 129 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 113 out of 129
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 129
  3. Negative: 5 out of 129
  1. DaveJ
    May 20, 2009
    10
    This show is the uniform partner to NYPD Blue. As a retired police sergeant I can see the real life street situations in this show. It is not This show is the uniform partner to NYPD Blue. As a retired police sergeant I can see the real life street situations in this show. It is not for everyone since most of the low votes on here are people that know nothing about law enforcement on the street level. The old saying is 90% of police work is done in 19% of the time. Homicide was great, NYPD Blue was great, Police Story was great, Law & Order was/is below fair and some of the others that I cannot remember are below average. ER was not a real ER because I have worked in a real ER so those who knock Southland probably have never been a cop or worked the streets. This show is realistic and those who say it is not just don't know and have never been there. If you showed police on patrol it would be boring as most shifts are but you do want action and Southland gives you action. COPS is just the interesting part of the shift not the boring part.… Full Review »
  2. JohnS
    Jan 19, 2010
    10
    Outstanding show, its refreshing to see such a gritty show on primetime TV, have to hand it to the crew they did an AMAZING job, its too bad Outstanding show, its refreshing to see such a gritty show on primetime TV, have to hand it to the crew they did an AMAZING job, its too bad the network canned it before it could even really get going, lets hope it gets a second chance on TNT… Full Review »
  3. HDCase
    Jan 14, 2010
    5
    This should would be great, if it only concentrated on the street cops who are charismatic, well-fleshed out characters. Unfortunetly, it This should would be great, if it only concentrated on the street cops who are charismatic, well-fleshed out characters. Unfortunetly, it divides its time between them and some very uninteresting and unlikeable detectives. Cut out the detectives and maybe I'd watch again.… Full Review »
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