Friday, October 09, 2009

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!

After first having its second-season debut pushed back to October 23, the “gritty” NBC cop drama Southland has suddenly been cancelled. What a shame. While not stupendous, this Los Angeles-set series boasted some standout performances by Michael Cudlitz (as Officer John Cooper) and Regina King (as Detective Lydia Adams). It also claimed John Wells (China Beach, ER, The West Wing) as one of its executive producers. Southland had the potential to become another hit. But apparently NBC, which is suffering from an egregious shortage of prime-time slots, after sacrificing five hours a week to Jay Leno’s struggling talk show, would prefer to give over Southland’s planned Friday night spot to another edition of--yawn--Dateline.

“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,” Wells is quoted as saying. “We remain extremely proud of Southland and are actively looking for another home for the series.” It seems six episodes for season two are already in the can. Let’s hope they receive an airing soon.

18 comments:

Randy Johnson said...

Let me say that wherever Southland goes, I will follow. I'm disappointed that NBC gave five hours a week to Leno(and I actually liked him) and, after watching parts of two episodes, predict it will not last. Leno is late night TV. I want something a little more substantial at the ten o'clock hour.
Southland would have been the only thing worth watching on NBC's prime time line-up. Now they've lost me altogether.

pattinase (abbott) said...

NBC is not ready for Primetime anymore.

MysterLynch said...

I think either FX or TNT would make a great home for Southland.

Anonymous said...

Here's to hoping that someone else picks up Southland and shows NBC what this show is really about with the right timeslot. It's a great show, with talent and plot that you give a damn about and this raw emotion I wish I saw more of in my tvscreen.

NBC, you suck.

Unknown said...

It’s the best drama I’ve seen in a long time. It’s not just the withdrawal of antenna. Why NBC?

Anonymous said...

NBC sucks! This was my favorite show :(

Anonymous said...

This is terrible.
I too will follow this show wherever it goes, it and John Wells have been treated very badly, hope that they have the last laugh and we see it on another network or maybe cable.
Bye Bye NBC.

Anonymous said...

I will definately follow this show wherever to goes too. I love this show and I completely hate NBC for canceling it. I only watched NBC for Southland and I will never watch that channel ever again. Im very diasappointed over the decision and I hope some other network will be smart enough to pick Southland up and give it a new home on their network.

Tori said...

I cannot believe NBC's canceling Southland (although maybe I should given its drastic decline in the past few years). Southland is the first NBC show in ages I've both enjoyed and respected. It's dark and gritty, yes, but most people I know happen to like that and more importantly, Southland did it WELL. It's a unique, well-written, realistic show that deserves to be shown somewhere; I will definitely follow whatever network shows it. Now, the only thing I watch on NBC is Law & Order, thanks Jay Leno.

Anonymous said...

This show had great potential, with a quality cast portraying intriguing characters. I will miss getting to know them better.

Continuing to air something like 'Cougar Town' instead of good ensemble drama pretty much says it all about what NBC thinks of viewer intelligence.

Now there are only three shows I watch on broadcast TV....and none of them are NBC.

C'mon, TNT, step up!

Unknown said...

Of course this is about money. Is everything about money? Evidently, at NBC it is.

Kate C. said...

I'll take Southland any day over Leno. It's a beautifully-imagined, smart drama that took their veiwership inside people's lives without playing to any stereotypes I could see. I really loved and appreciated this show and I feel that NBC would rather ignore intelligence in favor of quick cash. A payout over the long run just isn't worth it to them, it seems.

Anonymous said...

Also, don't forget Ann Biderman of NYPD Blue fame. I was SHOCKED by how much I enjoyed a cop show, until I found out that season 1 scripts were written by her (and a few other female writers).

Southland is an incredible drama for all the reasons you listed, and I really hope it finds a home on another network. NBC has given it truly deplorable treatment. By the way, I'd boycott NBC except Southland was their only show I was interested in watching...

Anonymous said...

Add Ben McKenzie to the list of standout performances on this show. And add me to the list of people who will happily leave NBC and follow Southland anywhere it goes.

Unknown said...

Anyone on Twitter? Join us and voice your frustrations over Southland's cancellation www.Twitter.com/SaveSouthLAnd or @SaveSouthLAnd

Other links:
Twitition: http://twitition.com/n3tvb
Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/nbcsouthland
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=171360942974&ref=ts

Please join the fight and let NBC know that they have gone too far!

Anonymous said...

NBC failed!
Southland was the best show in a long time!!!

Anonymous said...

Write Warner Bros. TV, the producers of Southland, to show your support for the show.

Peter Roth
President
Warner Brothers Television
4000 Warner Blvd.
Burbank CA 91522
Tel. 818 -954-6000
Fax 212-954-7667

Bruce Rosenblum
President, Warner Bros. Television Group
Warner Bros. Entertainment
4000 Warner Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91522
Phone 818.954.6000
Fax 212-954-7667

Ken Werner
President
Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution
Warner Bros. Entertainment
4000 Warner Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91522
Phone 818.954.6000
Fax 212-954-7667

annah said...

I want Southland back!