Shawn Hatosy

CHICAGO – TNT’s “Southland” continues its remarkable run tonight with a fourth season premiere that is as confident, accomplished, and entertaining as anything yet produced by this once-canceled program.

CHICAGO – 2008’s “Street Kings” may not have been a critical darling or commercial smash but it’s the kind of action film that surely did real well on Blu-ray and DVD. And it’s a movie I happen to think was underrated in its balls-to-the-wall chronicle of police corruption and take-no-prisoners style. So, I was curious when a straight-to-DVD sequel starring Ray Liotta and Shawn Hatosy popped up. I’m here to warn you against the same curiosity. This is a total waste of time.

CHICAGO – TNT’s “Southland” has found that rare balance that evades most modern cop shows. In fact, it may be the best show of its type since “NYPD Blue.”

CHICAGO – The great “Southland” has been officially renewed for a third season, the first produced by TNT, that will air in January of 2011. The John Wells police drama started at NBC, where production began on a second season, but it was then canceled. TNT picked up the episodes already produced and aired them early this year but will now produce episodes of their own.

CHICAGO – The most notable casualties of the disastrous “The Jay Leno Show” may have been Conan O’Brien and the reputation of “The Tonight Show” but the fate of scripted drama on NBC also took a hit, exemplified by the fact that the network let arguably their best show go without much fanfare.

CHICAGO – One episode of the excellent “Southland” should tell you all you need to know about what NBC thinks about quality dramatic writing. They don’t care. They looked at this show, one of the most expertly-written on television, and canceled it, even after starting production on the second season. They’d rather give you “The Jay Leno Show”. Show them the error of their ways and make “Southland” a hit on DVD and with upcoming new episodes on TNT.

CHICAGO – NBC has canceled the John Wells cop drama “Southland” before the show’s second season premiere, which was scheduled to air on Friday, October 23, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Television Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Premiere episodes of ensemble shows like NBC’s nearly-great “Southland” can be a tough nut to crack. How do you interested viewers in a dozen characters in 44 minutes, give them a resolved plot in that same window of time, and intrigue them enough to come back next week? “Southland” expertly does all three.