The TV Addict 

SOUTHLAND
The Good: Complete with bleeped-out epithets and a diverse cast that’s fairly easy on the eyes, producer John Wells and creator Ann Biderman’s gritty and intense look at the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles may in fact do for cop dramas what ER did for medical ones. You know, make them interesting again.

The Bad: That gritty and intense realism comes at a price. Not only did SOUTHLAND’s docudrama shaky cam have us this close to pulling a Ben Mackenzie of our very own (Read: Running outside and hurling on our lawn). The downer of a plot that included gangland violence, drug dealers and sexual predators made for one helluva depressing hour.

The Verdict: While we’re definitely curious enough to take another trip (or two) down south, Wells and Biderman need throw in a victory or two for the boys (and girls) in blue every once in a while. That, or risk losing viewers to lighter time slot competitors like HARPER’S ISLAND and PRIVATE PRACTICE.

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