It took a few weeks to get it done, but at least all of the produced episodes of Southland have a home now. The show developed a little bit of buzz with its first seven episodes last season. Then it developed a lot of buzz this year when NBC pulled the plug on it before its second season had even begun, leaving six episodes created and in limbo.Apparently, its darker tone didn't fit in with the network's plans anymore. After all, the 10 p.m. slot, where most of your more sophisticated shows used to live on NBC, is the home of Leno now. Immediately word came out that various cable networks were looking to pick up the series, but no one knew exactly what that meant. There were theories, of course, and TNT emerged as the front-runner.
Now we know, and it looks like everyone was right. TNT has secured the rights to Southland; primarily the right to broadcast the 13 episodes produced so far.
If you want more episodes, the solution is pretty simple. Show up in droves to watch these. They start airing on Tuesday, January 12 at 10 p.m., ironically against the very show that many people think killed it: The Jay Leno Show. So if you really want to make a statement that NBC might notice, turn TNT's Southland into the next Sons of Anarchy and actually beat Leno head-to-head!
[Check out Southland on SlashControl.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-02-2009 @ 10:55AM
Eric said...
Where were to cable networks when Life was canceled? Having watched both shows, I think Life is the far better show.
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11-02-2009 @ 10:57AM
Eric said...
I meant "the" instead of "to"
11-02-2009 @ 12:22PM
Chas Winterbottom said...
I problem with Life was that NBC doesn't like "cerealized" shows.
11-02-2009 @ 12:46PM
Jason said...
When I think of cerealized shows, I think of Flinstones.
11-02-2009 @ 11:21AM
Scott said...
Couldn't have agreed more Eric. As soon as I read the front page section I continued on just so I could make a similar comment. I watched the first few episodes of Southland but seemed like nothing new and a poor substitute for "Life."
I actually think that dropping Southland was one of the smarter decisions NBC had made. Of course every other decision NBC makes seems weak unless you work at TVSquad and then you somehow decide that the Leno show is a groundbreaking discovery.
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11-02-2009 @ 11:58AM
Jeff N. said...
Southland deserves to be shown on TV. I thought either TNT or FX would be a great place for it. NBC really isn't a major network any longer. It mainly airs talk shows and reality crap. It's best rated show is Sunday Night Football. When winter comes and the season is over up will pop Celebrity Apprentice. Ugh! Yeah, Southland is better off on TNT. And yes a shoutout to the cancelled show Life. It deserved better than to be on NBC. It would be still on if it had been on a better network.
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11-02-2009 @ 1:07PM
Jason said...
I wasn't so sure of Southland, but I kept watching it. It got better as it went along. I was actually bummed out when NBC cancelled it because I though it had great potential. (Still wondering why it keeps getting compared to Life, also a great show but the comparison is apples to jack fruit.) TNT or FX would have been the perfect home for the series, so I am glad to hear the TNT guys got wise and pulled through.
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11-02-2009 @ 2:02PM
meb said...
I'm glad TNT picked up this show. It's a show that was a fresh look at cops and I liked the way it was filmed. Why it keeps getting compared to 'Life', I have NO idea. *shrug* But, thanks TNT for giving 'Southland' a new life. Looking forward to tuning in in January and bringing new viewers with me. :)
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11-02-2009 @ 2:12PM
kef said...
I like southland and I hope it gets picked up for more. That being said us watching it is meaningless, which is the problem with TV ratings. It only counts if you are a selected Neilson home. Its BS and I wish in this modwen world they could figure out a way to know how many people are actually watching.
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11-02-2009 @ 3:44PM
shamon said...
Thank god but fx would have been a better home.
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11-02-2009 @ 4:04PM
Eric said...
It's not being compared to Life, because the shows are similar they aren't really, other then involving police detectives/officers in L.A. the tone of the shows are completely different. Life is being brought up because it was killed for the same reason that Southland was, to make room for Jay Leno at 10pm. Life just got canceled six months before Southland. I enjoyed both shows, and I am glad Southland got picked up by TNT, I hope it beats Leno in the ratings, but if I had to choose which show got a second chance on cable I would pick Life. I think it would have fit in perfectly on USA, I could really see it pairing well on Friday nights with their new show White Collar.
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11-03-2009 @ 1:33AM
tingrin87 said...
comments broken? i only see numbers, not names.
also, i wouldn't call this "Irony" - i'd call it "good planning"
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11-03-2009 @ 4:02AM
sailmold said...
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11-03-2009 @ 9:00AM
Holton F. Brown said...
I think that Life was good on it's own but was a different genre.. Southland and iIthink the writing is on the wall with Jay Leno's comment that he would return to Tonight if asked .. NBC is obviously realizing that the five nights of Leno in prime time is a disaster ... ratings down 38% !!!
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11-03-2009 @ 5:41PM
bamboo said...
I really liked Life and Southland.
NBC has really fallen off a cliff for me. It actually used to be my fav. channel, and I pretty much only watched Lost on others.
Now, the only thing I watch is Law&Order, Heroes, and 30Rock (on hulu), and it's not even that memorable anymore.
Now I mostly watch TVT and USA shows. Shows like Leverage, Psych, Burn Notice, White Collar, and The Closer have me actually looking forward to the next episode. I can't remember the last time NBC did that. Well, maybe Chuck, but they have been doing their best to screw that up too. Wife just called me at work yesterday because she saw a commercial or something announcing when The Closer started new episodes. Made me happy to hear.
I think someone needs to just cancel NBC. Maybe that is what Comcast has planned.
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