Southland: The Complete First Season

Promoted as a brave, new, uncompromising police drama when it debuted on NBC in 2009, this critically acclaimed production from Ann Biderman and John Wells focuses on various levels of law enforcement in a single Los Angeles precinct, from uniformed officers to various grades of detectives. A pair of patrolmen center the series—veteran Cooper (Michael Cudlitz), who mentors rookie rich kid Ben Sherman (Ben McKenzie—but it's an ensemble show with plenty of drama to go around (Regina King, Tom Everett Scott, Kevin Alejandro, Arija Bareikis, Shawn Hatosy, and Michael McGrady fill out the cast). Biderman is an NYPD Blue veteran, while Wells produced Third Watch, and Southland is reminiscent of both in its attempt to combine dramatic character realism with documentary-like snapshots of working on the streets and in the squad room. The focus here is less on the cases and more on the stress that the job puts on members of the force, from broken relationships/families to drug/alcohol abuse. But for all of the good intentions and serious approach, Southland isn't nearly as groundbreaking as it thinks it is, and the complexity and dynamism of shows like The Shield and The Wire are unfortunately missing here. Compiling all seven episodes from the brief inaugural season, DVD extras include the behind-the-scenes featurette “Southland: Redefining the Cop Drama.” Optional. (S. Axmaker)