Picspam and reasons to watch: Southland
Day 5 of the 13 days of happy things, and I bring you (at killabeez's suggestion) a picspam/promoting post about Southland, the best show you're not watching, but totally should be. Southland really doesn't have much of a fandom, and there's barely any fic posted for it, but the show itself is phenomenally good. Under the cut, some pictures to make my point, and give you a reason to watch! Or, if you're already a fan - to make you smile.
First, though, outside the cut - the haunting song from which the theme song to Southland was taken, Cancao Do Mar by Dulce Pontes. It is not at all what I expected. Also, seasons 1 and 2 are out on DVD now (only 13 eps total in those two seasons combined, due to cancellation and moving to a new network); season 4 starts on TNT in 2012.
1. Southland has an incredible and diverse cast of characters whose lives are interesting, complicated, and intertwined with their work. Currently, Regina King is featured as Detective Lydia Adams, and Jenny Gago is featured as her partner, Detective Josie Ochoa. These two female detectives confront issues of gender and cultural misunderstandings head-on, and they clash sometimes on those very issues.
The cast is quite large and has changed over the seasons, but it has featured Michael Cudlitz (as gay cop John Cooper), Ben McKenzie (as John's partner Ben Sherman), Kevin Alejandro, Amaury Nolasco, Arija Bareikis, C. Thomas Howell, and Shawn Hatosy as well. The show has tackled a number of thorny problems, including misogyny, homophobia, being a gay cop, abuse of police powers, the death of an officer on the job, racism, sexism, drug and alcohol abuse and enabling, the police code of silence, and much more. It's gritty, difficult, disturbing, and sometimes hopeful, but it's always breathtaking.
2. On a related note, the cast, as you can clearly see here, don't get along at all. Nope. Not in any way. They can't stand each other.
Nor do they have any sense of humor whatsoever.
3. Detective Lydia Adams is the most awesome character ever to awesome.
Lydia is my all-time favorite female character. She's flawed, she's human, she's tough, she takes on the patriarchy with attitude and professionalism, she's exceptionally competent and compassionate in her work, and she's a great cop. In short, she is awesome. And I don't understand why fandom has not flocked to her to embrace her awesomeness. I'm on a mission to remedy that.
4. The show is incredibly realistic. It's like the anti-Hawaii-Five-0. I mean that in a kind way. All the things that would normally bug me about fun but unrealistic shows like H50 - violence, cavalier attitudes toward procedure and civil rights, reckless handling of weapons, etc - are called out and explicitly addressed on Southland. The show is exemplary in the tiny details of law enforcement. You don't have to take my word on it; you can read this if you'd like an independent opinion. *g*
5. Cooper and Sherman are MFEO. They are both loaded down with baggage and issues related to their childhood and how their trauma has carried over into their adult lives - plus Cooper has added issues he's dealing with, including prescription drug abuse and balancing his personal life with his professional life - but they understand each other, and their chemistry is ridiculous. Cooper is Sherman's training officer in seasons 1-3, and at the end of season three, their dynamic changes forever. As for their relationship - they are great friends. One of the episode titles was Butch and Sundance. *g*
In conclusion: please have some additional random photos of people being pretty.
First, though, outside the cut - the haunting song from which the theme song to Southland was taken, Cancao Do Mar by Dulce Pontes. It is not at all what I expected. Also, seasons 1 and 2 are out on DVD now (only 13 eps total in those two seasons combined, due to cancellation and moving to a new network); season 4 starts on TNT in 2012.
1. Southland has an incredible and diverse cast of characters whose lives are interesting, complicated, and intertwined with their work. Currently, Regina King is featured as Detective Lydia Adams, and Jenny Gago is featured as her partner, Detective Josie Ochoa. These two female detectives confront issues of gender and cultural misunderstandings head-on, and they clash sometimes on those very issues.
The cast is quite large and has changed over the seasons, but it has featured Michael Cudlitz (as gay cop John Cooper), Ben McKenzie (as John's partner Ben Sherman), Kevin Alejandro, Amaury Nolasco, Arija Bareikis, C. Thomas Howell, and Shawn Hatosy as well. The show has tackled a number of thorny problems, including misogyny, homophobia, being a gay cop, abuse of police powers, the death of an officer on the job, racism, sexism, drug and alcohol abuse and enabling, the police code of silence, and much more. It's gritty, difficult, disturbing, and sometimes hopeful, but it's always breathtaking.
2. On a related note, the cast, as you can clearly see here, don't get along at all. Nope. Not in any way. They can't stand each other.
Nor do they have any sense of humor whatsoever.
3. Detective Lydia Adams is the most awesome character ever to awesome.
Lydia is my all-time favorite female character. She's flawed, she's human, she's tough, she takes on the patriarchy with attitude and professionalism, she's exceptionally competent and compassionate in her work, and she's a great cop. In short, she is awesome. And I don't understand why fandom has not flocked to her to embrace her awesomeness. I'm on a mission to remedy that.
4. The show is incredibly realistic. It's like the anti-Hawaii-Five-0. I mean that in a kind way. All the things that would normally bug me about fun but unrealistic shows like H50 - violence, cavalier attitudes toward procedure and civil rights, reckless handling of weapons, etc - are called out and explicitly addressed on Southland. The show is exemplary in the tiny details of law enforcement. You don't have to take my word on it; you can read this if you'd like an independent opinion. *g*
5. Cooper and Sherman are MFEO. They are both loaded down with baggage and issues related to their childhood and how their trauma has carried over into their adult lives - plus Cooper has added issues he's dealing with, including prescription drug abuse and balancing his personal life with his professional life - but they understand each other, and their chemistry is ridiculous. Cooper is Sherman's training officer in seasons 1-3, and at the end of season three, their dynamic changes forever. As for their relationship - they are great friends. One of the episode titles was Butch and Sundance. *g*
In conclusion: please have some additional random photos of people being pretty.