‘Southland’ cancelled: Can it still survive? Yes! | EW.com

‘Southland’ cancelled: Can it still survive? Yes! | EW.com

‘Southland’ cancelled: Can it still survive? Yes!
by Ken Tucker
Categories: Cancellations, Fall TV 2009, News, Talk Shows, Television

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As EW reported last night, Southland has been canceled by NBC. A combination of so-so ratings and, more significantly, the lack of the 10 p.m. time-slot a grown-up cop drama a series such as Southland requires are undoubtedly the chief reasons.

This is a cryin’ shame. Southland had all the makings of what used to be considered a classic NBC show: Good serialized stories, a fine ensemble cast, and that comfy workplace-drama feel that ER and Homicide: Life On The Street used to have.

Oh, but NBC doesn’t care that Southland’s Regina King was probably well on her way to an Emmy nomination if her cop character had remained as strong as it did last season, or that Ben McKenzie had found a fine post-O.C. role to grow into. Naw, the network just wants a couple million people to yuk it up while Jay Leno is stuck in that hour, making jokes with Gerard Butler about being naked in the latter’s film roles, as Leno did last night.

Give us all a break. Where can producer John Wells and creator Ann Biderman take Southland? I wouldn’t trust its chances on the already-crammed ABC, CBS, and Fox networks. It won’t fit on pay-cable — not edgy enough. Yet it’s too edgy for a basic-cable channel such as USA. But why not TNT? If it’s Saving Grace, why can’t it save Southland?

Are you irritated that Southland was cancelled? What NBC show will get the axe next? Maybe they’ll decide that one of the Law and Orders isn’t pulling in enough viewers at 8 or 9 p.m., when it should be on at 10 anyway?

Beyond that, where do you think a wounded Southland could resurface, and thrive, on TV?

‘Southland’ star on show’s axing: ‘I’m pissed off’ | Ausiello | EW.com

This is my favorite actor on the show, and he plays my favorite character as well.

‘Southland’ star on show’s axing: ‘I’m pissed off’ | Ausiello | EW.com

Southland’ star on show’s axing: ‘I’m pissed off’
by Michael Ausiello
Categories: News, Southland

Michael-Cudlitz-Southland_lStill scratching your head over NBC’s bizarre decision to renew Southland only to cancel it five months later before a single season 2 episode had aired? You’re not alone. Michael Cudlitz, who plays gay officer John Cooper on the acclaimed drama, is still reeling from the news. In this exclusive Q&A, the actor explains why he’s “pissed off,” weighs in on the show’s chances of finding a new home, and offers a message to shell-shocked fans.

When did you find out?
MICHAEL CUDLITZ: [Exec producers] Ann Biderman and Christopher Chulack came to the set yesterday and announced it to the cast and crew.

What was your reaction? Did you see it coming?
CUDLITZ: In retrospect, I saw it coming. We were two weeks away from airing and [the cancellation news] has created more press for the show than NBC has put into it on its own. They ran the first [Southland] ad — a 30-second spot — last Friday, and that’s the only one that they ran. That’s not a relaunch. When you have a network that nobody’s watching, it doesn’t benefit you to only advertise on your network.

What explanation were you given?
CUDLITZ: We were given the same statement that everyone got. [NBC] said they watched the first [four] episodes and determined that they were too dark. I don’t even know where to go with that. They were the scripts that [NBC] approved for a show that they picked up — a show they themselves advertised as an authentic, raw, and gritty look at the Los Angeles Police Department. So I don’t know what they thought they were getting… There’s something else going on I’m sure. We had a cast and crew screening on Tuesday for the season 2 premiere, and it was phenomenal. It was better than any of the episodes we have aired to date. It was fantastic.

Do you have a theory as to what else might be going on?
CUDLITZ: I really don’t. What audience are they afraid of pissing off? They don’t have an audience… There’s some speculation that they’re trying to cut costs because they’re trying to sell the network, but I don’t know. The thing that strikes me as very bizarre is that they have [six episodes] in the can, they don’t have anything on right now that is doing well, and our show is good. Why would you not put it on? So something else must be going on.

You’re shooting episode six now, right?
CUDLITZ: Yes. Today is our third day shooting episode 6. We will finish shooting this episode next week.

Exec producer John Wells said he’s trying to find a new home for the show. Do you hold out any hope for that?
CUDLITZ: I do because we have episodes that have never aired that are pretty fantastic. And if it moves somewhere else, it could become the show that it should have been initially — which is even darker and grittier.

What happens if no one picks up the show by next week? Will production shut down after you’re done with episode six?
CUDLITZ: If nothing happens in the next week we will shut down. I imagine if there’s any movement in the next week, then Warner Bros. could step up and foot the bill in the interim while they hammer out a deal.

Are you angry?
CUDLITZ: I’m pissed. I’ve said it on my Twitter account. I’m pissed off. We had all the pre-season stuff, all the dinners and parties. They told us they loved and believed in the show. They said the [delay] would be good for us. On paper it all made sense so I was willing to believe I was being told the truth… I don’t just walk in one day and go, “Eh, I’m not going to act today. I know I told you I was going to act, but I’m not going to do my thing.” But I guess because they own the ball and the ballpark they get to do that. It’s kind of cheap.

Anything fans can do?
CUDLITZ: They can express their annoyance. Networks are in this to make money, and it’s obviously proven by this decision. Because if they cared about the quality and the art then they would keep the show on the air just because of that. This was not a show that was costing them a ton of money. This is a show that would more than likely have made them money, even if not a lot. And it was critically-acclaimed, and they still chose to cancel it because of the bottom line. They’re obviously in it for the money. So if you let them know you’re not happy with what they did, that can’t do anything but help.

Shopping ‘Southland’ | Company Town | Los Angeles Times

This is a travesty

Shopping ‘Southland’ | Company Town | Los Angeles Times

Shopping ‘Southland’
October 9, 2009 | 2:36 pm

So the folks behind the recently canceled “Southland” are working the phones today, hitting up every cable network they can think of that might be interested in the cop drama.

First on everyone’s list for taking the departed NBC drama is TNT. For starters, “Southland” is produced by Warner Bros., which like TNT is owned by Time Warner, so there is a family connection. Second, while “The Closer” is still going gangbusters for TNT, the network recently lost “Saving Grace,” and its other dramas, including “Dark Blue,” have not been setting the world on fire.

SOUTHLAND While “Southland” certainly would be a good fit on TNT, it remains to be seen if the network would want to buy someone else’s castoff. With six episodes of “Southland” already in the can, TNT may be able to negotiate a decent price, and since Warner Bros. will already be getting paid for those shows by NBC, it might be willing to cut a slight break on the license fee. Then, if the show were a success for TNT, it could ask for more money. NBC was paying about $1.5 million per episode for the show, people close to the production say. That is not a huge fee for a cash cow like TNT.

Another likely network would be A&E. However, we’re told A&E has already passed. And A&E is partially owned by NBC, so that might have been a problem politically even if it did want it. USA Network is totally owned by NBC and “Southland” is much too dark for them, so that’s out.

That brings us to AMC, home of “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad.” They like to spend money there, but everyone thinks they are the new HBO, so they might not want to sully their image with a show from a (cough) broadcast network.

FX already has a ton of programming, and while “Southland” may be gritty (there’s that word again) for NBC, it’s “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” for FX.

People will say it should go on HBO or Showtime, but it’s not nearly quirky enough.

So unless Food Network or The Weather Channel (whoops, that’s NBC again) want to go in a completely different direction, the only real candidate out there may be TNT.

Let’s see if blood is thicker than money.

– Joe Flint