NBC Cancels "Southland" Before It Even Premieres

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October 9th, 2009 - (856 days ago)

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southland425It seems that with each passing day NBC falls more and more under the control of the dark side.  That is if you consider reality and non-scripted television the dark side, as I do.  NBC has announced that their sophmore cop series Southland will be canceled...without airing a single episode of its second season.  Confused yet?

It's true, last May NBC made the decision to give its brand new police drama a second season.  The ratings were far from spectacular, and had declined some through April and May, but it had the most promising premiere of their midseason replacements, and it was a gritty, intense and well written drama, just what NBC needed.  Their hopes were that they could pull in a larger audience during the second season and give this show some time to mature and find it's audience.  But something has happened between May and October, and NBC seems to have lost faith in the drama.  The first signs of the cancellation came in August when NBC moved the premiere of Southland from its original September date to the end of October.  The reason given was that they simply hadn't had the time to devote to properly promoting the series, and having it premiere in the midst of so many returning shows wouldn't give it the strong launch they desired.  But now, none of that matters as the series will never have its season two premiere, or at least not on NBC.

Southland has shot 6 episodes of the second season so far, and word is that they will begin shopping the series to other networks, especially the cable outlets, and attempt to find it a home.  What's worse is that NBC has announced that they will replace Southland with another episode of Dateline.

"I'm disappointed that NBC no longer has the time periods available to support the kind of critically-acclaimed series that was for so many years, a hallmark of their success," was the response from Executive Producer John Wells.  "We remain extremely proud of Southland and are actively looking for another home for the series."

Stay tuned to TVOvermind for future news about this show and whether it has a chance of getting picked up by any of the other networks.  It seems like it would be a good fit for TNT especially, and FX and USA might also make good homes.

Source: THR

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Bryan was missing for months after his plane crashed on a strange hidden island in the South Pacific with some guy named Jacob. Luckily he was rescued (with 5 others) and found his way back to the states. Now he's a Co-Founder here at TVOvermind, as well as a Co-Founder of the brand new sci-fi community news portal The SciFried. You can keep updated on Bryan via his community profile, or follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/astrojones2 or on Facebook.
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(24) Comments - Add Yours!

  1. Michal says:

    NBC sucks! I loved this show!

  2. Michal says:

    NBC sucks! I loved this show!

  3. Hopsko says:

    I love Southland. NBC's shows suck right now and Southland would of made NBC so much better. Some network needs to pick Southland up its an amazing show and any network would be lucky to have it.

  4. Hopsko says:

    I love Southland. NBC’s shows suck right now and Southland would of made NBC so much better. Some network needs to pick Southland up its an amazing show and any network would be lucky to have it.

  5. Tori says:

    I cannot believe NBC's canceling Southland (although maybe I should given its drastic decline in the past few years). Southland is the first NBC show in ages I've both enjoyed and respected. It's dark and gritty, yes, but most people I know happen to like that and more importantly, Southland did it WELL. It's a unique, well-written, realistic show that deserves to be shown somewhere; I will definitely follow whatever network shows it. Now, the only thing I watch on NBC is Law & Order, thanks Jay Leno.

  6. Tori says:

    I cannot believe NBC’s canceling Southland (although maybe I should given its drastic decline in the past few years). Southland is the first NBC show in ages I’ve both enjoyed and respected. It’s dark and gritty, yes, but most people I know happen to like that and more importantly, Southland did it WELL. It’s a unique, well-written, realistic show that deserves to be shown somewhere; I will definitely follow whatever network shows it. Now, the only thing I watch on NBC is Law & Order, thanks Jay Leno.

  7. Latoya says:

    The fans are angry and we are banding together to let NBC know that enough is enough.

    Join us and voice your frustrations over Southland's cancellation http://www.Twitter.com/SaveSouthLAnd or @SaveSouthLAnd

    Other links:

    Twitition: http://twitition.com/n3tvb

    Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/nbcsouthland
    Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=1…

    Please join the fight and let NBC know that they have gone too far!

  8. Donna says:

    NBC's reported complaints about Southland being 'too dark' don't ring true. Law enforcement work involves dealing with the darker side of human nature, and Southland seemed to portray this realistically.

    I feel for John Wells and all the actors and writers associated with the show, and predict that their work will be vindicated by being picked up on another network. This show has great potential, with a quality cast portraying intriguing characters. I will miss getting to know them better, if no other network recognizes the significant and well-deserved interest Southland generated in a mere seven week spring season.

    Continuing to air something like 'Cougar Town' instead of good ensemble drama pretty much says it all about what NBC thinks of viewer intelligence.

    Now there are only three shows I watch on broadcast TV….and none of them are NBC.

  9. Donna says:

    NBC’s reported complaints about Southland being ‘too dark’ don’t ring true. Law enforcement work involves dealing with the darker side of human nature, and Southland seemed to portray this realistically.

    I feel for John Wells and all the actors and writers associated with the show, and predict that their work will be vindicated by being picked up on another network. This show has great potential, with a quality cast portraying intriguing characters. I will miss getting to know them better, if no other network recognizes the significant and well-deserved interest Southland generated in a mere seven week spring season.

    Continuing to air something like ‘Cougar Town’ instead of good ensemble drama pretty much says it all about what NBC thinks of viewer intelligence.

    Now there are only three shows I watch on broadcast TV….and none of them are NBC.

  10. Kaori says:

    I'll take Southland any day over Leno. It's a beautifully-imagined, smart drama that took their veiwership inside people's lives without playing to any stereotypes I could see. I really loved and appreciated this show and I feel that NBC would rather ignore intelligence in favor of quick cash. A payout over the long run just isn't worth it to them, it seems.

  11. Kaori says:

    I’ll take Southland any day over Leno. It’s a beautifully-imagined, smart drama that took their veiwership inside people’s lives without playing to any stereotypes I could see. I really loved and appreciated this show and I feel that NBC would rather ignore intelligence in favor of quick cash. A payout over the long run just isn’t worth it to them, it seems.

  12. no_detective says:

    I love this show – and that's saying something, because I usually despise police dramas (or rather, those that fetishize violence… which is all of the SCIs and most L&Os). Southland is not easy popcorn viewing, but it's oh so rewarding: smart, sparsely written, brilliantly acted, and effectively filmed. It's a show with a heart and – I totally agree – working outside stereotypes that populate most of TV nowadays.

    Here's hoping that a network not run by idiots (that is, not NBC) will pick it up. I'll follow this show wherever it goes.

  13. no_detective says:

    I love this show – and that’s saying something, because I usually despise police dramas (or rather, those that fetishize violence… which is all of the SCIs and most L&Os). Southland is not easy popcorn viewing, but it’s oh so rewarding: smart, sparsely written, brilliantly acted, and effectively filmed. It’s a show with a heart and – I totally agree – working outside stereotypes that populate most of TV nowadays.

    Here’s hoping that a network not run by idiots (that is, not NBC) will pick it up. I’ll follow this show wherever it goes.

  14. Stacy says:

    I don't think NBC lost faith in Southland; I think the network just forgot whatever they once knew about broadcasting quality drama. Meanwhile, they've also lost me as a viewer.

  15. Stacy says:

    I don’t think NBC lost faith in Southland; I think the network just forgot whatever they once knew about broadcasting quality drama. Meanwhile, they’ve also lost me as a viewer.

  16. Latoya says:

    The fans are angry and we are banding together to let NBC know that enough is enough.

    Join us and voice your frustrations over Southland's cancellation http://www.Twitter.com/SaveSouthLAnd or @SaveSouthLAnd

    Other links:

    Twitition: http://twitition.com/n3tvb

    Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/nbcsouthland
    Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=1…

    Please join the fight and let NBC know that they have gone too far!

  17. sl says:

    Write to Warner Bros. TV, the producers of Southland, to show your support for the show.

    http://www.timewarner.com

    Peter Roth

    President

    Warner Brothers Television

    4000 Warner Blvd.

    Burbank CA 91522

    Tel. 818 -954-6000

    Fax 212-954-7667

    Bruce Rosenblum

    President, Warner Bros. Television Group

    Warner Bros. Entertainment

    4000 Warner Blvd.

    Burbank, CA 91522

    Phone 818.954.6000

    Fax 212-954-7667

    Ken Werner

    President

    Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution

    Warner Bros. Entertainment

    4000 Warner Blvd.

    Burbank, CA 91522

    Phone 818.954.6000

    Fax 212-954-7667

  18. Almasy says:

    This was the best show, I cant believe they cancelled it!

  19. Almasy says:

    This was the best show, I cant believe they cancelled it!

  20. sl says:

    Write to Warner Bros. TV, the producers of Southland, to show your support for the show.

    http://www.timewarner.com

    Peter Roth

    President

    Warner Brothers Television

    4000 Warner Blvd.

    Burbank CA 91522

    Tel. 818 -954-6000

    Fax 212-954-7667

    Bruce Rosenblum

    President, Warner Bros. Television Group

    Warner Bros. Entertainment

    4000 Warner Blvd.

    Burbank, CA 91522

    Phone 818.954.6000

    Fax 212-954-7667

    Ken Werner

    President

    Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution

    Warner Bros. Entertainment

    4000 Warner Blvd.

    Burbank, CA 91522

    Phone 818.954.6000

    Fax 212-954-7667

  21. annah says:

    My fav show is gone now thanks to NBC :(

  22. annah says:

    My fav show is gone now thanks to NBC :(

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