A police drama that originally ended in 2013 is unexpectedly popular on Netflix right now, currently ranking at number eight on the Top 10 list. Critics still give it high marks with a 90% rating, but everyday viewers on Rotten Tomatoes overwhelmingly love it, giving it a 98% score and praising its enduring quality.
The popular drama Southland offered a realistic portrayal of the lives of Los Angeles police officers. The show centers on veteran cop John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz), who is secretly gay, and his assignment to mentor rookie officer Ben Sherman (Benjamin McKenzie). The team also includes Detective Lydia Adams (Regina King), balancing her job with caring for her mother, and her partner, Russell Clarke (Tom Everett Scott), who is struggling with issues at home. Each officer has personal ambitions within the LAPD. Southland was praised for its authenticity and consistently improved with each season.
What Separates Southland from Other Cop Shows?
Variety’s Brian Lowry praises the show’s strong characters and improved focus on them early in the season, calling it ‘exceptionally well made.’ Matt Zoller Seitz of Vulture agrees, saying the show is deeply captivating – ‘it puts knots in my stomach, and I mean that as praise.’ He believes it’s the most compelling police series since the first season of Homicide, and remarkably authentic and gritty.
Critics loved the series, but general audiences were equally enthusiastic about the crime drama. One viewer gave it a 9 out of 10 rating, calling it one of the best and most original cop shows ever made. They praised the excellent cast and believable performances, adding that it’s a surprisingly underrated gem in television history.
One viewer gave the series a 9 out of 10 rating, believing it deserved to be ranked among television’s best, like The Sopranos, The Wire, Breaking Bad, Deadwood, Better Call Saul, Rome, Dexter, Oz, Lilyhammer, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, Ray Donovan, and Peaky Blinders. They also felt it was significantly underrated. The show originally aired on NBC, but they realized it wasn’t a good fit and moved it to TNT. While creatively strong during its four seasons on TNT, it struggled to find a large audience. The viewer believes the show would have been much more successful and widely praised if it had originally been on HBO.
Despite ending almost 20 years ago, Southland remains popular with viewers. The show successfully delivered intense drama and action, and it’s recently found a new audience and garnered millions of views on Netflix, proving its lasting appeal.
Did you watch Southland? Share your favorite scene or moment from the show in the comments below! You can also join the discussion and see what other fans thought on the ComicBook forums.
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2026-02-02 02:14