Channelup

It took a couple of weeks but I finally got around to watching the Southland finale. The show will come back next year, but in the Friday purgatory time slot effectively ruining what is otherwise a very promising show; completely different from anything else on primetime, network television. I have written fairly extensively about Southland and what I perceive to be its positives (realistic format, troubled characters, production value) and negatives (lack of character connection, fractured story arcs, annoying voice over at the beginning). All that considered, the season finale showed the limitless promise this show has going forward. The characters (police officers and detectives) are awash with problems like alcoholism, drug addiction, inferiority complexes, relationship troubles, family issues and infidelity while all still being immensely likable. Much of this came through in the finale and the last ten minutes set up some much needed intrigue going into season 2. One of my b...

It doesn't matter what kind of f-ed up, crazy, depressing, terrifying or morose storyline the writers come up with, I have yet to watch a cop drama that doesn't end with me wanting to sign up for the police academy. When I say "cop drama" I am speaking of the good ones like The Shield and The Wire (not those cliche-ridden piles of trash that use initials to describe their unit.) Where do you think that real, police officer allure comes from? It certainly isn't in the pleasantries. These police officers in Southland have major, major issues. They are addicted to pain pills, have affairs, fight with their spouses, can't get along with their kids and just generally make a mess of their personal lives. But out on the street these guys and gals are doing something seemingly more important than any of us could ever dream. Imagine going to work each day with a civic purpose? Southland makes this purpose alluring because you can see how important it is to each...

I wrote a couple of times already here and here about Southland and why I thought it was a show that could really go somewhere. The premise, the actors, the footage and the writing all had promise and were believable. I even had conversations at a party recently extolling the excellence in the show. So why haven't I been watching? I watched the first two episodes and that had been it. While the logistical reasons at the time made sense, my lack of viewership had no excuse beyond laziness. Mrs. Channelup kept asking, "When are we going to watch Southland?" or "When are we going to catch up with this show?" I kept saying "soon," and then putting it off for another week. I would spend time on Thursdays writing about The Office and Parks and Recreation , lose interest in television and go to bed. Another Southland episode missed. One thing I wrote about the show at the time was its real, gritty feel. The camera work reminded me of the document...

Do I get Southland ? Yes. Am I impressed with the amount of story the writers have taken on? Yes. Do I enjoy the characters? Yes. Do I like the show? I think so. Recapping or summing up this show would be tedious, boring and nearly impossible as the show's manic nature jumps from character to character and story to story with alarming speed. Even when they keep with the same plot line the scene changes happen frequently. I like this because the show does not get boring, but alternately makes the action difficult to follow. Additionally, the characters all seem deep, troubled and real. But I don't know any of their names. Is that a bad thing? I am not sure especially considering Southland appears as much a documentary as it does a drama. The shaky screen and odd camera angles give it a real feel. Having the cops act more like law enforcement and less like scripted characters contribute to this effect. Giving the officers real problems like punk kids, affairs and...