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NBC axes Southland

Police drama is pulled before its season return, deemed too dark and gritty for broadcast TV.

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southlandNBC drama Southland has been cancelled before its season return. It was to screen from October 23rd.

Production on the cop drama, featuring Kevin Alejandro and former OC star Benjamin McKenzie, is being shut down after six new episodes had been completed.

“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,” said producer John Wells said. “We remain extremely proud of’Southland and are actively looking for another home for the series.”

While the series enjoyed good reviews its content was deemed too dark and gritty for broadcast TV, especially for its intended 9pm timeslot.

It is expected to be shopped to broadcast and cable networks.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

10 Responses

  1. Excuses, excuses, excuses. With Jay Leno’s ratings as they are, Southland being too gritty for 9pm would have been the perfect excuse to axe Leno on Friday nights and give it the 10pm slot, even if just a six week trial with these episodes.

    Also, now Leno is primetime is he intended to run all year round or just “in season”? If he takes a midseason/summer break, NBC still need content for 10pm there too.

  2. This is the “Jay Leno Effect.” Since it moved Leno to the 10pm timeslot five nights a week, NBC no longer has a place for this kind of drama. A great mistake IMHO. Let’s hope another channel picks it up.

  4. Yet another disappointment from NBC. At least when they cancelled Kings they had the decency not to lead people on with the hope of a second season. Jay Leno gets five nights a week but one of the few quality dramas on network TV gets canned after only one semi successful season.

    FX should make a grab for this show, would fit right in alongside their staple programs.

  5. … and they left us hanging with that season 1 finale. Gah, this better get picked up somewhere. I did read something a while back regarding the cencored swearing throughout each episode being too much for earlier scheduling. I blame Jay Leno for taking all the 10pm timeslots.

  7. Luckily the show doesn’t have too strong a smell of ‘failure’ around it, like most other cancelled shows do. I’m trying to think of potential suitors, and while DirecTV seems like the obvious choice, they probably bit off more than they could chew with Friday Night Lights, and it’s too dark for USA. Looking off net, can’t see any of the majors picking it up (maybe, possibly Fox for the Friday night slot, but I doubt it), though it might do well with Showtime, but they’ve really cut back their acquisitions lately. AMC, probably too expensive for them.

    Sigh, I quite liked the show.

  8. man this is sad as i really enjoyed the show. it had a grounded normal gay character on it for once which was nice to see.

    i hope another network picks it up.

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