PLACE OF THE ANGELS! 'SOUTHLAND' SEASON FOUR

Imperfect, but compelling, heroes for an imperfect world: the cast of SOUTHLAND. Images: TNT.

Possibly airing in the UK this October-time, TNT's continued renewal of the raw and fantastic cop drama SOUTHLAND for a fourth series of ten episodes saw the show build on and improve against some of the noticeable behind the scenes changes initiated on it by the new network during it's prior, budget cut year-its reduced supporting cast sparingly but effectively used proving to be the most standout element- but regardless of such complications it easily retained its reputation as one of the best shows on the box by an Olympic stretch...

A new Angel on the block: Lucy Liu joins the series...

Heading for disaster? Ben Sherman (Benjamin McKenzie) is teamed up with Sammy Bryant (Shawn Hatosy).

On a creative winning streak Ann Biederman's bold drama carved a third season that once more became addictive television as we watched things get even more tumultuous and difficult for our band of brothers struggling and putting their lives on the line to keep law, order and some semblance of sanity and safety to the streets of Los Angeles, despite their own complex problems, anxieties and inner demons. Detective Lydia Adams, nicely played by Regina King,  was accused, then cleared, by her superiors of selling images of a dead celebrity to the tabloids, of which her altercations with her superiors almost cost her her job and career, whilst Detective Sammy Bryant (Shawn Hatosy) lost his best friend and partner, Nate (Kevin Alejandro), in a shocking and savage moment of violence from a Mexican drug street gang conflict. Big bear cop John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz), despite pain and bitter verbal conflict with his street partner Ben Sherman (Benjamin McKenzie), also had to find the courage to win his final battle in overcoming the thirst for taking painkiller drugs and face the possible life-changing effects of delicate but necessary back surgery.

Series favourite, Detective Lydia Adams (Regina King) gets a new partner, Detective Ruben Robinson (Dorian Missick)...

...and wades in against a suspect in the episode Underwater.

Sadly, neither Biderman or producer John Wells have written any of the episodes this year, but eagerly expectant viewers on our little island can anticipate seeing the continuance of several of the aforementioned and important plot threads in Season Four, as John gets to lock horns and duty ideals with a new partner, Jessica Tang (as played by film star Lucy Liu, soon to be seen as a female Dr. Watson against Jonny Lee Miller's Sherlock Holmes in the controversial modern day US re-imagining of the super sleuth: ELEMENTARY), whilst former rookie Ben, in the aftermath of his bust up with Cooper, teams with now cop on the beat Sammy for their patrols, and learns a few things about survival and instinctive police training when the latter ultimately refuses to let the past- the death of his ex-partner- lie...

More news on the series UK fourth seasons debut, and the recent, well-deserved US fifth season renewal, soon...

Check out the official FACEBOOK page for the series: Southland