From TNT, here is a summary press release of the upcoming episodes for SouthLAnd, plus character and cast bios. Enjoy!
TNT Press Release
TNT’s Critically Acclaimed Southland
Returns to the Streets of L.A.
Returns to the Streets of L.A.
For Explosive Fourth Season, Beginning Jan. 17
Powerful Police Drama Stars Michael Cudlitz, Shawn Hatosy,
Regina King and Ben McKenzie, with Special Guest Star Lucy Liu
This January, TNT is heading back to the streets of Los Angeles for the fourth explosive season of Southland, the critically acclaimed drama series from Warner Bros. Television and Emmy®-winning producer John Wells (ER, The West Wing). Chronicling the lives of LAPD officers and detectives like no other series on television, this powerful, intensely emotional drama stars Michael Cudlitz, Shawn Hatosy, Regina King and Ben McKenzie, along with special guest star Lucy Liu. TNT’s Southland is set to launch its new season Tuesday, Jan. 17, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT).
Since premiering in 2009, Southland has redefined the police drama with its raw, authentic look at the lives and work of Los Angeles detectives and beat cops. The show centers on four main characters: Officer John Cooper (Cudlitz), a seasoned cop who will have to prove himself again after recovering from surgery; Officer Ben Sherman (McKenzie), who still has much to learn after recently completing his training rotation; Detective Lydia Adams (King), whose unending caseload hits closer to home; and Sammy Bryant (Hatosy), a former detective who decided to go back to being a uniform cop after the traumatic death of his partner.
In the fourth season of Southland, Detective Adams will take on another new partner, this time a former Marine (guest star Dorian Missick), while also facing a major upheaval in her personal life. Officer Cooper will be back on the job after surgery to repair the back problems that led to his drug addiction. He will be teamed up with a new partner, Jessica Tang (Liu), who will bring her own set of emotional baggage to their patrol car. Cooper’s former trainee, Ben Sherman, is now a full-fledged cop, partnered with Sammy Bryant, who continues to struggle with the trauma of the past.
Other guest stars lined up for this season include Lou Diamond Phillips, appearing in the season premiere as an intense street cop who rubs Ben the wrong way with his cynical attitude. Starting with the Jan. 24 episode, Carl Lumbly will guest-star as the new police captain. Lisa Gay Hamilton will appear in the Feb. 7 episode as the worn-out mother of a talented but troubled daughter. And on Jan. 24, in a special television reunion, Marla Gibbs will appear opposite her fellow 227 co-star Regina King when she plays the relative of a suspect Detective Lydia Adams (King) is investigating for murder.
Shot on location in the streets and neighborhoods of Los Angeles, Southland captures a realistic, natural environment where similar situations can and often do occur in real life. The series was created by Emmy® winner Ann Biderman (NYPD Blue, Public Enemies) and is executive-produced by Emmy® winners Christopher Chulack (ER, Third Watch) and John Wells. Chulack is also a primary director of the series, while Jonathan Lisco (The District) serves as executive producer and Andrew Stearn (Shameless, The West Wing) is co-executive producer.
About Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television (WBTV) is one of the entertainment industry’s most respected providers of original content, producing award-winning drama and comedy series for both broadcast network television and cable. For the 2011-12 television season, WBTV is currently producing nearly 30 primetime series, with at least three shows on each of the five broadcast networks, in addition to cable’s TNT, Showtime and Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. WBTV’s continuing network series include Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, Mike & Molly and The Mentalist for CBS; The Middle for ABC; Fringe for FOX; Chuck and Harry’s Law for NBC; and Gossip Girl, Nikita, One Tree Hill, Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries for The CW. WBTV’s new network shows include 2 Broke Girls and Person of Interest for CBS; Alcatraz and I Hate My Teenage Daughter for FOX; Suburgatory and Work It for ABC; Are You There, Chelsea? for NBC; and Hart of Dixie and The Secret Circle for The CW, among others. WBTV’s cable series include The Closer, Southland and the upcoming Major Crimes for TNT, Shameless for Showtime and Childrens Hospital for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.
About TNT
TNT, one of cable’s top-rated networks, is television’s destination for drama. Seen in 100.5 million households, the network is home to such original series as The Closer, starring Emmy® winner Kyra Sedgwick; Rizzoli & Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander; Falling Skies, starring Noah Wyle; Franklin & Bash, with Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; and Southland, from Emmy®-winning producer John Wells, as well as the upcoming series Major Crimes, Dallas and Perception. TNT also presents compelling original movies, including a slate of thrillers set to premiere this fall in The TNT Mystery Movie Night showcase. TNT is the cable home to powerful dramas like The Mentalist, Bones, Supernatural, Las Vegas, Law & Order, CSI: NY, Cold Case and, starting next year, Castle; primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards®; blockbuster movies; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR, the NBA and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. TNT is available in high-definition.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
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SouthLAnd Cast Bios
Michael Cudlitz (John Cooper)
Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, Michael Cudlitz graduated from the California Institute of the Arts Theatre program in Valencia Calif., and has established himself as a versatile and prolific character actor in both television and film. Although his first love is the stage, Cudlitz found early success working in front of the camera.
Cudlitz has appeared in more than 20 films, including A River Runs Through It, Grosse Point Blank and The Negotiator. A few of his notable television credits include roles on Standoff, Lost, Prison Break, Six Feet Under, Nip/Tuck, Over There, 24, all three CSI series and the Emmy-winning HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. Cudlitz also stars in the TNT Original movie Silent Witness, premiering in December 2011.
Cudlitz’s most recent film credits include the sci-fi thriller Surrogates, with Bruce Willis, and Tenure, a comedy with Luke Wilson. The Grief Tourist is Cudlitz’s first film as a producer.
Cudlitz currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife and twin boys in the house that they built.
Shawn Hatosy (Sammy Bryant)
One of the most versatile actors of his generation, Shawn Hatosy continues to expand upon his already impressive resume by starring in a succession of buzz-worthy projects. In addition to his work on SOUTHLAND, he most recently appeared in such films as Public Enemies, The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans, as well as a scintillating arc on the series Dexter.
Hatosy has more than two dozen feature film credits, including John Q, Alpha Dog, Factory Girl, The Faculty, Anywhere But Here, In & Out, The Cooler, Outside Providence and Simpatico. His television work includes starring as John McCain in A&E’s Faith of My Fathers. He also starred in Frank Pierson’s Golden Globe-nominated Showtime drama Soldier’s Girl and the Emmy-nominated Witness Protection for HBO. His many guest appearances include such series as Criminal Minds, Hawaii Five-0, ER, Numb3rs, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, Law & Order, Homicide: Life on the Streets, My Name is Earl, Felicity and Six Feet Under.
Hatosy is equally adept at performing in front of a live audience. In his most recent stage credit, he landed the coveted role opposite Al Pacino in Lyle Kessler’s Orphans at the Greenway Court Theatre in Los Angeles. Hatosy also received accolades for his stage debut as the title role in the La Jolla Playhouse production of The Collected Works of Billy the Kid. Off-Broadway, he starred opposite Anna Paquin in the Paul Weitz comedy Roulette.
Originally from Frederick, Md., Hatosy currently resides in Los Angeles.
Regina King (Detective Lydia Adams)
Thanks to roles in a number of prominent films, Regina King’s distinguished talents have not gone unnoticed by Hollywood. In addition to her work on SOUTHLAND, the skilled actress was recently seen as the female lead role opposite Forest Whitaker in the comedy feature Our Family Wedding. Before that, she starred in the Lifetime original movie Living Proof, executive-produced by Renée Zellweger and starring opposite Harry Connick, Jr. She had previously starred in Paramount Vantage’s comedy Year of the Dog, opposite Molly Shannon, Laura Dern, Peter Sarsgaard and John C. Reilly, and the Screen Gems’ holiday-film This Christmas, opposite Mekhi Phifer and Loretta Devine.
King also starred in the comedy Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous and voiced the character Kreela in the animated film Ant Bully. Prior to that, she appeared in the Oscar®-nominated film Ray. King’s other feature credits include A Cinderella Story, Daddy Day Care and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, King made her television debut on the hit sitcom 227. After five seasons, she made the leap to the silver screen with a role in Boyz n the Hood and later starred in Poetic Justice and Higher Learning. King has always been consistent in showing her dynamic range, bouncing effortlessly from dramatic material to comedic performances, as proven in the hit film Friday and A Thin Line Between Love and Hate.
But if there was a definite turning point in her career, it came in 1997 with her memorable role as Cuba Gooding Jr.’s wife, Marci, in the blockbuster film Jerry Maguire. This led to starring roles in How Stella Got Her Groove Back, the hit action-thriller Enemy of the State, the family-adventure Mighty Joe Young, and the comedy Down to Earth.
King found her way back to the small screen in 2000 with a role in the acclaimed If These Walls Could Talk 2 and the comedy Leap of Faith. She currently provided the voices of Huey and Riley on the animated series The Boondocks. King currently lives in Los Angeles with her son.
Lucy Liu (Officer Jessica Tang)
Lucy Liu has had great critical and commercial success in film, television and on Broadway. Her latest film DETACHMENT, directed by Tony Kaye and costarring Adrien Brody, James Caan, and Marcia Gay Harden, will be released through Tribeca films at the end of February 2012. The film recently received honors at the 2011 Deauville Film Festival; the Cartier New Revelation Award and the International Critics’ Prize. Her next film, THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS, directed by The Rza for Universal Pictures, co-stars Russell Crowe and is slated for a Spring 2012 release. THE TROUBLE WITH BLISS, a comedy co-starring Michael C. Hall and Peter Fonda, premiered on the Festival circuit in Spring 2011, taking away honors at the Newport Beach Film Festival. 2011 also saw SOMEDAY THIS PAIN WILL BE USEFUL TO YOU, Roberto Faenza’s adaptation of the novel by Peter Cameron at the Rome Film Festival.
Lucy has joined the cast of the critically acclaimed TV series SOUTHLAND for a season, the series produced by John Wells and stars Regina King, Michael Cudlitz, Shawn Hatosy, , and Ben McKenzie. Lucy plays Police Officer Jessica Tang. SOUTHLAND premieres on TNT at the end of January 2012. Liu made her Broadway debut in March 2010, in the Tony Award-winning play GOD OF CARNAGE, starring as ‘Annette’ in a cast that included Jeff Daniels, Dylan Baker and Janet McTeer. In January 2010 she made her directorial debut for the film adaptation of the best-selling novel HALF THE SKY by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. Her debut as a producer, the critically acclaimed film FREEDOM’S FURY, premiered at The Tribeca Film Festival in 2006.
Some of Lucy’s previous film credits include CHARLIE’S ANGELS, CHARLIE’S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE, KUNG FU PANDA 1 and 2 as the voice of Viper, KILL BILL, CHICAGO, CODE NAME: THE CLEANER, RISE, WATCHING THE DETECTIVES, DOMINO, LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN, 3 NEEDLES, SHANGHAI NOON, PAYBACK, PLAY IT TO THE BONE, BALLISTIC: ECKS VS SEVER and THE YEAR OF GETTING TO KNOW US.
On television, Lucy was nominated for the NAACP award for Outstanding Actress for her starring role in the December 2010 Lifetime Network romantic comedy, MARRY ME. Liu appeared as the unforgettable ‘Ling Woo’ in the hit Fox series,ALLY MCBEAL, a role for which she earned an Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She has also appeared in starring roles on the hit series CASHMERE MAFIA and DIRTY SEXY MONEY and has guest-starred on HBO’s SEX & THE CITY and UGLY BETTY. She has also lent her voice to such animated hits as THE SIMPSONS, FUTURAMA and KING OF THE HILL.
A passionate human rights advocate, Lucy produced and narrated the powerful documentary REDLIGHT which focuses on the plight of women and children sold into sexual slavery. The film premiered at The Woodstock Film Festival in 2009 and aired on Showtime in 2010. Liu has been a UNICEF ambassador since 2004 and has travelled to Lesotho, Pakistan, Cote D’Ivoire, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Cairo, Peru and Egypt. A native New Yorker, Liu graduated from Stuyvesant High School, attending NYU and later received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Michigan.
Ben McKenzie (Ben Sherman)
Ben McKenzie was born and raised in Texas. Following his graduation from the University of Virginia, where he was a foreign affairs and economics major, he moved to New York to pursue acting.
While in New York, McKenzie appeared off-Broadway in Life is a Dream at the Soho Rep. Additionally, he performed in numerous productions at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, including Street Scene and The Blue Bird, as well as the University of Virginia in Measure for Measure and Zoo Story. He later moved to Los Angeles, where he landed the lead role on The O.C.
In addition to starring in the critically acclaimed independent ensemble drama Junebug, McKenzie has also starred opposite Al Pacino in the thriller 88 Minutes and received praise for his solo turn in the independent film Johnny Got His Gun, based on a novel by Dalton Trumbo. McKenzie recently starred in The Glass Menagerie at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.
The Characters
Detective Lydia Adams (Regina King)
Detective Lydia Adams is smart and perceptive, possessing excellent investigative instincts. Working in the homicide division after previously spending two years in the gang unit, she is one of the sharpest detectives around. She is sometimes impaired, however, by the emotional connection she holds to the cases she handles, as well as her insistence on doing things her own way. Lydia has gone through numerous partners over the past few years. But she may have finally found the right fit in new partner Ruben Robinson (guest star Dorian Missick), a former Marine and detective-in-training who seems eager to let Lydia take the lead.
Officer Sammy Bryant (Shawn Hatosy)
Sammy Bryant recently returned to being a beat cop after his detective partner was murdered during a confrontation with gang members. Emotionally scarred by the tragedy and its effect on his partner’s family, Sammy tried to take matters into his own hands by personally going after those involved. Eventually, he realized he would create a stronger impact if he wore the uniform and helped rookie cops learn how to survive on the streets. Sammy is a new father to six-month-old Nate and is discovering how his dangerous job could possibly affect the safety of his son.
Officer John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz)
Officer John Cooper is a seasoned patrol cop who most recently served as a training officer for Officer Ben Sherman. Suffering severe back pain from various work-related injuries, John became increasingly dependent on painkillers, making it almost impossible for him to function in his job. Recent surgery on his back should put him on the road to recovery, but the emotional wounds caused by his drug addiction may take longer to heal. Now that Ben has passed his training period, John is partnered with Jessica Tang (special guest star Lucy Liu), who brings her own set of emotional baggage to their patrol car. John is very guarded about his private life, but that may change when he uses his own experiences to help a suicidal teen.
Officer Ben Sherman (Ben McKenzie)
Officer Ben Sherman is a rookie cop whose handsome face and winning smile make him a target of friendly ridicule among his fellow officers. Having recently completed his training rotation with Officer John Cooper, Ben is now much wiser to the ways of the street – something he never learned growing up in a life of luxury. While he has moved on to the next phase of his police training, Ben’s short fuse still lands him in trouble and shows his inexperience. Because of Cooper’s addiction to painkillers, Ben was forced to carry more responsibility than a typical officer trainee. He is now partnered with detective-turned-uniform-cop Sammy Bryant.
Jessica Tang (Special Guest Star Lucy Liu)
Officer Jessica Tang is a smart, engaging and caring officer assigned to John Cooper. Her first task is to evaluate his physical state on his first day back from surgery. She’s been on the force for 13 years, but she’s only been back on the streets for about a year after being nearly beaten to death by a man she pulled over. The video of the beating is now used to train officers what not to do during a routine traffic stop. Although Tang has enormous courage and strength, she relies on quirky habits throughout the week to keep her life in order (e.g. she won’t turn left on a certain street and has to eat at a certain place on a particular day). Consequently, she has several unfortunate nicknames in the department.
Ruben Robinson (Guest Star Dorian Missick)
Ruben Robinson is Detective Lydia Russell’s new partner and a detective trainee. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he joined the Marines and served two tours in Afghanistan. He and Lydia seem to speak the same language and work well together. Considering Lydia to be very wise when it comes to doing the job effectively, he hopes to learn as much as he can from her. A family man, with a wife and three kids, Ruben doesn't define courage as facing danger and overcoming it. He defines courage as being able to get up the next day to do it all over again.
Season 4 Episode Synopses
"Wednesday" – Tuesday, Jan. 17, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
In the season 4 premiere of Southland, Officer John Cooper returns to duty after recovering from back surgery and meets his new partner, Officer Jessica Tang (special guest star Lucy Liu), a tough and disciplined cop with her own set of baggage from working the streets. Lydia, whose new partner is Ruben Robinson (guest star Dorian Missick), can't seem to escape helping a former CI who won't stay in safety. Ben, Sammy and Dewey chase an armed man into an elementary school, while Ben bumps heads with an intense street cop (guest star Lou Diamond Phillips) whose cynical attitude is affecting their work.
Directed by Christopher Chulack
Written by Jonathan Lisco
Created by Ann Biderman
"Underwater" – Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
Tang and Cooper’s past physical problems are put to the test when they are attacked by a perp on the street. Lydia and Ruben (guest star Dorian Missick) investigate a convenience store murder, and Lydia uses her typical compassionate charm to collect facts on her suspect from an unassuming grandmother (guest star Marla Gibbs). Ben and Sammy ride with another officer who is prone to small mistakes. And Joel Rucker (guest star Carl Lumbly) takes over as the new captain.
Directed by Nelson McCormick
Written by Cheo Hodari Coker
Created by Ann Biderman
"Community" – Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
It's Hood Day on the streets of Los Angeles, and Captain Rucker (guest star Carl Lumbly) has the department playing hall monitors. Sammy lets old grudges die hard when he leaves a gang territory unattended, only to have a violent gang war erupt throughout the city. Ben's recent mistake continues to haunt him publicly everywhere he goes. Ruben (guest star Dorian Missick) practices his speech for his daughter's quinceañera in the midst of a murder investigation. Cooper and Tang investigate a robbery in a strict Orthodox Jewish home, leading Tang to reveal parts of her past.
Directed by Felix Alcala
Written by Jason Horwitch
Created by Ann Biderman
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