Southland

Right now you can watch Southland in Australia on Netflix, and in the US on Netflix — and it holds up to as much attention as you give it. Across 5 seasons, the show has had time to find its rhythm and keep it. 218 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Watch it for Ben McKenzie — one of the stronger performances out there right now. Start it on Netflix whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Southland arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. Southland trusts its audience to sit with discomfort instead of resolving it too quickly. A raw and authentic look into the Los Angeles crime scene, going far inside the lives of cops, criminals, victims and their families. The show centers on four main characters: Officer John Cooper, a seasoned cop who will have to prove himself again after recovering from surgery; Officer Ben Sherman, who still has much to learn after recently completing his training rotation; Detective Lydia Adams, whose unending caseload hits closer to home; and Sammy Bryant, a former detective who decided to go back to being a uniform cop after the traumatic death of his partner. Ben McKenzie and Michael Cudlitz lead a cast doing genuinely serious work here. 5 seasons (2009–2013) gave the story room most shows never get. The performances in Southland do a lot of work in the silences between the dialogue. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

Drama fans who appreciate slow-burn storytelling will feel right at home with Southland. Viewers who responded to The Closer will find a lot to like here too. Short enough to finish in a weekend, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Ben McKenzie carries the material with a performance that rewards close attention. Worth starting sooner rather than later.

Southland wrapped up in 2013, created by Ann Biderman — and 5 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.