A fan review by Davina Gantz aka @gingercara

When NBC made the very poor decision to cancel SouthLAnd two weeks before it’s season 2 premier I was crushed. Season 1 was so great, the last episode kept us hanging. Does Detective Russell live or die? That is one of many things I kept wondering about as I eagerly awaited October 23. Much to my disappoint NBC canceled the show with little warning or even a good reason for canceling. Thankfully TNT picked up the show.

On January 12 2010 SouthLAnd made it’s cable TV premier, uncensored and commercial free. 7 episodes later March 2nd finally arrives bringing us a brand new never before seen episode. I went to a friend’s house to watch the marathon of the previous 7 episodes to prepare for the brand new episode.  Ten o’clock finally arrived and the show began.

I was on the edge of my seat as I watched the riot scene unfold and then the show quickly goes to the story of the old man who gets kidnapped while working in his rose garden. Much to my relief we find out that Russell survived the shooting and is in the hospital recovering.  We are introduced to Lydia’s new partner. I didn’t like him at first, he was pompous, and trying to hard to be liked. By the end of the episode I kind of liked him. He had some redeeming qualities.

I loved seeing Officer Sherman driving the car and listening to Cooper tell him to slow down, kind of like a father teaching his child how to drive. The scene in the warehouse with the perp hanging from the ceiling was hysterical. The show then goes back to the riot scene where Chickie is forced to call for help because her partner Slug hid in the car like a frightened child. The scene is very intense and a little scary to watch. Cooper, Sherman, and Chickie did a great job getting the perp out of the mob while Slug sits in the car doing nothing. I love how the show can go from being borderline comedy with Cooper’s sarcastic comments to scary serious in a matter of seconds.

It was great seeing Sammy and Nate again, I love their chemistry but it gets tested when Nate’s former partner from another division shows up. Will this affect the chemistry and friendship between Sammy and Nate? Only time will tell. I cried when Lydia cried after her visit with Russell at the hospital. Will he return to work? Again, only time will tell. This episode shows once again why this ensemble cast works so well. This episode was well scripted and acted. I can’t wait until next weeks episode. And the episode after that and the next one after that.