Well this is it. The final episode of Season 2 (or Season 1.5, depending on how one keeps score.) Not so much a season finale, more the sixth episode of what was supposed to be at least 13 on NBC (before we were so unceremoniously cancelled before premiering). I wish I could say that this episode wraps up the plot lines in nice little bows, providing all of us — cast and crew as well as fans —some closure if in fact this episode does serve as a series finale. The truth is it doesn’t.

Continue reading at http://www.tvguide.com/Celebrity-Blogs/Southlands-Ben-McKenzie-1016961.aspx

by Benjamin McKenzie

Benjamin McKenzie as Officer Ben Sherman

I will be blogging the new episodes of Southland, which begin airing March 2 on TNT. In future posts, I’ll try to provide funny and/or insightful commentary (emphasis on the word try), but I’d like to devote this first post surrounding the Season 2 premiere to a different purpose: to say thank you.

The title of this episode is a reference to the third and final phase of a rookie officer’s probationary period in the LAPD. But I believe it also serves as a decent metaphor for the experience all of us have had working on Southland. A probationary officer only enters into Phase Three after enduring an enormous amount of grief. He must prove himself over and over again, both to his training officer and to others on the force. He must show that he is worthy of wearing the uniform. Nothing about his experience is easy. And nothing about making Southland has been easy either.

Read more at http://www.tvguide.com/News/Southland-Ben-McKenzie-1015541.aspx

Photo credit Mitch Hasaath