i am impressed with this show. most of all i'm impressed with regina king. she is a standout talent in whatever role she takes on, and to say she is believable in this role is an understatement. not once do i stop believing i am actually watching a detective in the LAPD who is totally emotionally invested in her work. with her eyes she can convey more emotion than most actors can with the finest dialog Hollywood has to offer. ben mckenzie as "ben" is believable in this role. he seems to find roles that suit him well (stoic, troubled, mysterious, ready to throw down) and although he isn't quite a great actor he has great moments. michael cudlitz as his partner plays the role of the bully veteran patrolman to a T. anyone who hangs around with enough big city cops has met someone just like this guy (if not a dozen). his performance is a treat. with the heavy use of hand-held cameras and the documentary style of filming, at times it all combines to give the feel of a live-action reality show, and i can see why some onlookers were reportedly duped into thinking ben mckenzie had traded professions for real. there are some flaws in the show, and some of the story lines involving lesser characters seem contrived and unconvincing at times. but with a few adjustments and a whole lot more of miss regina king this show could find a place of its own amongst a crowded field of cop shows.
