Phase Three 

In the second season premiere, Russell’s replacement investigates a possible abduction with Lydia, while Nate & Sammy check out a shooting that’s part of an undercover operation.

Director:

Christopher Chulack

Writers:

Ann Biderman (creator), Ann Biderman

Stars:

Kevin Alejandro, Arija Bareikis, Michael Cudlitz

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Alejandro	...	Detective Nate Moretta
Arija Bareikis	...	Officer Chickie Brown
Michael Cudlitz	...	Officer John Cooper
Shawn Hatosy	...	Detective Sammy Bryant
Regina King	...	Detective Lydia Adams
Michael McGrady	...	Detective Daniel Salinger
Ben McKenzie	...	Officer Ben Sherman
Tom Everett Scott	...	Detective Russell Clarke
Amaury Nolasco	...	Detective Rene Cordero
Laz Alonso	...	Detective Gil Puente
Wood Harris	...	Trinney Day
Marshall Bell	...	Police Chief
Lydia Blanco Garza	...	Marta Pena (as Lydia Blanco)
Roxana Brusso	...	Detective Alicia Fernandez
Anne Gee Byrd	...	Mrs. Noyce

Storyline

Ben Sherman is about to complete Phase 2 of his rookie year. During Phase 3, he will be allowed to patrol solo. Detective Adams and Officer Brown are assigned new partners. Rene Cordero, Adams's new partner, is obsessed with receiving glory and press coverage. Their first case involves the search for an elderly man who left his home accompanied by an unknown black man. Brown's new partner, "Slug" Ferguson, quickly demonstrates how he earned that nickname when he starts a riot during a traffic stop. Meanwhile, Detectives Moretta and Bryant investigate a "Sonora shootout" involving a young Mexican man shot dead while driving an unregistered Bentley.

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

---

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was the first episode to be broadcast on TNT.

---

Quotes

Droopy: Hey, check it out, dawg. I got a new tattoo. You always liked this shit.
Detective Nate Moretta: It's good. Mama tried.
Detective Sammy Bryant: You know the song?
Droopy: What song?
Detective Nate Moretta: Como que, what song? Merle Haggard, vato.
Droopy: Merle who?
Detective Nate Moretta: Mama tried.
Droopy: Can you sing it?
Detective Sammy Bryant: Can he sing it?
Detective Nate Moretta: Check this out. I turned 21 in prison Doing life without parole No one could steer me right, but Mama tried Mama tried, Mama tried.
[...]

User Reviews

Solid writing, for the most part

"Southland" opens its second season with a renewed confidence (mostly in the camera-work) but there's still aftermath from that Summer cliffhanger. Clarke survived the shooting, only to be making a slow recovery and his LAPD future in doubt.

But it's mostly fallout from the Dewey meltdown last season. Chickie's still on the job while her partner's out in Palm Springs rehab, but she's also on the receiving end of the department's ire for turning him in. Last I checked, she wasn't the one who took a joyride and rolled a patrol car in the L.A. river. I get that you don't turn on your own, but Dewey gets a pass on the whole thing - especially with that level of misconduct. This might be a nitpick, but that's always bothered me. She's clearly a capable officer and can be a strong female presence. Just don't saddle her with inept partners (as is the case in this episode). It's wasted potential.

I don't mean to go off on a rant. Aside from that, this is a great opener that finds several of the show's characters dealing with repercussions. It offers hope for a more focused season.

8/10

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 March 2010 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

John Wells Productions, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

43 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (HD)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1