I'm just starting to watch season 5 of the wire and as its the last season I'm looking for another decent US cop show to watch. So I just want to know if Southland is worth the watch?
shareAbsolutely. Fantastic series.
shareHell yes. Better than most the tween nonsense and post-apocalyptic schlock that has infested TV.
shareIt is, very much so, but I wouldn't try to bracket it with The Wire. I suppose it's more of a straightforward cop show than The Wire, similarly gritty and realistic, maybe not as ambitious in its reach (and that's not a criticism - a couple of officers dealing with a drunken homeless man in Southland is portrayed just as engagingly as the battle bewteen Barksdale and McNulty in The Wire).
I envy someone starting from scratch with Southland. I did something with it I never do - I went straight back to the start and watched it all again.
I'm a Prick With a Fork.
^If you watched "The Shield", how does it compare?
shareI have all of The Shield on DVD, but I only got about three seasons in. I liked it, and I intend going back to it, but it wasn't a patch on The Wire (I had just finished The Wire and was looking for a replacement). Southland, in my opinion, is absolutely streets ahead of The Shield. The characters are much more deeply drawn - having watched all three shows, I would categorise The Shield as enjoyably trashy, whilst Southland is far more emotive and The Wire more intellectual. That's just my assessment - I think a lot has to do with in which order you watch them.
I'm a Prick With a Fork.
lol Yes I agree the order in which you watch them determines which one you value more.
I have the exact opposite opinion of you about "The Wire" and "The Shield". I think the Shield has better acting overall, better characters, better story, and better writing. Overall it moves faster and entertains more effectively and consistently. You should continue watching it really picks up in season 5 and has one of the best series finale in my opinion along with "The Sopranos".
The Wire is mildly enjoyable overall with brilliant elements sprinkled throughout. My favorite characters are Wallace, Deangelo, Stringer Bell, Bodie and Omar. McNulty was intolerable during the final season. It was frustrating because the characters I liked were often killed off before a satisfying story arc was achieved. Season 4 is my favorite season. I will admit it is more realistic than "The Shield" but it suffers as a result.
I will check out "Southland" though to see how it compares.