Southland

From the beaches of Malibu to the streets of East Los Angeles, this fast moving drama takes viewers inside the lives of cops, criminals, victims and their families. In the series premiere, John Cooper (series star MICHAEL CUDLITZ), a seasoned Los Angeles police officer and his rookie trainee, Ben Sherman (series star BEN McKENZIE), respond to a call that ends in a deadly shoot-out – and Ben is left questioning whether or not he has what it takes to become a police officer. Even though John is cool to the new recruit and his straitlaced "Beverly Hills" past, his honed insight and honest, no-nonsense advice is invaluable to the young rookie: "Look sharp, act sharp, be sharp. You do what they teach you in the academy, you will die."

When officers John Cooper, Ben Sherman and Chickie Brown rescue a baby girl found alone crawling across the middle of an LA intersection, the hunt for her mother begins. Detectives Lydia Adams and Russell Clarke examine the scene looking for clues, and soon Lydia finds herself affected by the search and must deal with some past issues – taking a personal interest in reuniting the baby with its mother. Meanwhile, officers Sammy Bryant and Nate Moretta are unable to find the financial resources to put a juvenile key witness in police protection after an attempt on her life and must now convince the DA to place her in a student police program. And back at the station, everyone gathers for a retirement party for Dewey.

Officers John Cooper and Ben Sherman start out the day thinking they have nothing in common, but – after responding to an eclectic array of patrol calls – at the end of their watch, they discover this is not true. When Ben reveals details of his past to the department therapist and to Cooper, the motivation behind his decision to be a cop becomes clear. Elsewhere, Dewey becomes star struck by Timmy Davis (guest star Tom Sizemore) a famous, self-obsessed actor. In true "Dewey" style, he mischievously decides to party with the celebrity, rather then book him – leading to a rift in his partnership with Chickie Brown. Trouble ensues when Dewey loses track of the burnt-out actor, and Chickie finds herself questioning her decision to take him on as her partner.

Gang Detectives Sammy Bryant and Nate Moretta have their work cut out for them when an unidentified female is found dead in the middle of a Los Angeles alley -- and her body is being used for target practice by gang members. The tension mounts for Nate when his little sister disappears revealing a secret from his past that blindsides Sammy. Elsewhere, Detective Russell Clarke is offended by Lydia's suggestion that he was too personal during a consult with a victim's sister.

It's a cop's worst nightmare. After a drunken car accident, Detective Salinger's gun is stolen by gang members in a dangerous neighborhood. When Gang Squad Detectives Nate Moretta and Sammy Bryant arrive on the scene to help out their boss, Moretta reluctantly agrees to assist Bryant in the search for the perpetrators and Salinger's weapon without calling it in. Launching an off-the-books manhunt to retrieve the weapon, they make a disturbing discovery – that the gangs are no longer afraid of the police; a local gang is using assault weapons, bullet-proof vests and military tactics to become a powerful urban street army – ready to declare war. Elsewhere, still preoccupied with her personal life, Detective Lydia Adams is caught off guard when a man exposes himself to her outside her home.

Detectives Lydia Adams and Russell Clarke have their work cut out for them when jewlery thieves begin robbing Bel Air homes. Officer Ben Sherman discovers that he knows one of the home invasion victims and finds himself breaking police policy by becoming personally involved. Elsewhere, gang Detectives Sammy Bryant and Nate Moretta wait around an LA courthouse while Janilla (guest star Carla Jeffrey) prepares to testify in a gang-land trial. Concerned for her well being, Bryant decides to takes Janilla to his home to assure she is safe.