Southland poster

TV series

Southland

2009TV-145 seasons7.9 / 10

Protect. Serve. Survive.

A raw and authentic look into the Los Angeles crime scene, going far inside the lives of cops, criminals, victims and their families. The show centers on four main characters: Officer John Cooper, a seasoned cop who will have to prove himself again after recovering from surgery; Officer Ben Sherman, who still has much to learn after recently completing his training rotation; Detective Lydia Adams, whose unending caseload hits closer to home; and Sammy Bryant, a former detective who decided to go back to being a uniform cop after the traumatic death of his partner.

Streaming, rental and purchase options

Where to watch in United States

Checked Jul 22, 2026

Southland is available to stream on Netflix in United States. You can also rent or buy it from Google Play, Amazon, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Use the direct links below to open the provider.

Availability and prices can change. Confirm the details on the streaming service before you subscribe, rent or buy.

Synopsis

A raw and authentic look into the Los Angeles crime scene, going far inside the lives of cops, criminals, victims and their families. The show centers on four main characters: Officer John Cooper, a seasoned cop who will have to prove himself again after recovering from surgery; Officer Ben Sherman, who still has much to learn after recently completing his training rotation; Detective Lydia Adams, whose unending caseload hits closer to home; and Sammy Bryant, a former detective who decided to go back to being a uniform cop after the traumatic death of his partner.

Season 3 episodes

Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.

← Season 2

Episode 1

Let It Snow

41m7.8 / 10

Lydia endures a stressful adjustment period with her new partner, Detective Josie Ochoa, as they investigate the disappearance of an illegal immigrant. Meanwhile, Russell must learn to adapt to a new desk job, Sammy and Nate look for the killer of two gangbangers, Ben catches the eye of an attractive woman, and John struggles with increasing back pain.

Episode credits

Directed by Christopher ChulackWritten by Ann Biderman, John WellsGuest stars Emily Bergl, Shontae Saldana, Stacy Haiduk

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Episode 2

Punching Water

41m8.0 / 10

Lydia and Josie are assigned to assist Sammy and Nate with a series of gang murders. John discovers he can't stand the "new and improved" Dewey, fresh from rehab, when he's forced to ride with him in order to evaluate whether Dewey is competent to return to duty. Ben must then ride with Chickie, who drives him nuts with her very personal questions about his private life and his new relationship with the "cop groupie" he's been seeing.

Episode credits

Directed by Christopher ChulackGuest stars Emily Bergl, Mario Cortez, Stacy Haiduk

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Episode 3

Discretion

41m8.2 / 10

Ben has a confrontation with his mother’s rapist after the man is released from prison and is devastated when his mom reveals some information she's been keeping secret for years. Meanwhile, Lydia and Josie continue to bump heads, and Sammy deals with his wife’s betrayal.

Episode credits

Directed by Nelson McCormickGuest stars Susan Blakely, James Sutorius

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Episode 4

Code 4

41m9.0 / 10

Ben learns the hard way, some valuable lessons about the importance of following established procedure and protocol, Lydia's current murder investigation takes an unexpected turn, and Nate and Sammy are unprepared when a group of people they encounter turns into a violent mob.

Episode credits

Directed by Félix AlcaláWritten by Diana SonGuest stars L. Scott Caldwell, Abram Teunissen, Jennifer Blanc-Biehn

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Episode 5

The Winds

41m8.0 / 10

When a rape victim hires a lawyer and refuses to talk with the two detectives unless her lawyer is present, Lydia and Josie want to know why. Meanwhile, John strikes up an unlikely friendship with a boy who returned home after a sleepover, only to discover his parents had packed up and moved during the night, abandoning him and leaving him to fend for himself, Later on, John begins to feel the stress over the prospect of testifying at his father's upcoming parole board hearing, but he doesn't realize his testifying will open up an emotional can of worms that he's not prepared for.

Episode credits

Directed by Nelson McCormickWritten by Robin Green, Mitchell BurgessGuest stars Mario Cortez, Roxana Brusso

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Episode 6

Cop or Not

41m7.5 / 10

While working a celebrity murder, Lydia discovers the pros and cons of being in the spotlight. Meanwhile, six weeks after Nate's murder, Sammy finally returns to street patrol. Elsewhere, John voices his anger over the department's waste of money, man-power, and hours spent guarding the home of a celebrity suspected of murdering his estranged wife from the reporters trying to get a scoop.

Episode credits

Guest stars Mario Cortez, Roxana Brusso, Kevontay Jackson

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Episode 7

Sideways

42m8.2 / 10

When crime scene photos from the case of the celebrity suspected of murdering his estranged wife show up on the internet, all of the first responders are suspended, including Lydia and Josie. Further investigation proves the photos were the unauthorized pictures taken by Lydia using her phone, and she's shocked when she learns who was responsible for the leak. Meanwhile, Sammy fails to pick the right guy from the line-up for Nate's murderer, and Dewey and Chickie are involved in a high-speed chase that ends in disaster.

Episode credits

Directed by Allison AndersGuest stars Emily Bergl, Mario Cortez, Roxana Brusso

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Episode 8

Fixing a Hole

41m8.2 / 10

Sammy seeks answers in the desert, Lydia and Josie babysit an important alcoholic witness before a murder trial, and John and Ben go against procedure to help a child in need.

Episode credits

Directed by Christopher Chulack

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Episode 9

Failure Drill

41m7.8 / 10

As John's back pain worsens, so does his drug problem, and Ben, about to finish his training period, is gravely concerned about him. Meanwhile, when a man wielding an automatic weapon goes on a killing spree inside a factory, Josie gets injured and Lydia must go after him alone. Elsewhere, Sammy decides to take a more active roll in the upcoming birth of his child..

Episode credits

Guest stars Emily Bergl

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Episode 10

Graduation Day

41m8.8 / 10finale

On Ben's final day as a rookie, he decides to force John to get the surgery he needs to relieve his back pain which, in turn, will end his need for painkillers. Meanwhile, Josie discovers that her son is the man Lydia has been seeing. Elsewhere, Sammy decides to go back to regular patrol.

Episode credits

Directed by Christopher ChulackGuest stars Emily Bergl, Carmen Corral

Where to watch Southland

Episode information updated Jul 24, 2026

More about Southland

Cast

Ben McKenzieBen Sherman
Michael CudlitzOfficer John Cooper
Regina KingDetective Lydia Adams
Shawn HatosyOfficer Sammy Bryant
Arija BareikisOfficer Chickie Brown
Kevin AlejandroDetective Nate Moretta
C. Thomas HowellOfficer Dewey Dudek
Michael McGradyDetective Daniel Salinger

Credits

Created by
Ann Biderman
Written by
Ann Biderman, John Wells, Dee Johnson, Robin Green, Mitchell Burgess, Diana Son, Angela Amato Velez, Etan Frankel

Production details

Status
Ended
Series type
Scripted
Episodes
43
Original language
English

Networks & production

  • NBCUnited States
  • TNTUnited States
  • John Wells ProductionsUnited States

Themes

californiadetectivelapdpolicepolicewomanrookierookie copsouthern california