Southland

I grew up in LA, right off of Crenshaw and Adams – West L.A. but after the Rodney King riots it got "reclassified" as South Central. I went away to college in San Diego, then moved to Oregon, vowing that I would never live in L.A. again.

Klout and TNT offered me a sneak preview of the full episode of the season premiere. Southland shows me how things have changed over the years since I was a child. Some things have changed, some have not.

• Uncaring employers (ok, maybe that hasn't changed that much).
  
• Culture clash between Blacks and Latinos in L.A.
  
• Latino gang wars (instead of Crips vs. Bloods)
  
• Cop with a pain medication habit and a bad back (boy can I relate)

From Emmy Award winners John Wells, Ann Biderman and Chris Chulack comes a raw and authentic look at a police unit in Los Angeles. From the beaches of Malibu to the streets of East Los Angeles, "Southland" is a fast-moving drama that will take viewers inside the lives of cops, criminals, victims and their families.

Michael Cudlitz ("A River Runs Through It") plays John Cooper a seasoned Los Angeles cop, assigned to train young rookie Ben Sherman (Ben McKenzie, "The O.C."). Cooper's honest, no-nonsense approach to the job leaves Sherman questioning whether or not he has what it takes to become a police officer.

Cudlitz and McKenzie are joined by other cast members, including Regina King ("Ray," “Jerry Maguire”), who plays Detective Lydia Adams. Adams lives with and is the primary caregiver of her mother. Her partner, Detective Russell Clarke (Tom Everett Scott, "Boiler Room") is an unhappily married father of three. Michael McGrady ("The Thin Red Line") plays Detective Daniel "Sal" Salinger. Sal oversees fellow gang detectives Nate Moretta (Kevin Alejandro, "Drive," "Ugly Betty") and Sammy Bryant (Shawn Hatosy, "Alpha Dog"). Arija Bareikis (“Crossing Jordan”) plays patrol officer Chickie Brown, a single mom who dreams of being the first woman accepted into SWAT.

Given a Klout Perk I was given a free product or sample because I'm a Klout influencer. I was under no obligation to receive the sample or talk about this company. I get no additional benefits for talking about the product or company.