THE LONGEST NIGHT. THE END OF 'SOUTHLAND'

The ever thinning blue line in law enforcement continues. SOUTHLAND returns. Images: TNT.

Going out with a bang, the cast and crew of the critically acclaimed TNT police drama SOUTHLAND deliver a tense, dramatic and explosive end to their fifth and final season (hopefully arriving on the UK's MORE 4 channel later in the year). And right from the start, our favourite characters, having all faced a period of upheaval and transition from events at the end of Season Four, face a tough time coping with their new choices and responsibilities. Detective Lydia Adams (brought to life with such caring, believable humanity, and a sometimes beleaguered heart, by Regina King) is now a proud mommy, but has to juggle her dedicated life as a police woman with her equally dedicated life as a parent-and things are going to get even more brutal. Within the confines of former junkie, big-hearted but troubled officer John Cooper's (Michael Cudlitz) restricted life, still on the patrol streets in the only real job he knows- to truly serve and protect - he gets another tricky partner to contend with after his prior complicated "relationship" with the now departed Jessica Tang (Lucy Liu) - clashing personalities with a former military veteran from Afghanistan, whilst recently promoted Ben Sherman (Ben McKenzie), having gained a dark side to his personality the previous season, sees a series of big decisions go big-time wrong, with severe consequences. Finally, hard done by officer Sammy Bryant (Shawn Hatosy) starts his year on a continued streak of bad luck, still clashing with his ex-wife and struggling to make ends meet- but could there possibly be any light at the end of the tunnel for him?

Detectives Lydia Adams (Regina King) and Ruben Robinson (Dorian Missick) investigate, in the episode Chaos.

Southland Season 5 Trailer - YouTube
▶ Southland S05 Chaos Trailer Promo - YouTube
▶ Southland Season 5 Exclusive: Regina King - YouTube

Tricky, lifed-up cops Sammy (Shawn Hatosy) and Ben (Ben McKenzie) continue to clash.

In a show where the lives of our flawed heroes often isn't fair or sweet, where violence and cruelty is common place, and where Hollywood is more Hollyweird than ever, the series final subplots and personal conflicts gather upstream momentum, gaining intensity towards a genuinely shattering finale- of the kind that only SOUTHLAND can deliver so effectively. Its final scenes are likely to linger in viewers mind for a long time to come, possessing genuine shock and tragedy.

The complex John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz) continues to endure the L.A. streets.

It's faced many challenges in its five year run- cancellation and budget/ cast changes being standouts- but the gritty and realistic life and work on the streets series, as seen through the creative eyes of Ann Biderman and her dedicated actors and film crew, has endured to justifiably earn its place as one of modern US TV's best genre drama series.

Goodbye, SOUTHLAND. And thank you.