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The suites at NBC have pulled the plug on Regina King’s Southland cop drama.
On the eve on the premiere of the show’s second season network execs decided to give the critically acclaimed show the ax because they judged the six episodes of the new season that have already been produced to be too dark and gritty for broadcast TV.
The second season premiere date had been moved from September to 9 p.m. Friday October 23. The Associated Press cites Jay Leno as a contributing factor in the decision to cancel the show. Leno’s new nightly talk show airs in the 10 p.m. time slot on Thursdays previously occupied by Southland, forcing the show to move to the earlier, less gritty-crime-drama friendly hour of 9 p.m.
No word on if NBC will air the final six episodes of the program.
Unofficial word has it that the show may find life on basic cable as producers are said to be shopping it around cable networks.
Southland, which starred Regina King as an L.A.P.D. detective, premiered as the midseason replacement for the outgoing medical drama, E.R.. And while praised by critics the show had a difficult time finding an audience.
