"You'reMyLittleSnowAngel"

It seems fans get to meet him quite often don't they. That's cool, thanks for the pics.

NewOCFan

Hey Theresa, that girl on the left in the last picture looks like this woman on Hart of Dixie.

ManhattanBabe

Southland's ratings went up again this week by a tenth. Very solid. I'm a little disappointed in how they handled Ben's character recently, but I heard the next episode is very focused on his personal life and I hope the writers finally redeem him. I like the confident attitude and I even like the downward spiral that is beginning, but I hope they explain exactly what's going on with him because his personality has changed overnight, and I know he experienced two recent excrutiatingly stressful events, but it would be nice if the writers would let us know that this is the reason for his sudden behavior shift instead of just showing him have sex with multiple girls and getting wasted and being a hot head. McKenzie's facial expressions are great (wonderful actor), but after a while it would be nice if the writers backed up every sad/conflicted face he makes ... with a REASON instead of expecting us to figure it out on our own.

You're welcome. Yeah, it's true. It seems that pretty much every week fans get to meet him and talk about it and post pictures. Even when he's hiking and stuff I see fans post pics from meeting him. I've always felt he seems very down to earth and very approachable.

Oh yeah? That's pretty cool, Zain!

AlyssaHP88

I'm looking for something specific too. This is what I was asking in one of my last PM's to you. It's easy for us to guess and possibly figure it out ourselves, but I hope the writers give us specific reason, like what triggered this behavior exactly? There's so many things that happened to him but I just want to know event was it that finally made him snap.

Ben Sherman is so bad! Yum

ManhattanBabe

I made a video preview. This song reminds me of Ben Sherman a lot. Everyone on the outside (his colleagues, etc.) always talk about how he seems to have it all. If only they knew... he's probably the most unhappy character on that show and in some ways is the most damaged emotionally. Cooper used to be, but he's over stuff IMO and he was never as fragile as Ben, though Ben does an incredible job of hiding his vulnerability from everyone else.



The cocky and jaded attitude is mainly what came out of no where IMO, but it's not that bad yet - at least not to me. I don't think you're on those episodes yet or I would ask you your opinion. The next episode is focused on his personal life so I'm hoping the writers are going to finally do some explaining. He hasn't yet really downward spiraled. He's only in the beginning stages it seems. I mean, punching the girl was wrong, but IMO it's also forgivable given the situation (I felt her assault was a bit vicious) and it was clearly an impulsive reaction and not something he planned to do. I don't think it makes him a bad person.

He's sleeping around a lot more than he used to, but he was sleeping around before too. He's been occasionally doing that since late S2 and he was ruined emotionally by the last girls he actually had a serious relationship with so that part to me makes sense. I don't even think much needs to be explained in that department writing wise, which is good because I wouldn't hold my breath that the writers would specifically tell us this anyway (lol, I never get my hopes up). But Southland writers do say that they write it for us to figure out (they don't like to spoon feed). Anyway, I also feel like it's more so the girls who are using Ben. It's not like he's going around seeing what girls he can conquest. The way it comes off to me is that these girls are trying to conquest him because he's a hot cop so essentially they're using him and he's letting them because he needs a release and is emotionally detached (so in that way, he's using them too - to help him forget about his problems).

AlyssaHP88

I have two more seaons to complete so I'm sure I'll have more insight once I do . Also, it's just odd sometimes watching season 1 Ben, then watching the new episodes... it's so drastic I guess thats why I'm kind of like "what the hell is going on with him?!". I agree, I think he has just begun spiraling down and has a lot further to fall before he hits the bottom.

ManhattanBabe

You're almost there. You're about to start S3 right?

I know right? He changes so much with every season. But in S2 he was still very much like S1 Ben IMO - this troubled, naive, unhappy, and quiet guy who is extra protective of women and children. But then he sees a woman get murdered and there was nothing he could do to stop it, and he sees women assault men in domestic situations, and he learns some news from his mother in S3 that really affects him and confuses him emotionally - and he just starts to become more and more jaded, more and more cocky, and seemingly more and more confused ... as if he doesn't even know who he is anymore or what he believes in. He's an ingriguing character. By S4, his personality has flipped a 180, but at the same time, it's pretty obvious (for me anyway) that he's just trying hard to fit in and be accepted by the other cops and he feels like if he puts up this facade, he'll be more respected. And he always had a temper, but his short fuse just keeps getting worse and worse and stress is continally piled on his shoulders.

AlyssaHP88

I wish, on season 2.

ManhattanBabe

Oh, did you see last night's episode though? S4 episode 4? I was so disappointed by that episode. They cut at least two important Ben Sherman scenes that I had seen in spoilers and screen stills including a scene with his sister and a scene where he is drinking. And all that for what? The boring dog storyline? I love dogs as much as the next person, but on a TV show, I like character development more and three scenes with that storyline was enough. They overdid it. I wasn't interested in Tang and Cooper's storyline either. And I'm not feeling Lydia's pregnancy storyline so far, though Regina King is an amazing actress.

AlyssaHP88

I did see it, it was an ok episode. Ben with his sister? They cut that out!? Wow, thats interesting. I would of loved to have seen that incorporated in the episode..... the boring dog storyline... I didn't mind it, but I agree with you about the character development. They should be giving us more of that instead of a storyline about a dog that was accidentally shot.

Cooper and Tang

ManhattanBabe

I totally agree with you on Cooper and Tang. Boring. I'm surprised that on other forums for Southland they are getting the majority of the praise.

Yeah, they cut out Ben with his sister, Ben drunk, Ben depressed, etc. and most people I know were looking forward to those scenes.

And in its place, they put what is in my opinion irrelevant filler material. I mean, Sammy and his obsession with this dog he shot by accident? Really? Three scenes with it could have been enough, but they just dragged it along for the entire episode. I found it pointless. And Lydia's storyline is just not connecting with me.

AlyssaHP88

Well, hopefully next week they'll give us something. How many episodes are left? Did you see the promo for next week?

"You'reMyLittleSnowAngel"

Just watched your video preview, Theresa. Gosh, very dramatic! I like how Ben did the facial expressions at the end.

ManhattanBabe

"Rammy, Rammy. "

This was awesome.

This too:



6 episodes left in this season. I saw the promo, but didn't pay much attention. It was a lot of Cooper. I'm hoping Ben and his sisters do have scenes in the beginning of the next episode.

Aw, thanks Naomi! It means a lot to me. Yeah, his character is rather complex and he definitely has his dramatic moments. His facial expressions are great.

grahad8

Thanks for the gifs TC - they are both amazing.. for different reasons