Benjamin McKenzie - News and Articles #16: Because we're getting so much news lately, that we're running out of titles! - Page 5

**LoveBEN** · 05-21-2009, 10:08 AM

Today's News

The Big Picture - Photo Gallery - E! Online

Ben McKenzie

No longer in the O.C., the Southland star now finds himself signing autographs in L.A.
Watch with Kirsten Interview

Watch With Kristin: Ben McKenzie | E! Online
Fine Tuning for Thursday, May 21.

Fine Tuning for Thursday, May 21.

By Alex Strachan, Canwest News ServiceMay 21, 2009

Watching Southland, the at-times hypnotic ensemble drama about the thin blue line of (mostly white) police officers stretched across Los Angeles' (mostly non-white) South Central district, can be both a troubling and spiritually reaffirming experience.
Southland ends its first season tonight after just six episodes with an outing called Derailed, in which jaded, seen-it-all patrol veteran John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz) and newbie Ben Sherman (Ben McKenzie) discover a dead gang member stuffed in a trunk outside Dodger Stadium.
Don't expect a routine mystery, though. Things are hardly ever routine in Southland. The series is filmed in documentary style, with none of the studied slickness of procedurals such as CSI and Criminal Minds. Instead, Southland portrays the tedium and unpredictability of neighbourhood street patrols with an intimacy and realism that puts the viewer right there, in the glare of the hot California sun, surrounded by fear and suspicion.
Visually, Southland resembles cinema verite more than typical TV drama. Emotionally, it has a way of getting under the skin - provided, that is, jittery camerawork and sudden, unexpected intrusions, don't give you a headache.
Southland has just been renewed for a second season, despite fair to middling ratings. It has been roundly trashed by some Los Angeles-area reviewers, who complain that its grim, unrelenting depiction of crime, urban blight and desperation in some of Los Angeles' poorer neighbourhoods gives the city a bad name. It makes Los Angeles look like Calcutta on the Pacific, groused one review.
Los Angeles isn't just the Disneyland and Bel Air of tourist brochures, though. Beneath the glossy veneer of American Idol and 90210, there's a real city with real city problems. Fewer than 10,000 police officers patrol an area some 1,200 square kilometres in size, home to some 3.8 million people - and not all of them budding starlets and actor-waiters waiting for that big break.
Southland is unafraid, too, to show the seedy underbelly of law enforcement. Based on its six episodes so far, this is one of the most honest, heartfelt drama debuts of the past two years, a social allegory seething with anger, fear and, when one least expects it, humanity. Forget what some critics have said. This is high-calibre TV drama at its finest. (CTV, NBC, 10 ET/PT)
Southland Gets "Derailed," A Preview of the First Season Finale

Southland Gets "Derailed," A Preview of the First Season Finale

After just six episodes, it's rather surprising to find out that NBC's police drama Southland is already wrapping up its first season. Not to worry though; the network is bringing it back Fridays at 9pm for its 2009-2010 schedule. For now, let's be content with the latest episode "Derailed."

Tonight will be the season finale of the series, which promises to have quite a cliffhanger. It's sure to draw in fans for the second season of the show chronicling the lives of these LAPD officers.

On the previous episode of Southland, Detectives Adams (Regina King) and Clarke (Tom Everett Scott) follow the trail of jewelry thieves. The two are led to homes in Bel Air to investigate. Things get more personal, however, when Officer Sherman (Benjamin McKenzie) discovers that he knows one of the victims. Also on "Westside," star witness Janila's impending trial is getting nearer. Helping her to prepare are Moretta (Kevin Alejandro) and Bryant (Shawn Hatosy), who uses unconventional tactics to ensure she's safe.

Following this, the season 1 finale episode of Southland is titled "Derailed." Death has befallen a member of the Marta Ruiz gang, and the team looks into the mystery. They find the victim in the trunk of a car, right after Detective Bryant persuades Detective Adams to assist Janila and take her in. Meanwhile, the rift between Detective Salinger (Michael McGrady) and his daughter continues to grow.

Lupe Ontiveros of Desperate Housewives fame guest-stars on the episode "Derailed," playing the mother of a ferocious gang lord.

Southland was created by the Emmy Award winning team of John Wells, Ann Biderman and Chris Chulack. In addition to the actors mentioned above, it stars Michael Cudlitz and Arija Bareikis. The series was produced by John Wells in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Don't miss the season 1 finale of Southland, tonight at 10pm on NBC.
Video of Ben going to the gym

Benjamin McKenzie Videos | Benjamin McKenzie At Gold's Gym

There's pics in the pictures thread
A very interesting interview with Ann Biderman(series creator)

iFMagazine.com: Exclusive Interview: 'SOUTHLAND' CREATOR-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ANN BIDERMAN CHATS ABOUT THE SEASON FINALE OF NBC'S NEW HIT DRAMA
Small Southland Mention here:

Lost, Mad Men and Southland's Patrick Fischler Can Take a Punch

alluxera · 05-21-2009, 10:19 AM

Thank you for all the news

**swedish_girl80** · 05-21-2009, 10:24 AM

Awesome

Thanks Michal

callieUK · 05-21-2009, 10:49 AM

Thanks for all the updates. I really like that review by Alex Strachan. And Ben was so cute on the Kristin interview.

**swedish_girl80** · 05-21-2009, 10:59 AM

He was

Watch this and THIS

callieUK · 05-21-2009, 12:34 PM

Oh, thanks for those! He's so adorable.

**swedish_girl80** · 05-21-2009, 12:39 PM

You welcome

meganoster · 05-21-2009, 04:37 PM

Hanna, you ROCK!!! Thank you so, SO much for those podcasts; I was dying to hear the Bobby Bones interview again, and I missed the other interview due to being at work, so I was thrilled to see the links for both.

And HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, the pictures of Ben leaving the gym in the wifebeater and shorts...I'm not usually a fan of the wifebeater, but HIS ARMS!!! Sex on a stick!!!

**LoveBEN** · 05-22-2009, 09:08 AM

Thanks for those links Hanna

Todays News

From Entertainment Weekly - 'Southland' season finale: so tense, so good

'Southland' season finale: so tense, so good | Prime-Time TV commentary | last night, Television | Ken Tucker's Watching TV | EW.com
A really nice interview with Ben

Ben McKenzie talks about Southland - CraveOnline.com
Ben Mckenzie and Michael Cudlitz interview

Billy Bush: Interviews

The Official Site of the Billy Bush Show
NY Daily News - What's on TV Thursday night

BEST OF THURSDAY NIGHT'S TV:

7:30 p.m. (MUN2) "The Mun2 Hook Up: Celebrity Edition." Telemundo's cable network kicks off season two of this series, which pairs ambitious Latinos with top celebrities and chart-topping artists for a day of intense training, advice and more.

8 (FOX) "So You Think You Can Dance." Two days after ABC's dancing competition ended, Fox stars up its own, for what is the fifth cycle. Simon Lythgoe, one of the original producers on "American Idol," is a producer and judge for this competition. Cat Deeley is also back as host.

8 (ABC) "Ugly Betty." It's the end of the season and the show goes out with a two-hour finale. The second hour has the staff of Mode dealing with the sudden death of an editor and Betty and Marc competing for the same job. Elsewhere, Wilhelmina threatens to expose Claire's secret if she doesn't resign.

10 (NBC) "Southland." The first season of John Wells' Los Angeles-set cop drama comes to a close with a body showing up in a trunk outside Dodger Stadium. And, no, it's not Manny Ramirez. Officers John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz), Ben Sherman (Ben McKenzie) and Chickie Brown (Arija Bareikis) are on the case.

What's on TV Thursday night
Los Angeles Times - Thursday's Highlights

Southland: Cooper, Sherman, Brown and Dewey (Michael Cudlitz, Ben McKenzie, Arija Bareikis, C. Thomas Howell) find a dead gang member in the trunk of a car outside Dodger Stadium (10 p.m. NBC).

Thursday's Highlights - TELEVISION - Los Angeles Times - calendarlive.com
2009 TV Season End Poll - Inside TV Blog

Vote for Southland in #4

Vote for Ben in #13

2009 TV Season End Poll - Inside TV Blog
Ratings

Southland's ratings are up as expected this week: 4.2/8 (Last week they were at 3.0/5)

A "Flashpoint" rerun, 5.0/9, kept CBS on top at 10. The season finale of "Southland" delivered a 4.2/8 for NBC, and a "Grey's Anatomy" rerun on ABC came in at 2.6/5.

TV ratings: 'So You Think' premiere leads Thursday - FOX scores a narrow win over CBS reruns - Zap2it

callieUK · 05-22-2009, 09:16 AM

Thanks for all the new info. Latest update on ratings.

Quote:

In season-finale news, NBC’s Southland concluded its short-flight first season with 6.39 million viewers (#2) and a first-place 2.0/ 6 among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. While that is certainly not spectacular, it did build from its repeat 30 Rock lead-in (Viewers: #4, 3.19 million; A18-49: #4, 1.3/ 4) by 3.20 million viewers and 54 percent in the demo.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Thursday 5/21/09 - Topic Powered by Eve For Enterprise

ETA: The Ugly Betty finale ratings (from the above site), seeing as they will be our timeslot competition next season.

Quote:

Back-to-back episodes of ABC’s Ugly Betty, including the season-finale at 9 p.m., performed as follows by half hour:

Ugly Betty (ABC)
8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 6.14 million (#3), A18-49: 1.8/ 6 (#2)
8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 6.19 million (#3), A18-49: 1.9/ 6 (#2)
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 6.12 million (#3), A18-49: 1.8/ 6 (#3)
9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 6.63 million (#3), A18-49: 2.1/ 6 (#2t)

**LoveBEN** · 05-22-2009, 11:06 AM

^Thanks Cal. *sigh* I wish Southland had a better lead in. They always build from their 30 Rock lead-in, they could have done so much better with L&O as a lead this season.

Any way - From TV-Guide:

Kara DioGuardi's Bikini Surprises, 24's Tony Lashes Out - Today's News: Our Take | TVGuide.com

4. Least Expected Cliffhanger: Southland's finale seems to be winding down with one of those all-is-right-with-the-world season-ending montages: Adams has saved a witness from gangbangers, Salinger is reunited with his daughter, Sherman and a corny folk singer have broken things off, Cooper watches the fireworks with his possible boyfriend. And then, with seconds left in the season, Tom Everett Scott's little-used Det. Clarke gets shot by one of his feuding neighbors while trying to break up their fight. NBC has made the unfortunate decision to move the show next season to Friday nights, television's graveyard. But Southland is worth following anywhere.

**swedish_girl80** · 05-22-2009, 12:33 PM

You´re welcome everyone

Thanks Callie and Michal for all the links

tc_mahfood · 05-22-2009, 06:53 PM

Hey ladies!!!! So I got a much higher quality version of Ben's interview with Jimmy Kimmel!!!! I posted it on youtube, and also you can download it on megaupload.

MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service

Please leave comments on the youtube video so the video gets really popular!!! Lets show our love and support for Ben! I think the more ratings and comments it gets, the more people will be inclined to watch it, and it always frustrates me when other actors like Jensen Ackles and Zach Efron get so much more attention, so I'm hoping we can get the word out there of how awesome Ben is!!!! It will help his show too!!!! Okay, thanks and enjoy!!!! I love you all!!!!

**swedish_girl80** · 05-23-2009, 12:46 AM

Thank you so much Theresa

fifimom · 05-23-2009, 06:40 AM

Thanks for all the news and video. Please go vote at 2009 TV End Poll because Ben and Southland aren't looking so good in the numbers.