Southland (2009)

A raw and authentic look into the Los Angeles crime scene, going far inside the lives of cops, criminals, victims and their families. The show centers on four main characters: Officer John Cooper, a seasoned cop who will have to prove himself again after recovering from surgery; Officer Ben Sherman, who still has much to learn after recently completing his training rotation; Detective Lydia Adams, whose unending caseload hits closer to home; and Sammy Bryant, a former detective who decided to go back to being a uniform cop after the traumatic death of his partner.

Almost Didn't Happen: Southland was initially canceled by NBC weeks before its planned second-season premiere in 2009, but TNT picked up the show, allowing it to run for four more seasons.
Real Locations, Real Risks: The show prided itself on filming many scenes on location in Los Angeles, adding to its realism. The riot scene in the season 2 premiere was filmed in South Central, and the cast and crew feared for their lives at one point because onlookers didn't realize the riot wasn't real.
From NYPD Blue to Southland: The series was created by Ann Biderman, who previously wrote for NYPD Blue and later created Ray Donovan. Also, Southland employed the formal device of the handheld camera, which was novel in NYPD Blue.
Emphasis on Authenticity: Southland aimed for a documentary-style feel, focusing on the emotional toll of police work and moral ambiguities rather than glossy thrills. A former police officer and detective even described the show as the most accurate cop show they'd ever seen.
John Cooper's Character: According to Michael Cudlitz, who played Officer John Cooper, the idea was that John was a man first and a gay man second. It wasn't meant to be a show about gay cops, but rather a cop show where one of the cops happened to be gay.