A raw, authentic look at the lives and work of detectives and beat cops in Los Angeles, Southland takes viewers directly to the streets for an intensely personal, first-person look that redefines the police drama. Shot on location in the streets and neighborhoods of Los Angeles, Southland captures a realistic, natural environment where similar situations can and often do occur in real life. In Southland, Regina King stars as Detective Lydia Adams, who seems to make every case personal. Adams has gone through several partners recently, with her most recent being Detective Josie Ochoa (recurring guest star Jenny Gago), a tough, take-charge investigator whose style often conflicts with Lydia. Officer John Cooper (series star Michael Cudlitz) is a seasoned cop who is starting to show some cracks. His partner, Officer Ben Sherman (series star Ben McKenzie) came to him as a rookie, but is now growing up fast on the force. John has taught Ben much of what he knows about how to handle himself on the street, but Ben's growing concern over his partner's addiction to prescription pain killers threatens to drive a wedge between them. Detective Sammy Bryant (series star Shawn Hatosy) is part of the LAPD's gang task force with his partner, Detective Nate Moretta (series regular Kevin Alejandro). Sammy frequently faces issues with his wife, a photographer with past drug problems. Nate, an Army vet, cares deeply about his kids, including a daughter who only recently found out he was her father. Southland's returning cast ensemble also includes: Arija Bareikis as Officer Chickie Brown, and C. Thomas Howell as her recovering-alcoholic partner, Officer Billy Dewey; Michael McGrady as Detective Daniel Salinger, the head of the gang division; and Tom Everett Scott as Russell Clarke, Lydia's former partner who is now working a desk job after being shot. This season on Southland, Lydia has difficulty adjusting to her mother's return home from Europe with a new boyfriend in tow. The relationship forces Lydia to consider her own life and the fact that she remains a single woman. Meanwhile, Ben continues to come into his own as a cop, but he feels increasing pressure to intervene in John's addiction. And Sammy and his wife face a major life change that could have devastating consequences for their marriage.