Lucy Liu is blowing up again with The Man with the Iron Fists opening and Elementary airing and it got me thinking of her run on Southland earlier this year.
I am a person that gravitates to the reality cop shows and tends to steer clear from the hour-long dramas. They often get too soap-operarish for me. I never gave Southland a chance until Season 4's 10-show run with Lucy. Each show begins with a freeze frame of a moment that is going to show up later in the episode, a monologue from a character ruminating on their emotions or thoughts during that exact moment. Then you're watching the morning meeting before everyone shoves off and hits the streets. You get that jumpstart to an episode like a cop has the start of a workday.
In-car camerawork, dashboard cams, and shoulder cams running around all help the action on the streets, I even get that Cops feel watching much of the time. It's gritty, it's violent, it's harsh. All different kinds of cops are represented, good, bad, naive, bitter, just like the range of people in any other occupation. Only the show focuses on how high the stakes are in the Southland.
And L.A. is often shown with the sun washing through the lens filter into everything. I love setting my TV to "Natural" Picture Mode ("Cinema" is too dark) and seeing that sun run through everything. It helps frame the uniqueness of the location, a sprawl set in a near tropical climate, a hot mess everyone's dealing with.
And did I mention, Lucy Liu as a policewoman?
New season of Southland begins on TNT Wed, 12 Feb 2013.
Photo Credit: Doug Hyun
This place's collar bleeds blue. The tiny parking lot is chock full of work trucks in the morning. On University Ave in City Heights I'm alongside construction workers hustling through for a coffee and a donut and it feels like a major rally point for workers in the morning. A nice long donut counter, foot after foot of donut bliss.
I am usually here at 7:30 AM on a Friday and like many donut shops it is bustling. But this one never runs out of any kind. The selection is impressive, a large group of mainly circular donuts, sprinkled throughout the cinnamon buns, the custard cream puff pastries, the donut logs, the twists, the fritters, donut holes, everything you need to get started.
This is a family owned business run by just nice people. Other selling points: cheap, fast and friendly service but patient when you can't make up your mind, great pickage if you just ask for a dozen and let them choose a variety, and open 24 hours.
I'm a simple man with simple pleasures. This is one of my local favorites.
San Diego's Finest Donuts
3458 University Ave (Corner of University & Swift
San Diego, CA. 92104
Quick Score - 10 - Place rules!
Donut Quality - 8 - Near top quality
Donut Selection - 8 - Lost of choices, standard stuff
Donut Freshness - 10 - Always seems fresh
Service - 10 - Fast, friendly, patient, helpful
Extras - 10 - Breakfast sandwiches, ice cream too
Appeal - 10 - Feels like a major neighborhood fixture
Emotion - 10 - I always feel like a 10 walking out of this place
Other's Rating - 8 - 4/5 stars average rating on Yelp!
Price - 5 - fair pricing
Donut Dunkability - 5 - Delicious donut holes available.
Total - 94
