Cudlitz: 'TNT Southland pickup is awesome'

Southland star Michael Cudlitz has expressed his joy at TNT's recent pickup of the series.

Last month, NBC announced that it had axed the cop drama ahead of its second season premiere. Shortly afterwards, it was picked up by cable network TNT.

At the time, Cudlitz - John Cooper on the series - told how he was "p*ssed off" over the axe, and blasted NBC for failing to publicise the show.

Speaking to AOL, Cudlitz said of the show's recent pickup: "It's awesome - we couldn't be more excited. This is the best possible thing that could've happened after NBC cancelled us.

"I think it's a great opportunity for the show to either sink or swim on its own merits, and not some seemingly arbitrary business decision."

He also claimed that the new episodes of Southland are "freaking awesome".

"I think that the season premiere of what would've been the second season - which will now be the eighth episode - is phenomenal. The show gets so tight.

"We've met all the characters, we know who everybody is, we can just jump right in to the police work and all the relationship stuff. There's no more explaining, Mr Watson! It's all just bust ass, down-and-dirty police work."

Southland begins Tuesday, January 12 in a 10pm slot.