SOUTHLAND PICKED UP

This didn't take long at all and really came as no surprise but, for now, the turmoil surrounding Southland (recently canceled by NBC) has ended as TNT officially picked up the show today.

The cop-drama from Emmy-winning producer John Wells (ER, The West Wing) will begin airing in January.

TNT has obtained exclusive rights to air all six episodes that have been shot (but not yet aired) for the second season, as well as the seven episodes from the series' first season. Southland will air on TNT Tuesdays at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), beginning with the first episode of the series on January 12th.

The series follows John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz), a veteran cop assigned to train young rookie Ben Sherman (Ben McKenzie). Cooper attacks his job with a no-nonsense firmness that sometimes leaves Sherman wondering if he's really cut out to be a cop.

The series also follows Detective Lydia Adams (Regina King), who spends her off-work hours serving as her mother's primary caregiver. Her partner, Detective Russell Clarke (Tom Everett Scott), is a father struggling with an unhappy marriage. Detective Daniel "Sal" Salinger (Michael McGrady) oversees a unit of gang detectives, including Nate Moretta (Kevin Alejandro) and Sammy Bryant (Shawn Hatosy). And patrol officer Chickie Brown (Arija Bareikis) is a single mom determined to make her mark as the first woman in the SWAT unit.