Drama2009–2013NBCTNT

The Best Episodes of Southland

Every episode of Southland ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Southland!

Best episode
S5E9 Chaos
9.1699 votes
Worst episode
S1E2 Mozambique
7.5643 votes
Top season
Season 5
8.2avg
Binge time
1d 5h
43 episodes
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons5

All12345

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Click to reveal
    Southland Season 5 Episode 9 - Chaos
    9.1/10(699 votes)

    S5:E9

    Chaos prevails in the city of angels when Cooper and Lucero are kidnapped and held hostage by a pair of tweakers. All of our cops join the frantic search to find their brothers in blue before it is too late. Sammy searches for Strokeface. Ben tries to throw Sammy off the trail while simultaneously dealing with an increasingly irrational Brooke.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. Southland Season 3 Episode 4 - Code 4
    8.8/10(540 votes)

    S3:E4

    Ben learns the hard way, some valuable lessons about the importance of following established procedure and protocol, Lydia's current murder investigation takes an unexpected turn, and Nate and Sammy are unprepared when a group of people they encounter turns into a violent mob.

    Director:Félix Alcalá
    Writer:Diana Son

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. Southland Season 5 Episode 10 - Reckoning
    8.7/10(652 votes)

    S5:E10

    John copes with the aftermath of his kidnapping. Sammy closes in on the real robbers. Lydia continues to pursue John’s kidnappers and becomes more intimate with Russell.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. Southland Season 3 Episode 10 - Graduation Day
    8.6/10(406 votes)

    S3:E10

    On Ben's final day as a rookie, he decides to force John to get the surgery he needs to relieve his back pain which, in turn, will end his need for painkillers. Meanwhile, Josie discovers that her son is the man Lydia has been seeing. Elsewhere, Sammy decides to go back to regular patrol.

    Director:Christopher Chulack
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. Southland Season 1 Episode 7 - Derailed
    8.5/10(562 votes)

    S1:E7

    When Sammy discovers Marta has made bail, and fearing another attempt will be made on Janilla's life, he arranges to have her stay with Lydia, but Janilla's safety is compromised after she visits her old neighborhood. Meanwhile, Sal continues to spy on his daughter's activities, Dewey flips out when Chickie confronts him about his drinking problem, and Russell is caught in the middle when he attempts to defuse an ongoing domestic battle between a neighbor and his wife.

    Director:Christopher Chulack
    Writer:Ann Biderman

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. Southland Season 2 Episode 3 - U-Boat
    8.5/10(466 votes)

    S2:E3

    Ben, assigned to work on his own for the first time, responds to a call about a 9-year old girl who wandered off and finds himself emotionally distraught over a woman who is being harassed by an ex-lover with a tendency towards violence against women. Lydia and Rene spend the day checking assisting Brianna, the mother of the baby found crawling down the street. Over in Gangs, Detective Gil Puente leads the task force to take down ex-banger Trinny Day, but clashes with Sal and Sammy who find him loud and abrasive. When Chickie is assigned to ride with John for the day, he discovers she has no "command presence" and has lost her edge, suggesting it may be time for her to get out of police work.

    Director:Christopher Chulack
    Writer:Ann Biderman

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of Southland

    READ
  7. Southland Season 4 Episode 6 - Integrity Check
    8.5/10(387 votes)

    S4:E6

    Lydia dons a uniform and hits the streets when the shift is short a supervisor and she must fill in. Meanwhile, John and Jessica are stuck with a film crew tagging along on their calls. Elsewhere, Ben infuriates Sammy when he implies Sammy planted evidence.

    Director:Christopher Chulack
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. Southland Season 2 Episode 5 - What Makes Sammy Run?
    8.4/10(456 votes)

    S2:E5

    After two men murder a man in a crowded nightclub, Nate discovers his daughter was an eyewitness. Meanwhile, tensions rise between Sal and Gil on the gang task force, and Sammy confronts his wife, Tammi, after discovering she has been photographing gang members.

    Director:Félix Alcalá
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. Southland Season 4 Episode 1 - Wednesday
    8.4/10(439 votes)

    S4:E1

    John returns to duty after recuperating from back surgery and meets his new partner, Officer Jessica Tang, a tough and disciplined cop with her own set of baggage from working the streets. Lydia, whose new partner is Detective Ruben Robinson, can't seem to escape helping a former CI who seems unable to stay out of danger, Ben, Sammy and Dewey chase an armed man into an elementary school, and Ben bumps heads with an intense street cop whose cynical attitude is affecting their work.

    Director:Christopher Chulack
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. Southland Season 2 Episode 6 - Maximum Deployment
    8.4/10(423 votes)

    S2:E6

    John, Ben, and Chickie are sent out as part of a maximum deployment to capture the “Canyon Rapist,” a perp who's been impersonating a cop. Russell is back, but on light duty as he continues to struggle with his recovery after being shot. While working a double-homicide with his old partner, Lydia, he discovers he's no longer up for the job. Sal plans a special night out to commemorate his wife's promotion, but their evening is ruined when their daughter reveals Sal’s affair with TV news reporter Mia Sanchez. Chickie gets a chance to prove to herself -- and others -- that she still has what it takes to be a good cop.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. Southland Season 4 Episode 10 - Thursday
    8.4/10(389 votes)

    S4:E10

    It's the last day on patrol for Tang, as she prepares to move to another precinct as sergeant. But first she wants to tie up some loose ends on the beat. Lydia is pressured to make a decision about the extent of her police duties during the rest of her pregnancy. With Sammy recovering from injuries, Ben and Dewey are partnered together. But Ben is bent on tracking down the prostitute he's been trying to help and then getting her and her daughter away from the abusive pimp controlling their lives.

    Director:Christopher Chulack
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. Southland Season 4 Episode 5 - Legacy
    8.4/10(387 votes)

    S4:E5

    John tries to save a suicidal teen in a situation that hits extremely close to home, and Sammy convinces a former addict to be an informant, with devastating consequences. Meanwhile, Jessica gets a visit from someone from her past, and Lydia and Ruben investigate a home invasion that appears to have been staged to cover up a murder.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. Southland Season 5 Episode 8 - The Felix Paradox
    8.4/10(354 votes)

    S5:E8

    The funeral of a major drug dealer brings gangsters of all kinds out of the woodwork, there is chaos in the streets but as our cops learn sometimes the greatest threats come from within. Lydia and Ruben investigate the drug related murder of Sgt. Hill’s son; they discover police corruption in the process and clash over how to handle it. Ben suspects that Sammy did not destroy the tape and decides to take matters into his own hands with tragic consequences. John sinks farther into his loneliness.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. Southland Season 3 Episode 9 - Failure Drill
    8.2/10(384 votes)

    S3:E9

    As John's back pain worsens, so does his drug problem, and Ben, about to finish his training period, is gravely concerned about him. Meanwhile, when a man wielding an automatic weapon goes on a killing spree inside a factory, Josie gets injured and Lydia must go after him alone. Elsewhere, Sammy decides to take a more active roll in the upcoming birth of his child..

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. Southland Season 4 Episode 9 - Risk
    8.2/10(359 votes)

    S4:E9

    Ben finds himself heading down a slippery slope as he attempts to help the daughter of a prostitute, putting him in hot water with the woman's pimp. Lydia and Ruben investigate the murder of a gang-banger who may have been killed over a graffiti tag. Tang faces more questions about her shooting of an innocent bystander, which could determine whether she gets promoted to sergeant.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. Southland Season 2 Episode 1 - Phase Three
    8.1/10(476 votes)

    S2:E1

    Lydia and her new partner, Detective Rene Cordero, investigate the disappearance of an elderly man. Meanwhile, Nate and Sammy investigate a freeway shooting and inadvertently threaten the integrity of a major undercover operation. Elsewhere, Chickie finds herself in the middle of a mini-riot after her new partner panics and takes a shot at a 13-year-old boy.

    Director:Christopher Chulack
    Writers:John Wells, Ann Biderman

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  17. Southland Season 5 Episode 7 - Heroes
    8.1/10(443 votes)

    S5:E7

    John takes drastic measures to try to save Hicks while being confronted with demons from his past. Sammy’s lie about the tape weighs heavily on his conscious. Lydia and Ruben track down a John Doe. Ben’s relationship with Elena becomes more serious.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  18. Southland Season 5 Episode 6 - Bleed Out
    8.1/10(423 votes)

    S5:E6

    The day’s events bring all of our cops face to face with some of their greatest fears. The death of a baby shakes Lydia to her core. Sammy is questioned by I.A. about his altercation with Tammi. A difficult day on the job causes Cooper to seek solace in Hicks but finds none. Ben becomes more deeply involved with Brooke while continuing to see Elena.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  19. Southland Season 3 Episode 5 - The Winds
    8.1/10(402 votes)

    S3:E5

    When a rape victim hires a lawyer and refuses to talk with the two detectives unless her lawyer is present, Lydia and Josie want to know why. Meanwhile, John strikes up an unlikely friendship with a boy who returned home after a sleepover, only to discover his parents had packed up and moved during the night, abandoning him and leaving him to fend for himself, Later on, John begins to feel the stress over the prospect of testifying at his father's upcoming parole board hearing, but he doesn't realize his testifying will open up an emotional can of worms that he's not prepared for.

    Director:Nelson McCormick
    Writers:Mitchell Burgess, Robin Green

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  20. Southland Season 3 Episode 8 - Fixing a Hole
    8.1/10(388 votes)

    S3:E8

    Sammy seeks answers in the desert, Lydia and Josie babysit an important alcoholic witness before a murder trial, and John and Ben go against procedure to help a child in need.

    Director:Christopher Chulack
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  21. Southland Season 3 Episode 7 - Sideways
    8.1/10(387 votes)

    S3:E7

    When crime scene photos from the case of the celebrity suspected of murdering his estranged wife show up on the internet, all of the first responders are suspended, including Lydia and Josie. Further investigation proves the photos were the unauthorized pictures taken by Lydia using her phone, and she's shocked when she learns who was responsible for the leak. Meanwhile, Sammy fails to pick the right guy from the line-up for Nate's murderer, and Dewey and Chickie are involved in a high-speed chase that ends in disaster.

    Director:Allison Anders
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  22. Southland Season 5 Episode 2 - Heat
    8.1/10(385 votes)

    S5:E2

    After Mendoza is injured in a drive-by, Ben takes it upon himself to solve the case, much to Sammy's dismay. Lydia regains her footing as a detective while investigating the murder of a female boxer's husband. Tensions between Cooper and Steele finally come to a head during a traffic stop-gone-sideways.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  23. Southland Season 5 Episode 5 - Off Duty
    8.1/10(335 votes)

    S5:E5

    John is forced to think about what life will hold for him once he leaves the LAPD. Lydia connects with a man she sent to death row earlier in her career. Much to his chagrin, Sammy becomes a tabloid celebrity for the day after a very public act of heroism. Ben makes a dubious decision to get a drug dealer arrested. And a foot pursuit puts Dewey in danger.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  24. Southland Season 5 Episode 3 - Babel
    8.0/10(350 votes)

    S5:E3

    A breakdown in the LAPD's dispatch system makes a difficult job even harder for the cops, all of whom are already grappling with communication issues. Lydia, in a moment of weakness, reaches out to her old flame, Terrell. John is assigned a new partner; Ben and Sammy's partnership is strained just as Ben makes a romantic connection on the job.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  25. Southland Season 4 Episode 2 - Underwater
    8.0/10(402 votes)

    S4:E2

    Things are gonna change with Joel Rucker as the new captain. Lydia and Ruben investigate a convenience store murder, and Lydia uses her typical compassionate charm to collect facts on her suspect from an unassuming grandmother. Meanwhile, John and Jessica get to test their physical abilities when they're attacked on the street. Elsewhere, Sammy and Ben ride with a mistake-prone officer, but Ben is the one making mistakes... mistakes that earn him some notoriety.

    Director:Nelson McCormick
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Best Episodes Summary

"Chaos" is the best rated episode of Southland. It scored 9.1/10 from 699 votes. Written and directed by Unknown, it aired on April 10, 2013. This episode scored 0.3 points higher than the second highest rated, "Code 4".

Keep going

Browse Southland by season

If you like Southland