MovieChat Forums > Southland (2009) Discussion > Hated the guy Ben turned into...

Hated the guy Ben turned into...

posted 10 years ago by christiannyblom
9 replies | jump to latest

At the beginning of the show, I really liked Ben. He seemed like a really good guy that would make a great cop one day. Sure, he made a lot of mistakes, but that's just natural. But then he started making one dumbass choice after another and turned into a jerk. His partnership with Sammy could have been awesome, but he just had to *beep* it up...

[–] tvlover1961 10 years ago

Agree. I just finished season 5. I wish there were more!

[–] christiannyblom 10 years ago

So do I. I hate that it got cancelled. I really wanted to see him redeem himself in some way.

[–] Carols_Murderous_Moppets 9 years ago

Other than sending a wannabe gang banger to toss your partners house I can't really blame him. You guys seen how unbearable Sammy was when Ben questioned him about the crack pipe, you imagine what he'd be like if Ben didn't back his play on the Tammy incident? As far screwing up the partnership both Sammy and Ben screwed that up, and that is me just being impartial.

I guess the moral of the story is don't put yourself in a situation where you need to cover your ass by any means necessary because your partner has become a guilt riddled bitch.
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"They're not dead, they're just...different."

[–] christiannyblom 9 years ago

Yeah, I agree with you. But it's not just that. He generally became very unsympathetic towards the end. He said and did some kinda douchebag stuff.

[–] Mr-Fusion 9 years ago

He generally became very unsympathetic towards the end. He said and did some kinda douchebag stuff.

Unsympathetic is a good way to put it. And it's an interesting dynamic between Sherman and Cooper. The series begins with Sherman as the young virtuous cop. Especially in "U-Boat", we root for Ben as a hero with both the missing child and the young woman who's being threatened by the celebrity chef. But Sherman changes over time and he becomes - for lack of a better word - a real dick. He toughens as a cop, sure, but all the likability he once had just sorta drains away. "Southland" took its time letting us in on what made these characters the way they are, and I think the show would've addressed this character change somewhere in season 6. So it's a real shame we never got a reason.

Take Cooper on the other hand, and he's the brighter side of things. He starts off being the kind of hardass you'd expect from a veteran training officer. But he's very closed off. He comes down on people too hard and too easily (he definitely could've handled Chickie's situation better). And things really come to a head when his substance abuse gets the better of him. But he rises from that a more energized police officer, and he's able to cut loose a great deal. He's still the hardass you'd expect, but now he's comforting a woman trapped under a tour bus, saving a small child from an electrified street flood; he's genuinely someone to root for. And we finally get to appreciate his worldview. There is so much to his character, and it's a breath of fresh air that they finally let his heroism take center stage.

I just thought that was interesting. Both characters passing each other in the same tunnel, emerging from opposite ends.

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Happy, Cyril? You just destroyed Alderaan!

[–] dhmason6155 9 years ago

Ben was addicted to pussy.

We got a job.
What kind?
...The Forever Kind.

[–] Andresanto 8 years ago

I hated what he turned into but loved the writers choice. They showcased that not every cop ends up a good guy just because he was virtuous in the beginning.

Add to that the implication that if a little bit of fame climbs to your head you can become a totally different person, and I think we ended up with a character that grew up with the viewer, he just grew up wrong. Which can happen.

I have to confirm this as I have not watched the show in 2 or so years, but I also think that Sammy never really got over the death of Nate, which really changed him. Two strong personalities with different ways to see the world and in two points of their lives that imo couldn't be more separate, you end up with them fighting.

Anyways, I loved the evolution of all the characters throughout the series.

Must be a Devil between us Or whores in my head Whores at the door Whore in my bed

[–] Cryage 8 years ago

Totally.

I think the character of Ben was made to show us that he went in with the best of intentions, hoping to make the world a better place - around mid season 3 - beginning of 4 you see him snap saying things like he didn't sign on to be a babysitter.

He gets mixed up messages like the crack pipe and him accusing Sammy of planting it - then Sammy gets angry for not backing him - only for him to back Sammy about the tape, then Sammy's conscience gets the best of him so Ben decides to steal it.

I mean he clearly tries to absorb the information, but goes too far. I feel like if Cooper didn't have his prescription drug problem, and remained as Ben's T.O., he would have turned out different - but he had so many mixed signals and had a difficult time absorbing it (From Cooper telling Chickie to turn Dewey in or he would do it - to watch Cooper rip into Chickie for turning in Dewey , then the incident with the crack pipe & Sammy, etc).

I just dont think Ben totally knew what he was in for with the job, and that's life. Not everybody can handle being a cop. I just wish there was 1 more season so we could hopefully see Ben piece all of the advice together and come out being a good cop - or simply quitting for not being able to handle it.

[–] prettyinpink92 7 years ago

I got into this show because I really liked Ben McKenzie on The O.C. He was great in the first few seasons. However, he became such a douche in the 4th season, he wasn't very likable at all, in my opinion.