'Southland' Sneak Peek: Ben McKenzie's Prank Leaves Shawn Hatosy Without Clothes Exclusive (VIDEO)

How insane has "Southland" been this season? For a show that I've watched, loved and championed since day one, I'm still surprised by how they continue to raise the stakes for all the officers and detectives of the LAPD. Season 4 (Tuesdays, 10 p.m. EST on TNT) has been non-stop, heart-thumping action, and it doesn't look this things are slowing down.

In tonight's episode, titled "Legacy," the more physically and emotionally strenuous scenes belong to officers John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz) and his new partner Jessica Tang (Lucy Liu), while Ben Sherman (Ben McKenzie) and Sammy Bryant (Shawn Hatosy) finally get a much-deserved breather.

New partners Ben and Sammy have been through quite a bit already -- and according to McKenzie and Hatosy, things are only going to get more intense (read more about that on HuffPost TV soon) as the season continues -- so some levity is definitely in order.

"There's a little bit of a humorous break this week with Sammy and me pulling pranks on each other ... and it's really, really funny," McKenzie said.

"I can tell you this: The first scene in the script for us, I end up with no clothes on. And it's because of Ben pulling a prank," Hatosy admits. "It spirals into this one-upmanship, and we have a lot of fun. Last season, at the end of every episode, I was crying, and now this season, at the end of most of the episodes, we're laughing. It's pretty entertaining -- as a viewer and as a participating member of the cast!"

Watch the clip below for a little sneak peek and tell us: Are you digging the new partners on "Southland"?

Comments

[dollym100]

01:21 AM on 02/28/2012

The show is very well written with a really good cast. I hope Lucy Liu's role becomes a permanent one. However, it does seem to give such a grim view of life in our big cities.

The streets seem to be overrun with drug dealers and gangs and the neighborhoods do not look like safe places to walk the streets or let children play. It must be awful (if it is like that in real life) to live there, being scared all the time for the safety of your family. I also wish that at least a few of the characters would also live happier lives. They all seem to have problems, drugs, the death of partners, alcohol, and now an unplanned pregnancy. I just wish the writers would cheer the place up a little so I would not feel so depressed every time I watch it.

[Turnaround]

10:39 PM on 02/22/2012

TV is crap.

[Patrick Whittington]

09:18 AM on 02/16/2012

If they kill off Cooper after "Legacy" am I the only one thats gonna be a little pissed? Cuz nxt weeks preview looked like thats where it as headed....

[bracchus]

04:21 PM on 02/15/2012

I love Southland. Regina King is a marvel. Ben, Sammy, Cooper and Lucy Liu (I forget her cop name) are awesome. The only character I can do without is the C. Thomas Howell cop but I do understand his contribution to the show. Oh and the captail (Dixon from Alias aka Carl Lumbley) is great as well.

And DITTO on Justified!

[stevendavis]

06:11 PM on 02/14/2012

Southland and Justified are both terrific programs. Thank whomever invented the DVR.

[George Otwori]

07:18 PM on 02/14/2012

Southland: The Best cop show on TV
Justified: The Best Crime Drama on TV.

[blacksmithn]

04:46 PM on 02/14/2012

I'm loving Lucy Liu on this show! I hope she stays for the long run.