We already have the fall TV season’s most surprising cancelation: Southland.

The NBC cop drama wasn’t even scheduled to bow its second season until Oct. 23, but NBC has already pulled the plug, sadly, on the show that was one of the best network premieres last season. Part of the reason for the cancelation: NBC says the show’s too dark and gritty for the 9PM broadcast network hour, which, of course, is the latest slot NBC has available in primetime with the lame Jay Leno Show taking up 10PM Monday-Friday. Sigh.

Southland, a Warner Bros. TV production, started off as a midseason series on NBC last spring, taking over the timeslot vacated by another John Wells production, ER. The show won good ratings that dwindled as the episodes unfolded, but earned great critical reviews and had a loyal following heading into its new Friday night home for its second season.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show may be pitched to cable networks … Southland would fit in well with great dramas like Sons of Anarchy and Damages, don’t you think, FX execs?

Meanwhile, it’s bad enough that NBC’s new series – like the generically, forgettably-titled medical dramas Trauma and Mercy – have failed to wow anyone, but now the network is just throwing away the buzzworthy scripted series it could potentially nurture into a ratings hit?

Sad.