Cabler TNT announced Tuesday that it had renewed the Los Angeles-based crime drama Southland for a fourth season, TV Guide reported.

“John Wells, Chris Chulack and their teams created a brilliant roller coaster ride this season, with countless riveting scenes and unforgettable character arcs,” said Michael Wright, executive vice president and head of programming for TNT.

Southland, which stars Michael Cudlitz, Benjamin McKenzie, Regina King and Shawn Hatosy, originally premiered on NBC, but the network axed the series right before the start of its second season, prompting TNT to pick up the gritty drama.

Cudlitz's tough-as-nails character of training officer John Cooper has broken new ground on series television, yet his sexuality is often overlooked.

Producers haven't ruminated much on Cooper's sexuality, opting instead to focus on his fall from grace at the hands of an addiction to pain killers. In fact, so little time had been devoted to Cooper's personal life that many fans of the show were surprised this season to see him stumble out of the bed he shares with his boyfriend Caesar.

But Caesar didn't just appear in Cooper's bed; the pair shared an intimate moment under a cascade of Memorial Day fireworks at the end of season 1.