Even after TNT granted a reprieve to NBC's canceled 'Southland,' one of its stars is voicing the frustration of a cast member let go.

"I will tell you what, man -- I watched the first episode of the second season before we were canceled," star Shawn Hatosy told us at the premiere of his new drama, 'Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans,' on Wednesday at AFI Fest in Hollywood.

"It was the first time I ever let my guard down, thinking, 'God, the show is going to be on the air forever, it's going to win awards,'" Hatosy said. "I was blown away by the show. Then, two weeks later, we get canceled."

In a jab to NBC's five-times-a-week primetime airing of 'The Jay Leno Show,' Hatosy said, "And to hear that we are replaced by a non-scripted television show was devastating."Even after TNT granted a reprieve to NBC's canceled 'Southland,' one of its stars is voicing the frustration of a cast member let go.

"I will tell you what, man -- I watched the first episode of the second season before we were canceled," star Shawn Hatosy told us at the premiere of his new drama, 'Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans,' on Wednesday at AFI Fest in Hollywood.

"It was the first time I ever let my guard down, thinking, 'God, the show is going to be on the air forever, it's going to win awards,'" Hatosy said. "I was blown away by the show. Then, two weeks later, we get canceled."

In a jab to NBC's five-times-a-week primetime airing of 'The Jay Leno Show,' Hatosy said, "And to hear that we are replaced by a non-scripted television show was devastating."

He continued, "But TNT picked it up. And now we have a new life. NBC is right -- it is dark, it is gritty, it is real. I can't think of a better place for it to be. TNT can show us the show, and I think the audience is going to respond to it."

NBC canceled 'Southland,' an L.A.-set cop drama co-starring Ben McKenzie and Regina King, on Oct. 8. TNT picked it up on Nov. 2, announcing the network would air the already aired episodes again, in addition to the unaired episodes.

Asked whether 'Southland' would film more new episodes, Hatosy said, "I hope so. I do, I do. I think the six unaired episodes are very, very strong."

'Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans,' co-starring Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes and Val Kilmer, hits limited theaters Nov. 20.

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