Ramon Rodriguez
Jay Hernandez
RZA
Sung Kang
Inbar Lavi
Rey Gallegos
Shantel VanSanten
Cliff Curtis
Terry O’Quinn

Created by:
Chris Morgan

2014
Action, Crime, Drama
Fox
TV-14

“Gang Related” is an urban crime drama centered around the interplay of a Latin American gang leader’s aspirations for legitimacy and the kid whom he supported through the police academy in order to achieve that goal more easily. The pilot, directed by Allen Hughes (who serves as one of the executive producers, as well), has some style, which is highlighted during shots of a motorcycle riding through Los Angeles; but it’s nothing new.

OK, so, there’s a mole in the police department’s elite gang task force who’s aligned with the aforementioned gang. And the head of that task force, played by Terry O’Quinn, has a daughter who works for the D.A. (shocker!). (Why, after starring in “Lost,” does Terry O’Quinn keep joining the cast of TV shows that are mediocre at best?)

There’s just nothing fresh here. We’ve seen “Training Day,” “Traffic,” “Rampart,” “Serpico,” “Southland,” and the like. The Latin American perspective is relatively new for television, but is that really what we’re getting here? Plus, the acting is uneven (some of the actors, especially the guest stars, really don’t know what they’re doing). “Gang Related” should come with a fake hood acting alert, the RZA notwithstanding. The writing is even worse. It doesn’t provide worthwhile characters or have the correct flow. It simply moves the plot from point A to point B. In addition, there are strange shifts in tone, at times: from cool and serious to heartfelt. Huh?

I’d rather watch “Southland,” an urban crime drama TV series that hits all of the right notes, instead of “Gang Related.” The only reason to watch “Gang Related” is if you love urban crime dramas and have nothing better to do.

Verdict: OK to Whatever

About: (Source: gangrelated)

In the gritty new action-drama GANG RELATED, Detective RYAN LOPEZ (Ramon Rodriguez, “Battle Los Angeles,” “The Wire”) is a rising star in Los Angeles’ elite Gang Task Force. What the world doesn’t know is that long before Ryan became a cop, he pledged allegiance to a different band of brothers – a powerful Latino gang called Los Angelicos.

When Ryan’s best friend and police partner is senselessly killed by a notorious gang member, Ryan teams up with longtime Task Force member CASSIUS GREEN (RZA, “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” “Californication”), who has been at the forefront of the city’s war on organized crime. In this war between law enforcement and gangs, the series explores how only people who really know the streets can win the battle on the streets.