The TV Chick

The Closer is back for its 7th and final season tonight! While I am thrilled it’s back, I am legitimately sad there won’t be anymore Brenda Leigh Johnson after this season. Brenda Leigh (played by the amazing Kyra Sedgwick) and her Major Crimes crew: Provenza, Flynn, Gabriel, and (former) Captain Pope are hilarious, heartwarming, and one of the best ensembles in drama today. And that’s a big statement coming from me. There are few shows that handle the “case-of-the-week” formula in a way that doesn’t get stale, while keeping us interested in the characters, and The Closer does a wonderful job of just that.

Continue reading “ADVANCE REVIEW: The Closer Season 7 Premiere “Unknown Trouble”” »

TNT decided to have a three episode arc of The Closer a few months after the season “ended,” and I am enjoying the episodes so much. I love this show a lot. It is both funny and serious, and focuses much more on the relationships and the characters than most procedural shows out there.

The season finale titled “Dead Man’s Hand,” airs tonight, and it is fantastic. It centers around a domestic abuse case that Major Crimes is asked to investigate and “tread lightly” because it involves an officer. Returning to the show in her role as Captain Raydor is Mary McDonnell who is really a powerhouse. If you remember from previous episodes, she butts heads quite a bit with Deputy Chief Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick), and this episode is no exception. The domestic abuse case involves one of Capt. Raydor’s subordinates, and there are twists and turns that were hard to see coming.

Another part of this episode involves Brenda and Fritz’s (played by Jon Tenney) relationship. Her job is always getting in the way of their dinners, their discussions…other things. In this episode, Fritz is angry about something but Brenda can’t figure out what it was or what she may have done. I don’t want to spoil too much but the ending between them is great. Brenda shows him — once and for all — that their relationship is her priority, and not her job. This is a big move for her (and them), and I was glad to see it. I have to admit, I wasn’t the biggest fan of that relationship at first (I love Pope, played by JK Simmons) and it seemed that Brenda was reluctant to get into a relationship with Fritz. As it has developed, however, I have become a big fan. I think he’s a good yin to her yang, and I enjoy when they bring him in to work side by side with her and her officers.

As far as season finales go, I really enjoyed this one. The case was interesting, and the return of Capt. Raydor was great. There was an amazing scene where Capt. Raydor and Chief Johnson admit that they don’t like each other. A simple exchange perhaps, but it was a wonderful scene. I hope she returns in the future. I wish I didn’t have to wait so long to see more new episodes, but I’m sure it will be worth it.

Be sure to tune in tonight at 9 pm on TNT for the season finale of The Closer.

Networks sometimes have unconventional seasons (See: Glee, V, etc.) Most of the time, I don’t enjoy breaking up a perfectly good run. However, TNT decided to show three new episodes of The Closer around the holidays, and I am very pleased with their decision. The Closer is a favorite of mine and any excuse to see Brenda Lee Johnson closing some more cases is fine with me. Last week’s new episode featured Fritz buying Brenda Lee a new kitten (and naming it Joel), and Provenza’s girlfriend breaking up with him and then being convinced he’s getting too old. Notice how I didn’t mention the case? This is one reason why I love the show so much. Procedurals often get into the bad habit of only focusing on the crimes. The Closer is full of many well-developed characters who bring different things to the Major Crimes Unit. The audience has been let in on Brenda’s bizarre eating habits, Flynn and Provenza’s antics, and Sanchez’ past. It’s these details that make the show more interesting and innovative.

Tonight is episode 2 of the 3 episode run, so be sure to tune in at 9 pm right before a new episode of Men of a Certain Age on TNT.

Next week, I will be posting my advance review of episode 3, and it’s a great one. Mary McDonnell returns as a guest star to cause problems for Kyra Sedgwick and her team.