QUICK REVIEW: The Closer “Forgive Us Our Trespasses” S7 E5

With the decent supporting cast, I would have thought the episode would have been a little stronger tonight.  You had Booger from Revenge of the Nerds as the slimy attorney for Tyrell’s family, Wendell from Bones as the murdering gay corporal who killed his father, and Dr Ellis Grey as the victim’s wife.  Sadly, the case was pretty boring.

A pastor was found dead and it appeared to be a suicide.  His wife, Mrs. Wycoff (played by Kate Burton) was trying very hard to convince people it was a suicide.   Fact is, she knew her husband had a fetish for dressing up as a woman (heels and everything) and she was not down with that.  So she allowed him to play out his fantasies with a girl he met on-line.  There were many times the show was trying to make you believe she was the killer, to the point that it was so obvious (especially when she confessed) that you knew she didn’t kill him.  But she was protecting someone.  And come on.  We all knew who that someone was…her son Chris (played by Michael Grant Terry.)   Chris was gay and both his parents were brutally hard on him about it.  When Chris found out about his father’s antics, he completely snapped.  He couldn’t figure out how someone with such a strange fetish would be so intolerant of his own son.  So he killed him.

Brenda finally lost it tonight regarding the case against her.  Her entire division has been subpoenaed.   Actually Gabriel wasn’t subpoenaed at first which cause lots of controversy within the division and most of the guys felt he was snitching on Brenda.  He went to Booger and asked to also be subpoenaed so they would all be together on this.  This put Brenda in a pretty large funk.  Her funk got worse when she was home downing red wine and Hostess cupcakes and Fritz shows her his subpoena.  At this point she completely losses it and breaks down into tears in Fritz’s arms.

As much as I love the character of Brenda, the one thing that has always frustrated me about her, is that she is incredibly stubborn and doesn’t always listen when people are trying to help her and it gets her into to trouble.  Rayder, Pope, and Fritz have all been trying to tell Brenda for weeks that she needs to deal with this.  She needs to hire a lawyer and start fighting this case.  She keeps ignoring it and now her whole division and her husband are all dragged into this.  I also think that Brenda is starting to realize that while technically she did nothing wrong by dropping Tyrell off at his house, morally, she did do something wrong because she knowing left that boy there to die.  When I first watched that episode, I was in agreement with Brenda and her decision to drop him off in a dangerous situation.  After all this was a thug who killed a grandfather and grandson and didn’t really show any remorse for it.  So what happens to him, happens to him..right?   After watching the episode again, I changed my tune.   No matter how much you hate someone like that for doing what he did, you are now no better than he is.   You put him in a situation knowing full well he was going to die if you left him without protection and you have no remorse or guilt for what you did.   I’m sure Tyrell has justification for committing his crime and now Brenda has hers for leaving him in a situation to die.  So I ask, doesn’t that make her just as criminal and guilty as Tyrell?   I think it does.   She may not have physically been the one to kill him but I think her situation is even worse than Tyrell’s because she is an officer of the law.  She is sworn to protect people.   In this situation, she did the complete opposite.  She actually put a citizen in harm’s way.  And even though we all knew he was guilty and a creep, in the eyes of the law, this is a man who isn’t guilty of any crime.  So this isn’t looking good for Brenda at all.   But the best part about her FINALLY agreeing to get council is that we finally get to see the highly anticipated (at least by me) arrival of Mark Pelligrino (aka Lucifer from Supernatural and Jacob from Lost and about 50 other characters on TV) as her defense attorney.  Pelligrino’s characters will be around the rest of this season and I believe will be here through the final run.   Yeah!!!

What do you guys think about Brenda and her situation?  Do you think she is being wrongfully judged and Tyrell got what he deserved?   Or do you think she is completely in the wrong and should lose her job?   Let me know!!!

 

NEW PODCAST: Episode 9 Covers The Closer, Rizzoli & Isles, Suits, Pretty Little Liars, Casting News and More!

For The Love of TV Episode 9 Podcast is up here at www.fortheloveoftvpodcast.com.  Make sure you check it out because we cover A LOT of topics such as:

• Review of the Season Premiere of The Closer
• Review and Recap of Rizzoli & Isles first two episodes
• Review of Suits
• Review and Recap of Pretty Little Liars
• Casting News
• Other TV News like shows that have been canceled or renewed

I did not do any Emmy discussion because I am doing another podcast that is specifically Emmy related.   Let me know your thoughts!

 

The Closer and Rizzoli and Isles Recap and Review Coming Soon

So I have a really crazy day today so I can’t get to these reviews today.    Sorry!   But I will be doing a brief review of each tomorrow followed by a REALLY HUGE For the Love of TV Podcast!!!

All I can say now before I run out the door to pick up people from the airport for meetings is that I loved both episodes and I forgot how much I missed the ladies from Rizzoli and Isles!   They are freaking hilarious!!!   I did a live Tweet last night during both shows and let me tell you, I learned some very interesting things about the fans of R&I.   Things I had no idea about and was so not clued into!   But I love seeing other people’s view points!!  Also on The Closer, I had no idea that Sgt. Gabriel’s first name was David!   Am I that clueless or did none of you ever know his first name either?   I’d NEVER heard Brenda call him anything other than Sgt Gabriel or Gabriel but never David and she used his first name, all the time last night.    Why?   Am I forgetting something significant?   Probably!   Plus I am always the last to know everything!

But great episode of The Closer which will set up the final season in which Brenda has gotten herself in some pretty hot water with the LAPD and may need some help to get out.   Also, how about those last 2 minutes of the episode!!!   Holy Crap I completely didn’t see that coming!!!

As I mentioned it was great to see Jane and Maura back on my screen.  Good case last night and I’m glad they haven’t ignored Jane’s injuries from the season finale.  But I really wish the writers would find something more for her brother to do than just stand up and wave or have 2 lines per episode.  If you’re not going to write for him, don’t have him on the show.  Otherwise, give him a storyline!  And it looks like Mr and Mrs Rizzoli are on the outs.  But I’ll get into that later.    I really have to go!!!!

 

The Closer: Does Brenda’s Final Season Spell Trouble for Her or A Huge Loss?

The Closer begins its final run on July 11th and there are some storylines that could be very eye raising for some of us long time fans.

In a recent interview, Kyra Sedgwick mentioned that this season of The Closer (which will begin July 11th this summer and conclude some time next summer) will be about love and loss.   Loss?    What kind of loss?  Is someone significant dying?   Because if Provenza or Flynn die, someone at TNT is going to have a serious problem with me!!!!   Since they will probably be on the spinoff show Major Crimes (I think), I doubt anything will happen to them.  But I wouldn’t put it past the show runners to kill off Chief Pope or Mr. Brenda Leigh Johnson, Fritz.  But it’s possible that the actual “loss” is not a death but something else entirely.

Looking at this from another angle, maybe the term of loss means Brenda’s job or freedom.   According to reports, family members of criminals she has put away or family members of witnesses that have helped solidify arrests who may have been killed, are targeting Brenda for the ways in which she solicits her confessions.  So Brenda is going to need some help.   Enter one of my favorite actors to take on the role of Gavin Baker who is a ruthless and cunning defense attorney…Mark Pellegrino!!!     For those of you who don’t know Pellegrino, do you even watch TV?   I’m kidding.  I kid because I love!!!   Pellegrino has been on some smaller shows you may have heard of like Dexter, Lost, and Supernatural.   He’s fantastic.  Baker will be there to help Brenda through this difficult time in her career where she is attacked for her methods.  Allegedly, if you have a problem and are being sued, this is the guy you want having your back.

I guess my question is what is wrong with her methods?  So she goes in and pretends she’s a secretary sometimes and gets information out of criminals to achieve her goal of confession.  Big deal.  So what if she pretends she is in their corner and pretends to understand and help them to get what she needs to put the bad guys away?   Is that really a source for a legal suit against her?  And I’m asking that question seriously.  I’m not a cop (although I do come from a family of police officers) and I have never been in an actual interrogation.  I know there are laws that protect people from the way cops treat them in interrogation rooms.   But has Brenda ever done anything to warrant possibly losing her position or job or worse going to jail?  I’m not sure.  I know the physical lines you can’t cross but I’m sure about the psychological or mental lines.  Do you think Brenda has crossed a line once or twice?   I guess we shall see.

I’m still upset that this will be the last season of The Closer.   There is something to be said for going out on a high note and if Kyra is ready to move on, I understand that.  But it still sucks.  So I will really enjoy this last season and wait to hear what the spinoff will entail and who will be set for that cast.  I know it’s already been announced that Mary McDonnell will headline the show as Captain Rayder but who else will be joining her from The Closer?   Also, the final six episodes of The Closer that will air next summer, will set up the spinoff’s 10 episodes that will launch immediately following the series finale of The Closer.

Are you guys ready to begin the final season?  Are you sad?  Are you ready to see it go?  Are you looking forward to Major Crimes with Captain Rayder as the main protagonist (although in her case she will more likely be the main antagonist!)

 

“The Closer” Promotes Mary McDonnell to Series Regular

So what does this mean exactly?  Many have speculated that with Kyra leaving the show, that McDonnell would take over as the lead.   Could this be a step in that direction?   My opinion is no.

The Closer is Brenda Leigh Johnson/Kyra Sedgwick.  You can’t have The Closer without the closer right?   McDonnell’s Captain Rayder, while a terrific character I like very much, has a completely different role in the LAPD.  She’s IA.  I’m not saying she can’t make the switch to Deputy Chief of Major Crimes but part of what made Brenda great, was this ability to get confessions no one else could.  Now all of sudden, Captain Rayder is going to do it?  I don’t think so.

The only way this works is if Rayder is now in charge of Major Crimes or maybe Pope takes over Major Crimes and she becomes a lead detective or second in command to Pope and they do a similar type of cop show with the same cast but it isn’t The Closer.  Either way, I’m glad I’ll get to see more of Mary McDonnell’s Captain Rayder on my screen because she is fantastic.  And the creative team will have plenty of time to figure out how they want this to go because Kyra’s version of The Closer, doesn’t wrap up until Summer of 2012.

 

The Closer Spinoff Talk Heats Up

The drama behind the drama, The Closer is becoming more interesting.  Since we last talked about the final season of the Closer, some more developments have taken place.  First, the 15 episode season has been extended to 21…yeah!!!!  Second, the reason for the extended episodes will not only give us more The Closer with Kyra and wrap up storylines, but will set up the new spinoff for the show.   Which leads to development three, the spinoff is happening.

Right now it doesn’t seem like there is any confirmation on who will be on the new spinoff, what it is about, or how much of the cast of the Closer will be joining the spinoff.  My guess would be, Flynn and Provenza are definitely part of the spinoff plan.  Much of the cast was interviewed about it at the SAG awards and many of them, such as Corey Reynolds (Sgt Gabriel) and Tony Denison (Flynn), talked about how much they would like to keep going in some capacity.

As I mentioned before, I am torn.  I love everyone in the cast.  They all have great chemistry and I would like to see them on my TV together again.  I just don’t know if it would be difficult to watch them and not think, where is Brenda?  They would need to get someone amazing that is nothing like Brenda and go a complete different route to make it work.  I don’t know if they can but I would be willing to give it a chance.  So I am cautiously optimistic about the idea of a The Closer spinoff.

How about you?   Do you like the idea or think the show should just end next season on a high note?

 

The Closer Not Closed After All?

The King of Scoop, Michael Ausiello is reporting that talks are in place to keep the Closer going even if Kyra Sedgwick steps down from her Emmy winning role of Brenda Leigh Johnson.

Sounds like there are a few ways the series could go.    They could add some more episodes to Season 7 (going from 15-21) or running the Closer without Kyra and possibly a new lead (some people have suggested Mary McDonnell’s Captain Rader) or possibly launching a spinoff with many of the current characters.  Either way, unless some miracle happens, Kyra Sedgwick will not be part of the Closer after Season 7, which producers have already announced will be her last.

I completely understand TNT wanting to do everything they can to keep the highest rated cable show on the air as long as they can.  I just don’t see how you have “The Closer” without Kyra Sedgwick.  You can’t have the Closer with Captain Rader.  She’s IA, that’s not her job.  Brenda was brought in to the LAPD from Atlanta (and the show was created) because she was the best cop around who could “close the deal” and get the confession when many other people couldn’t.  So now a cop from IA is going to be able to do just what she could?  I don’t think so.  It belittles the whole premise of the show and Brenda’s character.

Luckily, as much as Kyra/Brenda is the show, the other characters have become very beloved and are incredibly likable, that they can do a “spinoff” with the cast.  It would be tough to do the whole cast because you can call the show whatever you want…”Major Crimes” “The Crew” or whatever, but you will still see the show as the Closer without Brenda.  I would watch a spinoff of Provenza and Flynn.   And hopefully they would have Sgt Gabriel and Det Sanchez go with them.   Maybe Lt Tao.  However, if you are going to keep the whole cast, I could see a new cast member coming in as the chief of Major Crimes and keeping the Closer as is with a new lead.  I would like to see Captain Rader stay, because I love Mary McDonnell and her character but she couldn’t lead Major Crimes.  She would never get the team’s support because there is too much bad blood there.  They have to bring in someone new.  I just don’t know how that would fly because they would have HUGE shoes to fill.

I’m torn about how I feel about this.  Part of me is thrilled because I love this show.   But, I big reason why I love this show is Brenda and relationships with her division and her chemistry with the cast.  Will the Closer be the Closer without Brenda?  I don’t think so.  So the other part of me says, let the Closer go with Kyra leaving, and end the show while it is on top.   As for spinning off, I’m torn about that as well.  As much as I love Flynn and Provenza, I don’t know if I can watch a whole show with them as the leads.  I probably could because they are awesome but can they carry their own show?  I don’t know.   I’m still praying for a miracle and hope that they can somehow convince Kyra Sedgwick to keep going with the series, but that is highly unlikely.

So what do you think?  Are you happy to see the Closer possibly returning?  Would you watch the Closer without Brenda?  Would you watch a spinoff?  Sound off below!

 

Shocking News: The Closer is Closed after 2011 Seventh Season

This weekend I was going to catch up with some shows and I was going to a huge piece on The Closer.   Then I got hit with today’s rather stunning news that The Closer will end its run next year in 2011 with its 7th season.

Please click on the attached link to read the full story.  To me it sounds like Kyra Sedgwick (whom I love by the way) has decided to leave the series and I guess without Brenda Leigh Johnston, you have no series.  All I can say is WOW!!!   The Closer is the #1 show on cable TV.   It’s so rare to see a show this successful end during the peak of its run.

I wonder as this news settles and maybe Kyra does some more interviews, if it will come out why she decided to leave the series (if that is the reason why The Closer will be no more after next year.)  And I will reserve judgement until I hear more.

What are your thoughts on The Closer ending so suddenly and way too soon?

http://www.deadline.com/2010/12/tnts-the-closer-to-end-run-next-year/