Summer Catch Up: The Closer

 

I refuse to let August be nothing more than a prelude to fall, which is a prelude to that bad season which I wont even name. August is still bona fide summer and there’s proof in the continuing presence my favorite shows- like The Closer. Here’s a look at what’s been going on so far this summer:

On The Closer,  Brenda Lee Johnson is still kicking criminal tail and taking  confessions. And her crew, somewhat insane still, is right behind her.

In notable character news, Sanchez nearly went off the deep end (again) when he decided the son of a serial killer was better off in the care of Sanchez than the boy’s MIA mom. Provenza and the rest of the squad - with an assist from Fritz - set him straight and found the mom. Wisely, Brenda said her piece (when she said the squad was no place for a kid, Sanchez countered “Seemed to work for your niece”  - Nice Provenza moment sticking up for Brenda and nice writers moment admitting theyd already gone to this well before….) but then stayed out of it lest she have to take some official position. The story remains open as Sanchez is now trying to bond with the kid’s mom.

The other big ongoing story is Pope wants to be Chief of Police. He’s doing all he can to assure he gets the position, including bragging on the new police fancy complex that has had Brenda befuddled (and Taylor without an office for a while.. Taylor has had some good moments this season….).  However, Rader came back for an episode and was grilling Brenda, secretly vetting her to run as the “female” applicant. Brenda at first didnt want it- but between Fritz pushing the pros (like having some emotional distance from cases) and Pope acting like the heir apparent, Brenda’s looking like more of a “go.” 

 However, could anyone really see Brenda Lee Johnson happy out of the field and doing politics? I know why Frtiz would feel more at ease, but he has to know that isnt her thing.  What if Pope doesn’t get it? Could we get a new character? I had a thought: what if  Taylor get chiefs as a surprise candidate- since he’s been given the short end of the stick by the higher ups lately? That would be a funny surprise. Though how could it really be a surprise since he’d have to be vetted, too?

One of the cooler angles on this storyline was when Fritz suggested Brenda - if promoted - could promote one of her lieutenants to her job. She spent the rest of the episode with this in mind: Flynn was too brusque with witnesses, Provenza too eager to take the easy way out, Tau screwed up by covering for Sanchez - and also by being Tau, who’s such a supernerd - and Gabriel - the clear choice - just doesnt have “the rank” yet. It was just an interesting assesment.

Elsewhere, as they do at least once a season, Provenza and Flynn got into a jam off the job trying to pick up some stewardess - who played them both and were involved in some drug deals. Amusing.

One tiny issue I’d take with this season is that in the four episodes I’ve seen, two of them have had murderers who were pretty easy to detect. Of course, it’s less about the whodunit and more about the how and “when will they confess”  - but, it’s not Monk, either, where it’s fine to know who did it up front. Also, how can a woman who eats so much junk be as thin as Kyra Sedgwick? That’s the true mystery.

So far, though, it’s been a good summer for Brenda and the squad.