TVSquad

(S05E05) Sometimes you'll see an episode of a show and everything is going along as you expect, you're entertained and intrigued, the actors and writers and producers and director have done their job well. For most of this episode, that was the case. If only that were true about the last five minutes.

There is no sense in gang violence, even as it was presented in this show. But the random, out of the blue quality made the ending even more senseless.

When Father Jack -- he of the heavy Boston accent that made me think of the Kennedys -- tried to suggest that there was meaning in Reggie's death struck me as anti-The Closer writing. It wasn't the show's style and the actions of the detectives were sappier than anything I can recall seeing on the series. I didn't buy it.

But that came at the finish. Before that, Brenda and company were in the zone. That was especially true in Brenda's confrontation with the two gang bangers who attempted to steal the Cadillac. With that sweet, soft Southern drawl, she completely snowed the wise guys into signing up for a murder rap. It didn't matter that they didn't pull the trigger; they were part of the crime and would pay as much as the shooter.

Mr. Blake, the man who shot the gun, was a victim nearly as much as the man who died, Reggie. The irony of the case was tragic because Reggie's death was completely random. A stray shot from two blocks away, a bullet that was meant to frighten car thieves, hit Reggie in the back of the head and killed him. As the coroner pointed out when he examined the wound, if a marksman had aimed the pistol at him from that distance, it would have taken a miracle to land where it did on purpose. Talk about dumb luck. The cry from Mr. Blake when he was informed that his stray shot killed a man was harrowing. Brenda looked shaken as if she never expected that reaction.

Fritzie brought up having a baby. He didn't actually say that Brenda would give birth, but clearly he's interested in a family. Maybe it was natural that in the wake of losing Kitty and feeling the void, he would bring up the subject again. But Brenda's fear of committing to a family was clear. I don't think Fritz is going to give up without a fight, though. And Brenda did listen to him and use his advice, albeit in a different way.

There were two instances in which that happened. Brenda actually took advice that she initially rejected. First, Gabriel's suggestion that they meet with the community members face to face, and second to expect something better to happen instead of something worse which were Fritzie's words. Could it be that Brenda Leigh is evolving? Perhaps that's what the ending was implying, although I'm as cynical as Flynn about seeing real change.

Good episode for Sanchez because it was gang-related, his specialty. There were two great bits for him, when he went after Santos and Cruz for disrespecting Brenda was one. The other was repeated a couple of times, when he hurried through the church, busy to do police work, but took a turn at the altar to genuflect and kneel.

Finally, let's hear it for Buzz, using his ingenuity to get a grant of $70,000 for new equipment. Tao was like a kid with a new toy when he showed off the multiple angles and the wireless hook up, annoying the heck out of Provenza. By the way, are those group scenes in the monitoring room now are a thing of the past?