
(S04E09) It would appear that summer really is coming to an end. The Closer will wrap up its run next week with the big, explosive, finale. And with the end of the season in sight, "Tijuana Brass" started wrapping up the major ongoing story. The infamous Ramos article was finally published, and the the effects were many and varied. It couldn't have come at a worse time either, as Priority Homicide found themselves in the middle of a very delicate case.
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The Closer: Tijuana Brass
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The Closer: Sudden Death

(S04E07) The Closer continues to get some great mileage out of the supporting cast in season four. With episodes featuring Flynn and Provenza already in the books, this week Sanchez steps to the front of the stage. The resulting story was quite a bit darker than what we saw with "Dial M For Provenza." As Sanchez dealt with the murder of his younger brother, we got to take a closer look at him than the usual episode provides.
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The Closer: Dial M For Provenza

(S04E05) This was probably the most anticipated episode of The Closer ever, for me. I mentioned the episode in the early look at the season, and the idea of Provenza stepping into the spotlight and working undercover seemed like a can't miss. Add to that the dramatic conclusion to last week's "Live Wire" and we really seemed to have the makings of a great episode on our hands. Unfortunately, it didn't really work out that way. "Dial M For Provenza" certainly had it's moments, but overall, I'd call it hit and miss. I'll explain, after the jump..
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The Closer: Live Wire
"You didn't do it for the justice system. You did it to close your case." (S04E04) Nobody would ever doubt that Chief Brenda Johnson is a smart woman, but how smart was it of her to use Fritz the way she did? That's the question I came away with after seeing this episode. Is closing a case so important for the closer that she'd mess up her personal relationship?
Fritz was rightfully incensed by Brenda's tactics, and yet I could see it from her point of view, too. I guess that's why The Closer remains such a good drama -- the conflicts are real and there are no easy answers.
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The Closer: Cherry Bomb

(S04E03) "You cannot trust the police. They lie about everything." - Brenda
I think TNT over sold this episode in the preview. If you tuned in a few minutes early you would have heard their tag, "The only thing more surprising than the crime is the twist at the end." Honestly, I didn't think there was much of a twist at the end. I'll save any spoilers for after the jump, but the groundwork for the ending was laid out pretty clearly early on. That's not to say it was a bad episode though, because there was a lot to really enjoy here.
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The Closer: Controlled Burn (season premiere)

(S04E01) "Hello, just plain Brenda." - Bill Croelick
Isn't it nice to have Brenda back on our televisions? It's like catching up with an old friend. Or, old friends, as the case may be. And what a way to come back. Multiple homicides, an entire park for a crime scene, the return of an old foe, and more shenanigans on the home front. Brenda's plate is very full as we jump into season four, and that's a good thing.
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The Closer season four -- An early look
For fans of The Closer, the wait is almost over. Season four finally kicks off next week, knocking off the third of the five shows that I have anxiously been waiting for. Burn Notice and Stargate Atlantis premiered this week. The Closer and Psych go live next week. And Eureka returns at the end of the month. It's going to be a great summer for television.
The fine folks over at TNT were nice enough to send along a press kit, so I've just finished watching the premiere and reading up on a few of the things they have planned for the new season. Last year we spent a lot of time on family as Brenda (Kyra Sedgwick) and Fritz (Jon Tenney) moved forward with their engagement. That, of course, involved finally revealing the engagement to Brenda's parents (Frances Sternhagen, Barry Corbin). And we followed along as the two of them began to search for a new house. Season four picks up from there. After the jump, a look at the premiere and a few things coming this season. Possibly a couple very minor spoilers, but no big plot points.
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The Closer: Next of Kin
(S03E14) I'm sorry to say that I didn't like this "special" episode. It was a little too cheesy, over-the-top, and far-fetched. Yes, yes, it was great to see the cast during this time of the year since The Closer only airs during the summer. It felt comforting to reunite with Brenda, Fritz and Lts. Flynn and Provenza... but the story wasn't really worth it. The whole thing didn't suck, but I did feel let down by the episode.Continue reading The Closer: Next of Kin
The Closer: Lover's Leap
(S03E11) This episode was chock full of stuff, wasn't it? I'm trying to figure out which story lines set us up for more issues down the road and I think there are several. But first, let's talk about Brenda Leigh. I was really feeling her pain during this episode. She just had abdominal surgery to reverse her Early Onset Menopause and she was obviously very uncomfortable. The woman should've been in bed, but we know she doesn't relax very well. And she wasn't even hiding her discomfort, which is a bit unusual for her. Also, I loved her near-breakdown when Fritz wouldn't help and she almost started crying about the fact that she couldn't eat chocolate anymore. That's a great personal issue that will no doubt bring on some comedy in the future.Continue reading The Closer: Lover's Leap
The Closer: Culture Shock
(S03E10) You know what I like about this show? I like that, when each episode opens, the crime has already happened. With CSI and Law & Order, the crime usually happens at the opening of the episode. But we get absolutely no context from The Closer, but I enjoy that.Okay, so this wasn't my favorite episode this season. In fact, I'd say it was my least favorite. It didn't suck--not by any means--but I just didn't find it all that intriguing. I think the case just was too simple. Even though Brenda and the detectives interviewed a handful of people, it didn't really seem to take any twists or turns. And, the presence of Brenda's parents derailed the case for me (as it did for her).
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The Closer: Blindsided
(S03E09) Another great episode of The Closer! The writers of this show are really knocking it out of the park this season. Did anybody notice in the opening credits that Kevin Bacon directed this episode? I giggled when we saw Brenda nude in the shower (through the frosted glass) because that seemed like a Bacon touch there... show off his hot wife.Once again, the writers were able to magically mix humor with emotion. And the emotions in this episode were very highly charged, yet the humor fit right in. I am continuously impressed by the show- by the way the story lines and subplots are balanced so perfectly. The writers have become experts at knowing when humor is appropriate and when it isn't.
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The Closer renewed for a fourth season
Kick-ass ratings and another Emmy nomination for Kyra Sedgwick have led TNT to renew The Closer for a fourth season. The police procedural is currently in the middle of its third season and is enjoying huge ratings for a cable series. Last week, it ranked #1 in cable Nielsens with more than 7 million viewers. Overall ratings for The Closer are up 15 percent over last summer.I review The Closer for TV Squad, and I have to say that this is a spectacular season so far. The investigations are more thrilling and the characters--especially Dep. Chief Brenda Johnson--are getting more complicated, and therefore more interesting. If you haven't been keeping up, you can watch the latest episode on TNT's website or the entire season on iTunes.
The Closer: Four to Eight
(S03E07) Those evil, evil writers over at The Closer kept us hanging on for one more week about what on earth is wrong with Brenda. While it was frustrating that we didn't get an answer, it was also very well done. I thought the fact that Brenda went to see her doctor but didn't ask any questions about what could be wrong was very within her quirky character. She didn't want to know all the possibilities... just the facts. Now I'm strongly suspecting she's at the beginning of menopause. I just don't think her symptoms are of pregnancy.Continue reading The Closer: Four to Eight
The Closer: Dumb Luck
(S03E06) So... what's wrong with Brenda? She's getting fevers, she's highly emotional and weepy, and she feels like she has a cold. It seemed like the writers were hinting to us that she's pregnant because of her weepiness, irritability and her apparent craving for mashed potatoes. But, what about the fevers? I went on to WebMD to try and figure it out and I'm stumped.Continue reading The Closer: Dumb Luck
The Closer: Ruby
(S03E04) Wow. Just... wow. I had to keep reminding myself to breathe during this episode. I held my breath as Brenda and the Priority Homicide team looked for a kidnapper. And then I held it as Brenda, and then Sgt. Gabriel, interviewed the creepiest sex offender ever shown on television. And then again, as they found the kidnapped 8-year old they were looking for. Let's just say my brain didn't get a whole lot of oxygen tonight.And let's talk about that sex offender for a second. Was he scary or what? I am going to have nightmares about that guy tonight. I kept muttering, "Oh my God" to myself as the guy said, "You see, everyone pretends kids don't want to have sex. But they do."
*Shiver*














