Word on ‘The Closer’ was that it was an absolutely kick-ass show. So, obviously I was anxious to get my hands on Season 1.

The pilot did get off to a very interesting start, with the arrival of newly appointed - by Asst Chief of Police Will Pope (J. K. Simmons) - Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) to LAPD’s priority homicide division. She is given a cold welcome by her team because an outsider has been favoured over the veteran Capt. Taylor (Robert Gossett). The whole team even turn in their resignations to drive home their point. The resignations are rejected, and gradually things do turn around as Brenda proves her efficiency in cracking cases with her remarkable interrogation techniques and strategies. The character of Brenda has been alloted some quirks to make her stand out, like her weakness for sweets, untidy habits, a polite disposition and a very messy personal life.

Nothing can go wrong, right? Given the ratings, ‘The Closer’ seems to have hit a homerun. But I simply couldn’t warm up to it.

  • Reason one - Kyra Sedgwick. She tries too hard at her character, and it shows. What is supposed to be natural comes out obvious.
  • The wastage of seasoned character actors by the buckets. For an entertaining show, you need to have at least a couple of side characters with interesting bents to them. There is G.W. Bailey (this guy alone is capable of chewing scenery by the mouthful if given the opportunity), J.K. Simmons, Michael Paul Chan & Raymond Cruz, all TV & film veterans, who are simply acting as props.
  • The pilot brings an interesting case that keeps us glued to the going-ons, but the subsequent episodes are cases where the murderer’s identity & motivation can be sniffed out a mile away.
  • Touted as a comedy/drama/thriller, the comic elements, though well done, are in short supply.
  • Brenda’s romantic relationship with FBI agent Fritz (Jon Tenney) is devoid of any chemistry, and feels like a motion-sickness about to hit paydirt.

The Tagline for this series is: “They’ll bring you in. She’ll make you talk” - nobody said anything about the narcoleptic effects!

Season: One

Episodes: 13

Cast: Kyra Sedgwick, J.K. Simmons, Corey Reynolds, Robert Gossett, Jon Tenney et al.