The Closer: L.A.: Enquêtes prioritaires

An outstanding drama that dances on the edge of being a formula cop show and a soap opera. Brenda Lee Johnson is an outstanding interrogator with a background of being difficult to work with but achieving great results. However, her personal life is a mess. She is hired from Atlanta to head LAPD's Priority Crimes Unit for those high profile crimes that need a resolution and need it quickly. Tensions arise immediately. Her brusque style makes her own people want to transfer away, her boss is a former lover who dumped her and she manages to make many more enemies than friends. The crimes are formula enough that you can probably figure out whodunit before you get to the climax but it's the characters and relationships that sell the show and make it worth watching. Not only is Kyra Sedgwick giving the performance of her life in this series but she has a terrific supporting cast that gives the series heart. The ability of the writers to also give us some great comic lines keeps the show teetering at times from comedy to drama. The first season is already out on DVD. Watch it from the first episode to the last, in order, and you can see why this show has become the most watched show in basic cable history.

Dear TNT, I absolutely love Kyra Sedgwick. This part was made for her. I actually find myself laughing every time she ends her sentence with that little sarcastic "Thank You, thank ya-ll very much". She's adorable. It was great to see G.W Bailey cast as one of the cops. He is a terrific actor and is never given enough credit. He is very amusing as this character. I plan my Monday nights around THE CLOSER. I had recently seen an advertisement indicating that the series is only for the summer!!! Why would any network reel in an audience only to cut them off in September. This is a HIT series !!!!. Why is TNT not going forward with this fabulous show. And, most importantly, what am I going to do on Monday nights if this show ends.!!!! Please have someone re-consider keeping this show on the air. There are those of us out there who are educated and appreciate good TV: CSI, NYPD, Law and Order and THE CLOSER!!! We are sick of these mindless reality series, only made for idiots. Sincerely, Chris Lindsay R.N.C. in Poughkeepsie, NY

The only problem I've ever had with The Closer is the whole concept of a Priority Homicide Squad. Just what constitutes a priority homicide, as distinct from your garden variety one? The answer as the LAPD brutally admits is one that has or is guaranteed to give them bad publicity if it don't get solved.

So on that basis Chief J.K. Simmons formerly Doctor Emil Skoda on Law and Order forms a Priority Homicide Squad with some of the best detectives the LAPD has. But in heading it, Simmons reaches out of the department all the way to Atlanta for Deputy Chief Brenda Lee Johnson as beautifully played by Kyra Sedgwick.

The fact the two of them were once romantically involved is of secondary importance. Simmons is not a guy to mix pleasure and business. Her big asset on the job is an incredibly disarming manner and innate ability to read people that makes them fess up. That whole southern mush mouth drawl also grates on the sophisticated ears of some of LAPD's finest. But Brenda gets results.

We also see her as a fully developed character with a home life and a romantic life, that revolves around a current relationship with an FBI agent played by Jon Tenney. But there are days she goes home to nothing more than her cat which makes her good people in my book.

And the staff has its conflicts. Right now Gina Ravera and Corey Reynolds are going through a breakup that's not good for staff morale. But there is an old adage about not performing bodily functions where you consume edibles. Anthony John Dennison once her biggest detractor has now come around. Michael Paul Chan and Raymond Cruz have always been loyal to her. But my favorite is G.W. Bailey who used to be Sergeant Rizzo on MASH who always has something interesting to say.

The Closer ends almost as frequently as Perry Mason with Brenda Lee breaking down her suspect. The writing in these scenes is some of the best currently on series television. In fact The Closer is the TNT network's best show second to none.

Sure, this could fall into the category with the other Law and Orders and CSI's but something about this show really stands out probably because its aired on TNT and you'd expect there to be some cheesy movie of the week quality about it. Like Law and Order the show puts more focus on the cases themselves rather than the personal lives of the characters, but The Closer opens the door a little more. Kyra is really what draws in people to this show, it's something about her character's charm despite the fact the character is from the often ridiculed south. The writers were also keen to make Brenda Johnson a real person, not some super-hero who always wins and always knows the every move of the bad guy; sometimes Brenda makes mistakes and pays for them and sometimes she is insecure about her looks or being freshly relocated to the big city of Los Angelos. The show just started this summer and I wish it the best of luck, I hope it can become as acclaimed as all the other crime dramas we've got on the airwaves today

The crime aspect of this show is pretty good, but not extraordinary. This should NOT be the reason to watch the show. If you're looking for that, look somewhere else.

Watch the show for the charming character portrayed by Kyra Sedgewick, who looks like she's in over her head and a mess, but never really is. You won't like her much at first, then she'll start to grow on you and you can't wait for the next episodes. Watch it for the old Lt. Provenza, who you probably wouldn't mind punching in the face ... then episodes later, he's one of your favorite characters on the show. The characters is what makes this show good, and the crimes only further bring out their own .. uh .. character. The script dialog is also very witty. And the acting is very, very good.

If that's what you're looking for, then great. If you're looking for CSI, watch CSI. :)