The Closer

[Bev Vincent]

I wish they'd dump the subplot about the kid in her protective custody. That's just a huge distraction, in my opinion.

[jhanic]

I agree. Unless the search for his mother turns into something worthwhile.

John

[Bev Vincent]

True. It better be really worthwhile because both characters are annoying, and putting them in the same room together is like annoying-squared.

It could just be the Provenza/Flynn hour and I'd be happy with that.

[jhanic]

Regarding last night's episode of Major Crimes. It was a bit better, but I'm still not sold on Capt. Rader. I did notice that she is dressing more feminine now, perhaps in a bid to make her more likeable. I called the ending way before the end of the show, though. I'm having a real problem with the kid's becoming more "civilized" so quickly, too.

John

[Bev Vincent]

The kid talks like someone who has a college degree, not like an abandoned street kid. He's way too "couth," given his circumstances. I was silently hoping he'd be gone for at least an episode..

I do see parallels with the first season of The Closer, where they slowly, almost begrudgingly come around to accept her as their leader. Even Provenza, who was so bent out of shape.

[jhanic]

While watching a Closer rerun today, I discovered we've been spelling Rayder's name incorrectly! It's got the "y" in it!

John

[Bev Vincent]

It's "Raydor"

[jhanic]

Thanks!

John

[Bev Vincent]

I homed in on the culprit this week early on, for an odd reason.

Spoiler:

They drew attention to him when he coughed a couple of times. I thought that was going to mean something, but it didn't really. Even his mother's treatment of him didn't have much to do with his motives.

I wasn't a big fan of having Tao

Spoiler:

forget something significant. That's a vastly overused trope, in my opinion. In too many books, people see something that nags at them that should be significant and they spend most of the book trying to figure out what that was. I don't think that happens in real life. It's a way of artificially creating suspense.

It was fun seeing Michael Weatherly from NCIS as a guest star. I've never seen him in anything else. His character wasn't exactly a stretch from Tony DiNozzo. I thought it was funny that they kept referring to him as "that prick" and they go around the censors by having his character name be "Thorn." I wonder if his appearing on another show is part of a contract negotiation gambit.

I also noted that the guy who plays Fritz was billed as a "Special Guest Star" this week instead of a regular cast member.

Blooper alert: The FBI doesn't have anything to do with Witness Protection -- that's the pervue of the U.S. Marshals.

[jhanic]

I thought Weatherly was okay. I really had trouble separating him from his character on NCIS, though. The wise-ass comments were just too similar.

I didn't notice the "Special Guest Star" for Fritz. I wonder if they're writing him out of the series.

Good catch on the blooper--it passed right by me.

I'm not sure if I'll continue to watch the series after the next few episodes. I'm having some real trouble getting into it. I'll give it a fighting chance, but...

John

[Bev Vincent]

If there were anything else on Monday night at the same time, I'd probably give it a miss, too. Still, it'd be hard to give up Provenza and Flynn.

[jhanic]

That's so true! I would miss them.

John

[Bev Vincent]

I have to say that this week's episode didn't make much of an impression.

[jhanic]

I agree completely. The characters in the squad just didn't seem to be the same ones I remember from The Closer. And the plot wasn't that great either.

Spoiler:

(When Sanchez opened fire on that trailer when he knew the girl was in there just wasn't right.)

John

[Bev Vincent]

I sorta agree with that.

Spoiler:

The IR scan told him she was prostrate so he could fire high, but it was a huge risk. I like it that everyone knows Sanchez can be a mad dog when they need to scare someone. I guess that's what got him the part of Tuco on Breaking Bad!

[jhanic]

I've continued watching Major Crimes and, although most of the characters don't seem to act the same as they did in The Closer (where, oh where is Flynn's sarcasm?) the basic plots seem okay. I just wish they'd get rid of that sub-plot involving the kid! Who cares about that?

John

[Bev Vincent]

I've been keeping up -- haven't seen this week's yet -- and I agree on all points.

[Bev Vincent]

The season's at an end. Overall, I'd have to say I found it kind of lackluster. The subplot about Rusty definitely detracted from my overall enjoyment. And what's with having the show end with unidentifiable people two weeks in a row? The college prof last week and the assassin this week. I hope they spend some time regrouping before the show returns next summer. It has potential, but I don't think they've found it yet.

[jhanic]

I couldn't have said it better myself, Bev. I really didn't like the change in the characters' behaviors from what they did in The Closer, either. I long for the "old days" of Flynn and Provenza.

John