I watched The Closer last night, and usually I like the show. However, last night’s show left me with a distinctly nasty taste in my mouth, particularly the end. I’d be interested to see if anyone else thought the premise of the July 10 episode, especially the end, made anyone else feel a little dirty. (Dirty, as in “Shit, this is not what I expected this character to do–it seem very unethical”, not dirty as in “Oh, what a hot babe!”)
Dirty? No, but I thought it was highly improbable that
Brenda would act to cover up such an act of gross negligence by those two officers. Admittedly, she was doing it to protect the unit as a whole, but the risk seemed too great given her prickly relationship with the older of the two lieutenants–the one who was in the Police Academy movies, whose name I am currently blanking on.
But the whole episode was meant as a comedy, anyway, and like many comedies falls apart plot-wise if you examine it too closely.
I thought it was a hilarious episode that took full advantage of the unit’s tenuous dynamics. I think we’ve also reached the point in the series where it’s credible that she feels she’s staked enough turf for herself, and established enough credibility in the department, that she would become fiercly territorial and defensive about her group. Because she was already knee-deep before she walked in the door, she thought she had a better shot of salvaging the situation, with some unit coordination, than owning up early on and losing everything she’s worked so hard for up to this point. I thought it was great giving the spotlight to G.W. Bailey & Tony Denison (the latter of whom I’ve been a fan since Michael Mann’s Crime Story) and found the episode very entertaining.
Here’s hoping Kyra wins the Emmy this fall. 
But would she have lost everything (in the sense of losing of command) had she owned in the first place? If she had simply told the chief that she had authorized no such thing when he first asked her, the two lieutenants – whom she did not hire and whom she has had difficulties with in the past – would have been the ones to get toasted, and I don’t believe anyone would have blamed her.
Okay, I hit submit earlier than I meant to.
I agree that she was doing it because she was feeling territorial and defensive of her turf. As furious as she was at the two lieutenants, I think she felt that, as idiotic as their actions were, they were nevertheless HER idiots to take care of. Also, being the devious little bitch* that she is, she saw that if she was able to pull this off, she would either pull the unit together to a greater degree than she’d ever imagined (because even the members of the unit she wasn’t directly protecting would be impressed by her loyalty), or she’d be able to quietly move the troublesome members off without a fuss because they owed her such a major favor. Brenda’s enough of a gambler (and confident enough in her own talents) that she’d be willing to risk it.
(Please note that I’m using bitch as a compliment.)
This made no sense:If the dude knew she was smuggling heroin when she got off the plane why wouldn’t he just turn her over to the man right at the airport. It’s not like there aren’t a ton of police, customs, DHS, etc. there. Instead he puts her into his car and then drives to the police.
:
He first intended to talk her out of pursuing the adoption, then (in his words) she went nuts and then he killed her… AFAIK, he used the drugs as a way to get her to his car (not cause a scene)… he couldn’t care less what she was doing as long as she left the kid out of it…
She wouldn’t have lost command, but she would have lost those two detectives and the comradere she’s built up… What I like is how she kept playing off of Pope’s questions…
I enjoyed the episodes, We watch all of them…
I’m with you there. She’s the best interrogator north, south, east, and west of the Pacos, after all, and she proved it by so effortlessly manipulating him into telling her what she wanted to know. It reminded me of an early Trek episode in which the new navigator tries to outwit Spock and gets chopped to bits effortlessly. Sulu then whispers to him, “Never chop brains with Spock.” Likewise, do not try to outthink Brenda.I
I’m late to The Closer, but I must say, my daughter and I love her. I too, was wondering if there might be some later fallout because of the blackmail imposed upon Flynn and Provenza, and her part in covering up their horrid actions.
But, they’re her team, and she will deal with them, not anyone else.
“I am so close to the FBI I am practically in bed with them.” Hee hee hee.
That Gosset guy, the one she respects the most…any relationship to Lou Gosset Jr? Son, perhaps? (Of to IMDB…)
The most chilling episode was the one I caught in a marathon…a rich kid escaped to Mexico with the help of his parents to elude a child murder rap. Mexico wouldn’t extradite unless she took the death penalty off the table, which Brenda wasn’t willing to do. After threatening to charge his parents, then freeze his parents’ assets to no avail, Brenda got the kid to confess…in front of the Mexican police. Then she told him…fine, stay in Mexico, as the Mexican police arrest him for killing one of their citizens…
Love her!
Thanks, IMBDB…Robert Gosset and Lou Gosset Junior are first cousins.
I guess what bothered me about the episode was that she’s been so careful to be punctilious and ethical, that to cover this up seemed out of character.
It didn’t bother so much that I didn’t enjoy her manuvering, but it did seem out of character.
I love how the show turns the southerner-in-the-big-city stereotype on its head.