The Closer

The Closer is an American television police drama series. The show, which focuses upon the character of Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick), is shown on TNT (Turner Network Television). Since its inception, the show has chronicled the cases of Johnson, who comes from Atlanta to Los Angeles to head up a special unit of the LAPD that handles sensitive, high-profile murder cases (Priority Homicide Division). At the end of summer season 4, the squad was retasked to handle a range of crimes including fraud and kidnapping, and renamed the Major Crimes Division.

The Closer was created by James Duff and the Shephard/Robin Company in association with Warner Bros. Television. The 15-episode fourth season premiered July 14, 2008, and unlike previous seasons, will run in two parts, with a ten-week summer season and a five-week winter season, to begin in January, 2009.

Characters

The main cast is led by Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, and consists largely of an ensemble of detectives who make up the Major Crimes Division¹. Other main characters include Johnson's superior officer, Assistant Chief Will Pope (J.K. Simmons), Robbery-Homicide Commander Russell Taylor (Robert Gossett) and her FBI Agent fiancé Fritz Howard (Jon Tenney).

Main cast, in credits order is as follows, as of the beginning of Season 4.

Actor	Character	Rank	Unit
Kyra Sedgwick	Brenda Leigh Johnson	Deputy Chief	Major Crimes Division¹
J. K. Simmons	Will Pope	Assistant Chief	Los Angeles Police Department
Corey Reynolds	David Gabriel	Detective Sergeant	Major Crimes Division
Robert Gossett	Russell Taylor	Commander	Robbery-Homicide Division
G. W. Bailey	Provenza	Detective Lieutenant	Major Crimes Division
Tony Denison	Andy Flynn	Detective Lieutenant	Major Crimes Division
Michael Paul Chan	Michael Tao	Detective Lieutenant	Major Crimes Division
Raymond Cruz	Julio Sanchez	Detective	Major Crimes Division
Gina Ravera	Irene Daniels	Detective	Major Crimes Division
Phillip P. Keene	Buzz Watson	Civilian Surveillance Coordinator	Major Crimes Division
Jon Tenney	Fritz Howard	Special Agent	Federal Bureau of Investigation

¹ Previously known as Priority Murder Squad (Series 1, Episodes 1 & 2), then Priority Homicide Division (Series 1, Ep. 3 through Series 4, Episode 9). The Division's official name was changed during Series 4, Episode 9, in response to media interpretation of the use of "Priority", and the team first operated as the MCD in the following episode. Along with the change of name, the Division's brief was changed to enlarge its scope. Commander Taylor now coordinates interaction between the MCD and other units, reporting directly to Deputy Chief Johnson.

Episodes

Each episode of "The Closer" deals with an aspect of the Los Angeles culture as it interfaces with law enforcement in the mega-city. The show deals with complex and subtle issues of public policy ethics, personal integrity, and profound questions of good and evil. The rather large character ensemble explores the human condition, touching on individual faiths, traditional religious influences in the lives and communities of contemporary society, and the breakdown and dysfunction of family systems, work teaming, and government responsibility.

Episode notes

In the episode Saving Face (3.3) actor Robert Picardo plays the role of a funeral home director. In a comedic moment, he explains to Brenda that his position title is "The Closer", since he is the person to close the casket.

Awards and nominations

Screen Actors Guild Awards

2006 nomination for outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series (Kyra Sedgwick)
2006 nomination for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series (Regular Cast)
2007 nomination for outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series (Kyra Sedgwick)
2008 nomination for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series (Regular Cast)
2008 nomination for outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series (Kyra Sedgwick)

Golden Globe Awards

2006 nomination for best performance by an actress in a TV series: drama (Kyra Sedgwick)
2007 award for best performance by an actress in a TV series: drama (Kyra Sedgwick)
2008 nomination for best performance by an actress in a TV series: drama (Kyra Sedgwick)

Primetime Emmy Awards

2006 nomination for outstanding lead actress in a drama series (Kyra Sedgwick)
2007 nomination for outstanding lead actress in a drama series (Kyra Sedgwick)
2008 nomination for outstanding lead actress in a drama series (Kyra Sedgwick)

Satellite Awards

2005 award for best actress - TV series drama (Kyra Sedgwick)
2006 award for best actress - TV series drama (Kyra Sedgwick)

Gracie Allen Awards

2006 award for outstanding female lead in a drama series (Kyra Sedgwick)

Imagen Foundation Awards

2006 award for best supporting actor (Raymond Cruz)

U.S. television ratings

Viewer numbers (based on average total viewers per episode) of The Closer on TNT.

Season	Season Premiere			Season Finale
Season	Date	Viewers Total (in millions)	Viewers Households (in millions)	Date	Viewers Total (in millions)	Viewers Households (in millions)
1	June 13, 2005	7.03	5.26	September 5, 2005	6.39	4.61
2	June 12, 2006	8.28	6.04	September 4, 2006	7.60	5.45
3	June 18, 2007	8.81	6.38	September 10, 2007	9.21	6.84
4	July 14, 2008	7.81	5.91	September 15, 2008¹	7.63

¹ Summer Finale. Season Four was divided into 10 summer and 5 winter episodes as a result of the WGA Strike.

As of the end of Season Three, The Closer is ad-supported cable's most-viewed scripted series of all time, ending the season with a Live + Same Day audience of 9.21 million viewers in 6.84 million households. The third season finale holds the record for the largest Live + 7 Day audience for a single episode of an ad-supported cable series with 9.55 million viewers in 6.88 million households. Live + 7 Day (DVR) data for the season reflects 30 - 40% audience growth in three key age-based demographic groups. Season Four's premiere slipped slightly from the Season Three opening, with Live + Same Day ratings showing a 3% decline in audience from the previous year's opener.