| The Closer | |
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| Format | Crime Drama |
| Created by | James Duff Michael M. Robin Greer Shephard |
| Starring | Kyra Sedgwick J. K. Simmons Corey Reynolds Robert Gossett G. W. Bailey Tony Denison Michael Paul Chan Raymond Cruz Phillip P. Keene Jon Tenney Gina Ravera |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 73 (List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 42-60 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | TNT |
| Original run | June 13, 2005 – present |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
The Closer is an American crime drama, starring Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Georgia police detective who arrives in Los Angeles to lead the Priority Murder Squad, later renamed Priority Homicide Division and currently called Major Crimes Division1, a team that originally (seasons 1-4) dealt with high profile murder cases.
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, ran in two parts, with a ten-week summer season and a five-week winter season.[1] The 15-episode fifth season began on June 8, 2009.[2] The series has been renewed for a sixth season of 15 episodes.[3]
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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 LAPD's fictional Major Crimes Division. 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 husband Fritz Howard (Jon Tenney). The remainder of the cast makes up Brenda's squad each with expertise in a specific area such as crime scene investigation or gang activity. The first departure from the cast occurred in Season Five when actress Gina Ravera (Irene Daniels) left and her character was transferred to another division in the LAPD.
The main cast, in credits order as of the beginning of the fifth season, is as follows:[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 | Louie 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 |
| 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 (Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2), then Priority Homicide Division (Season 1, Ep. 3 through Season 4, Episode 9). The Division's official name was changed to Major Crimes Division (MCD) during Season 4 Episode 9 in response to the storyline's media misinterpretation of the use of the word "Priority", specifically by the character Ricardo Ramos, and the team first operated as the MCD in the following episode. The Division's brief was also changed enlarging its scope to a wider range of major crimes including grand theft, fraud, rape and homicide. Commander Taylor's role was also changed with him reporting directly to Deputy Chief Johnson as he coordinates interaction between the MCD and other units. [5]
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.[citation needed]
Writers Guild of America Awards
Viewer numbers (based on average total viewers per episode) of The Closer on TNT. The Closer was seen by more than 7 million viewers on its debut according to Nielsen Media Research and was the top-rated premiere episode ever of any original scripted series on basic cable. The second season premiere broke the previous record as it drew nearly 8.28 million viewers— and is the biggest audience of all time for a scripted series premiere on cable.
| Season | Season Premiere | Season Finale | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Viewers Total (in millions) |
Viewers Households (in millions) |
Date | Viewers Total (in millions) |
Viewers Households (in millions) |
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| 1 | June 13, 2005 | 7.03[6] | 5.26[6] | September 5, 2005 | 6.39[7] | 4.61[7] |
| 2 | June 12, 2006 | 8.28[8] | 6.04[8] | September 4, 20061 | 7.60[9] | 5.45[9] |
| 3 | June 18, 2007 | 8.81[10] | 6.38[10] | September 10, 20071 | 9.21[11] | 6.84[11] |
| 4 | July 14, 2008 | 7.81[12] | 5.91[12] | September 15, 20081 | 7.63[13] | 5.00[13] |
| 5 | June 8, 2009 | 7.14[14] | 5.35[14] | August 24, 20091 | 7.40[15] | 5.50[15] |
1 Summer finales. Seasons Two and Three both aired two additional episodes in December. Season Four was divided into ten summer and five winter episodes as a result of the WGA strike, while Season Five had twelve summer and three winter episodes.
At the end of Season Three, The Closer became 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. [16] 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. [17]
Warner Home Video has released the first four seasons of The Closer on DVD in Region 1.
| Season | Episodes | Original Airdate | DVD Release Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | Summer, 2005 | May 23, 2006 | |
| 2 | 15 | Summer/December, 2006 | May 29, 2007 | |
| 3 | 15 | Summer/December, 2007 | July 1, 2008 | |
| 4 | 15 | Summer 2008/January 2009 | May 26, 2009 | |
| 5 | 15 | Summer/December, 2009 | June 29, 2010 | |
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The Closer (2005-) is an American television series, airing on TNT, about a police detective who transfers from Atlanta to Los Angeles to head up a special unit of the LAPD that handles sensitive, high-profile murder cases. Despite a tendency to step on people's toes, she manages to convert even her strongest adversaries with her unique ability to get to the truth.
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