'The Closer' Returns for its Third Season

By LillyKat
PTR Staff Writer

The Los Angeles Police Department’s favorite Deputy Chief is back.

The Closer kicked off its third season this week on TNT with a season premiere episode titled “Homewrecker.” Fans of Cold Case might have thought they were watching some sort of sequel-do-over to CC's season ending “Stalker” episode, whereby the premise of that case revolved around an entire family that was found slain in their own home save for one lone survivor – the daughter.

Ironically, “Homewrecker” started out on the same note – the Wallace family slain in their own home save for one lone survivor: the son.

Except this was a tale of two families; not just one.

And, there were definitely no stalkers involved … unless you count a disgruntled half-brother.

It was definitely an interesting story – a bigamist father leading two separate lives with two separate families: one wealthy and well-to-do (The Wallaces); the other not so much (The Reichters). It came down to the not-so-wealthy Reichter son finding out about the wealthy Wallace wife and family. Not surprisingly, he didn’t like what he saw … and the fact that dad decided to disown him right then and there in front of said “other” family.

Enter anger. Rage. Murder.

But, solving this case was a bit of a doozy for Brenda Leigh Johnson. Seems the ol’ LAPD is about to face some serious budget cuts – which, of course, is to affect Brenda’s squad. No more overtime, no more working weekends, no more expedited lab work – not to mention having to possibly let go one of her own.

Ah, but since when does Brenda really ever do anything according to protocol if it interferes with her ability to solve a murder? (“What if my victims don’t die between 8 and 4 in the afternoon?”)

So, ne’er mind she puts lone-survivor-Wallace-son on suicide watch at the hospital; “calls in everyone on earth [to work] on Sunday”; charters the LAPD jet to take a trip up to Lompoc, California to interview The Reichters.

Budget cuts?

What budget cuts?

This is where Kyra Sedgwick still remains so enjoyable watch - quirky whilst in control - and where the show always manages to strike the right balance of crime-solving intensity with lighter moments of humor and banter amongst the squad.

Another area where this show excels better than most is its ability to give Brenda a life outside of LAPD Priority Homicide. It doesn’t make her any less of an ace criminal investigator, or some co-dependent woman who doesn’t know how to handle herself.

No, it actually makes her pretty darn human.

And it gives her some much needed balance – even when she stumbles along in it.

Brenda and Fritz (did I mention we love Fritz? Is PTR’s other favorite, Detective Lilly Rush, EVER going to find a Fritz, or does she only get to have leftover rejects from her past and dead men in her future? Clone Fritz and send him to Cold Case, please).

Alas, happy to report that Brenda and Fritzy (played by the wonderful Jon Tenney) are still going strong. He’s still trying to be officially “moved in” – two years later. The house is too small (priceless moment at the end of the episode whereby he moves ALL his stuff into the house from the garage so that Brenda cannot move from one room to the other without running into armoires, sofas, book cases, overturned tables … “There’s a barbeque in the bathroom?”). Seems as though house hunting will be on tap this season whilst Brenda tries to figure out how she really-really-really-for-sure-swears-honestly is going to tell her father she’s living with a man. (“I hate change, but I think it’s important in a relationship like ours to keep all our stuff in one place.”)

Should be another great season of The Closer!

New episodes air Mondays at 9 p.m. on TNT.