By LillyKat
PTR Staff Writer
What is it about Chief Will Pope and no-nonsense female criminal investigators who work for the federal government?
He really just can’t quite keep his hands off them.
Or at least stop himself from seducing them out to Los Angeles.
Enter this week’s episode of The Closer (“Lover’s Leap”), where Pope’s fondness for what he a) had back in the day, and b) now doesn’t, but c) still wishes he did (ol’ Brenda Leigh Johnson) finds him having yet another affair with a) a federal accountant working for the Department of Homeland Security, who was b) auditing the LAPD, and of whom c) ends up dead at the bottom of a cliff.
That would probably have been never if it were up to Pope. But true to form, he gets caught red-handed.
Again.
And is sorry.
Again.
I have to hand it to this show.
Again.
It’s hard not to like Pope. He’s about the only one (other than Fritz) who can hold his own against ol’ Brenda – give her a run for her money, put her in her place and not feel a wee bit bad about doing so. Yet, hidden behind his no-nonsense superior veil is the false sense that his personal life is under control and/or that he is not incredibly wounded. You almost feel sorry for him whilst simultaneously wanting to slap him upside the head.
As it turns out, Federal Auditor Maggie (and Pope squeeze for the last year) was on to an embezzlement scheme orchestrated by a former LAPD officer who owned a company that sold radios to fire department and police personnel in the Southwestern part of U.S. Seems he got into the business of forging invoices whilst also adding a surcharge so as to pocket money in the hopes of getting his family out of some serious financial struggles. (You know … the whole Southern California housing market tanking, adjustable rate mortgages blowing payments through the roof, and … well, being completely in over their heads in house they can no longer afford). Seems Federal Auditor Maggie wasn’t too sympathetic to the cause and was going to bust them anyways. The wife of the former LAPD officer didn’t take lightly to her lack of sympathy.
And, as we know, what are the two main requirements for murder?
Motive and opportunity.
Which wifey had up on that ol’ hill.
Aside from BJ recovering from her ovarian drilling (“abdominal surgery” to the rest of the world), suffering from some serious chocolate withdrawal (longing glances at the vending machines not withstanding), being a victim of poison oak (scratching and itching her way down every hallway and into every room), and playing a serious game of cat and mouse with the FBI (so as not to completely turn over her case to the Feds even though it was an issue of National Security), it was Brenda v. Pope that was the highlight of this episode.
Over the past couple of seasons, we’ve had bits and pieces of their former affair filled in for us. We even saw Brenda seriously consider not committing to Fritzy because she just could not quite straighten out her feelings for Pope (guy is somewhat of a serious ladies man, eh?).
And yet, last night’s ep laid it all out on the table even further without saying more than was needed.
A glance here, a long pause there.
Pope defiant that he had done nothing wrong, yet soft-spoken and humbled when trying to justify the awkwardness. Brenda’s uncomfortable and irritated revelation of knowing how it felt to be a federal criminal investigator under his spell – especially as he described the best traits about Maggie. She had been viewed as a pretty ruthless auditor, but it turns out, she was as close to Brenda as Pope could find.
Brilliant characters on display.
Again.
We’re down to the final two episodes of the season – which will essentially be a two-part finale starting next Monday, September 3rd and concluding Monday, September 10th. So be sure to tune in next Monday at 9 p.m. on TNT.
PTR Staff Writer
What is it about Chief Will Pope and no-nonsense female criminal investigators who work for the federal government?
He really just can’t quite keep his hands off them.
Or at least stop himself from seducing them out to Los Angeles.
Enter this week’s episode of The Closer (“Lover’s Leap”), where Pope’s fondness for what he a) had back in the day, and b) now doesn’t, but c) still wishes he did (ol’ Brenda Leigh Johnson) finds him having yet another affair with a) a federal accountant working for the Department of Homeland Security, who was b) auditing the LAPD, and of whom c) ends up dead at the bottom of a cliff.
Brenda: "When were you going to tell me you were sleeping with my murder victim?"
That would probably have been never if it were up to Pope. But true to form, he gets caught red-handed.
Again.
And is sorry.
Again.
I have to hand it to this show.
Again.
It’s hard not to like Pope. He’s about the only one (other than Fritz) who can hold his own against ol’ Brenda – give her a run for her money, put her in her place and not feel a wee bit bad about doing so. Yet, hidden behind his no-nonsense superior veil is the false sense that his personal life is under control and/or that he is not incredibly wounded. You almost feel sorry for him whilst simultaneously wanting to slap him upside the head.
As it turns out, Federal Auditor Maggie (and Pope squeeze for the last year) was on to an embezzlement scheme orchestrated by a former LAPD officer who owned a company that sold radios to fire department and police personnel in the Southwestern part of U.S. Seems he got into the business of forging invoices whilst also adding a surcharge so as to pocket money in the hopes of getting his family out of some serious financial struggles. (You know … the whole Southern California housing market tanking, adjustable rate mortgages blowing payments through the roof, and … well, being completely in over their heads in house they can no longer afford). Seems Federal Auditor Maggie wasn’t too sympathetic to the cause and was going to bust them anyways. The wife of the former LAPD officer didn’t take lightly to her lack of sympathy.
And, as we know, what are the two main requirements for murder?
Motive and opportunity.
Which wifey had up on that ol’ hill.
Brenda: “Let’s just skip the part where you try to explain yourself; I just don’t have the stomach for it today.”
Aside from BJ recovering from her ovarian drilling (“abdominal surgery” to the rest of the world), suffering from some serious chocolate withdrawal (longing glances at the vending machines not withstanding), being a victim of poison oak (scratching and itching her way down every hallway and into every room), and playing a serious game of cat and mouse with the FBI (so as not to completely turn over her case to the Feds even though it was an issue of National Security), it was Brenda v. Pope that was the highlight of this episode.
Over the past couple of seasons, we’ve had bits and pieces of their former affair filled in for us. We even saw Brenda seriously consider not committing to Fritzy because she just could not quite straighten out her feelings for Pope (guy is somewhat of a serious ladies man, eh?).
And yet, last night’s ep laid it all out on the table even further without saying more than was needed.
A glance here, a long pause there.
Pope defiant that he had done nothing wrong, yet soft-spoken and humbled when trying to justify the awkwardness. Brenda’s uncomfortable and irritated revelation of knowing how it felt to be a federal criminal investigator under his spell – especially as he described the best traits about Maggie. She had been viewed as a pretty ruthless auditor, but it turns out, she was as close to Brenda as Pope could find.
Brenda: “It all just sounds so familiar.”
Pope: “I’m sorry.”
Brenda: “Again … you’re sorry again.”
Brilliant characters on display.
Again.
We’re down to the final two episodes of the season – which will essentially be a two-part finale starting next Monday, September 3rd and concluding Monday, September 10th. So be sure to tune in next Monday at 9 p.m. on TNT.
1 comment:
Another stellar episode. I saw where one critic called this season of The Closer the best ever, and I'd have to agree. The continuity is flawless! They follow through on all of the story lines so well.
Brenda and Pope was just brilliant.
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