'The Closer' Dials H for Hysterical

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

In truth, it's not about dialing H or M.

Forget OMFG.

And LOL.

This one is clearly ROTFLMAO.

Translation (for everyone over the age of, say, 12): Rolling On The Floor Laughing My Arse Off.

My side still hurts today, folks.

How can a drama be so good at comedy?

Seriously, I didn’t think The Closer could out do last season’s coffin - down - the - staircase - watch - out - for - Bridezilla routine (as in, not a good idea to have Lieutenant Provenza as a pallbearer at a colleague’s funeral any time soon). Or season two’s Lieutenant Provenza / Lieutenant Flynn Dodger game outing gone bad (as in, we’ll just leave the dead body in the garage until we get back from our skybox seats at the game).

But that was before this season’s “Dial M For Provenza” – and yes, that would be an homage to the Hitchcock classic, Dial M For Murder, with a whole bunch of humor thrown in to make it an ICC: Insta-Closer Classic.

As if the show needed to get any better.

But it does – and it brought us more comedic relief at the expense of Lieutenant Provenza



The Case

Another Botox Barbie feeling as if she could just do better without hubby in the picture – no matter how many boob jobs he’s already paid for.

Enter an equally … how should we say … less than appreciative brother, and voilá you have a tag team murder for hire.

Except when you’re the subject of an undercover operation.

Which, of course, goes the way of the dogs when the 100-year-old Civic, which has all the evidence of this open and shut murder for hire case in the trunk, accidentally gets stolen during a stop for a bite to eat on the way home from the sting with said Botox Barbie suspect.

Gee, don’t ‘cha hate it when that happens?

In another Priority Homicide case of let’s - try - not - to - let - everyone - know - we - really - messed - this - up, BJ and the team have 48 hours to sort it out, or Lieutenant Provenza will be forced to resign.

Gee, don’t ‘cha hate it when that happens?

As Fritzy said, the FBI stopped manufacturing evidence a couple of decades ago, so BJ really was on her own.

As was Provenza.

But they do get it sorted it out.

‘Bro was the trigger man.

Barbie was sort of the brains.

Fill in your own punchline.


The Guest Star

We were tipped off by the cast on our TNT press day set visit that Jennifer Coolidge (of American Pie infamy) had put in one heck of a performance opposite G.W. Bailey.

And they weren’t kidding.

She could not have been better.

Every. Goofball. Moment.

From the diner sequence, where she casually watches the Civic get stolen whilst simultaneously quizzing Flynn and Provenza on being super-duper-sure all that evidence would convict her of conspiracy to commit murder; to running around hysterical on finding her husband actually is dead only to switch to instantaneous glee realizing she’ll be rich as a result; to her jabs at the lameness, incompetence and stupidity (not necessarily in that order) of the Los Angeles Police Department; to gabbing away on her cell phone as BJ and Provenza sit patiently waiting to interview her.

Name your moment folks.

They are all priceless.

And as we know, for everything else, there’s Mastercard


The Genius

As Kyra Sedgwick told us, the ability of this show to go from serious to silly without sacrificing what makes the show so compelling in the first place is a testament to the writing and the vision of the showrunners. They consistently amaze me. And to think Creator James Duff doesn’t believe they’ve come close to peaking as yet.

Like, how much better can they get?

Each season, I find out with episodes like this.


The Never Gonna Happen Resignation

With my own father nearing retirement after 35+ years on the Los Angeles Fire Department, I’m thankful he does not have an ex-wife whom he made a promise to split his pension on the day he retired.

Because clearly, by Provenza or Chief Pope’s example – both of whom did sign their lives, er, I mean pensions away – my dad would be working until he was 97-years-old, sitting behind a desk downtown, remembering when they used water to put out fires instead of beaming them into space aboard the Enterprise.

Me thinks Provenza just might actually have to be dragged feet first out of the LAPD.

Do we think the show could last that long?

At this rate of quality … yes.



New episodes air Mondays at 9 p.m. on TNT. You can also watch full episodes of the show anytime over on the show’s official Web site.