The Closer: ‘Products of Discovery’ Pre-Premiere Review
If my many recent blog posts on The Closer haven’t made it clear that the TNT show’s fifth season opens tonight at 9pm ET, let me publish one final reminder. After watching the premiere episode called “Products of Discovery” in advance, I have no trouble assuring viewers that the series is still in top form, despite the changes that TNT has advised are coming up this summer.
Tonight’s premiere features a particularly disturbing case involving the early-morning mass murder of four family members: mother Cynthia Rivera, her young children Lucia and Miguel Rivera, and her mother Diana Alvarez. As is standard procedure in such crimes, Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) and her team of detectives immediately cast their collective eye on the man of the household, who’s not exactly an upright citizen, as the killer.
Since I don’t want to spoil the subsequent developments in the case that fans enjoy experiencing fisthand, let me just say that solving the evil crime involves noticing a most unbelievable and simple error, as well as some typically gutsy and insightful collaboration by the Major Crimes unit. The scene where Team Brenda gets their guy is as gripping as they come on the show, and that’s saying a lot.
The notable guest star for the episode is seasoned actor Lee Tergesen, an alum of hard-hitting series like HBO’s stellar prison drama OZ, the venerable and gritty cop show Homicide: Life on the Street, and TNT’s own short-lived crime drama Wanted (I was so bummed when the network canceled that after only one season). All you need to know about his latest gig on The Closer is that there’s not a drop of love lost between his character and Brenda.
Some of the changes viewers can expect this season include the exit of a former regular cast member, a significant lifestyle change for grumpy but always lovable Lieutenant Provenza (G.W. Bailey), economic hardship for another Major Crimes unit member, and a bit of adjustment to married life on the part of Brenda. So far, she and new hubby Fritz (Jon Tenney) are doing just fine, though.
A special treat tonight during the season premiere is the opportunity to interact with series co-creator and co-executive producer James Duff as he and other TNT staff live-tweet the episode at the The Closer’s dedicated Twitter website @TheCloserTNT. I’ll be there, getting in on the action from my main Twitter account @tvjots, so please join us and other fans to help take the premiere to a whole ‘nother level of entertainment. See ya there!
The Closer airs Mondays on TNT at 9pm ET.
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