The Closer: Season 1: eps 10-13
Jun. 30th, 2008 03:32 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meganbmooreThe show seems to have hit its stride with me here. The supporting characters and messages don’t seem as forced and heavy handed, and there weren’t any dominant themes or tropes in these last few episodes that rubbed me the wrong way. I’m still not overly comfortable with how many cases have to do with women killed and/or being the killer for reasons directly related to sex, or just being female in general, but it wasn’t as bad on that front as the season progressed. I do wish, though, that the cases weren’t so easy to telegraph. I think it’s why I watch so few of these shows. It’s harder to be impressed by the Big Reveal if you’re waiting for the detective to figure out what you did ten minutes in. I think part of why I like Monk so much is that it tells you exactly who did it (and sometimes how) and the mystery is how they covered their tracks.
1.10: The Butler Did It: A butler accused of murdering his employer is found dead after not showing up for court.
I think this is the first one I liked with no reservations. The whole thing was a hoot, there was no borderline cagey-ness to the methods, and no heavy handed narrative directions. I’m particularly fond of the lawyer asking if he could plead insanity. There was an appalling lack of Fritz and kitties, though.
1.11: L.A. Woman: A suspected Muslim terrorist is gunned down, causing a jurisdiction dispute with the FBI.
Not as fun as the last one, but another I like and don’t have issues with. The “domestic dispute” with Brenda and Fritz was cute, as was Provenska(sp?) faking the injury.
1.12: Fatal Retraction: A drug addict ODs and is found to be a woman believed to have been killed three years earlier.
Another good one. The “serial killer with cat and mouse thing with female lead” is a bit of an overused trope, but it tends to be a good one. And, of course, I definitely approve of one of the characters exclusively portrayed with one-note negativity before actually being given depth.
1.13: Standards and Practices: A filmmaker is drowned in his Jacuzzi and Brenda faces a charge for conduct unbecoming an officer.
The scene in this episode where Brenda can’t make herself apologize to the FBI, the DA’s office and Taylor is actually the first scene of the show I really paid attention to when The Boys were watching it a few weeks ago. Not surprisingly, it holds a special place for me. The case here was average, but the resignation letters and Brenda offering to buy the team a drink nicely brought the season full circle.
I think this is the first one I liked with no reservations. The whole thing was a hoot, there was no borderline cagey-ness to the methods, and no heavy handed narrative directions. I’m particularly fond of the lawyer asking if he could plead insanity. There was an appalling lack of Fritz and kitties, though.
1.11: L.A. Woman: A suspected Muslim terrorist is gunned down, causing a jurisdiction dispute with the FBI.
Not as fun as the last one, but another I like and don’t have issues with. The “domestic dispute” with Brenda and Fritz was cute, as was Provenska(sp?) faking the injury.
1.12: Fatal Retraction: A drug addict ODs and is found to be a woman believed to have been killed three years earlier.
Another good one. The “serial killer with cat and mouse thing with female lead” is a bit of an overused trope, but it tends to be a good one. And, of course, I definitely approve of one of the characters exclusively portrayed with one-note negativity before actually being given depth.
1.13: Standards and Practices: A filmmaker is drowned in his Jacuzzi and Brenda faces a charge for conduct unbecoming an officer.
The scene in this episode where Brenda can’t make herself apologize to the FBI, the DA’s office and Taylor is actually the first scene of the show I really paid attention to when The Boys were watching it a few weeks ago. Not surprisingly, it holds a special place for me. The case here was average, but the resignation letters and Brenda offering to buy the team a drink nicely brought the season full circle.