Season 3
The Closer is an American television drama series created by James Duff, Michael M. Robin and Greer Shephard which chronicles the cases of Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, who comes from Atlanta to Los Angeles to head up a special unit of the LAPD that handles sensitive, high-profile murder cases.
Johnson's quirky personality and hard-nosed approach often rub her colleagues the wrong way, but her reputation as one of the world's best interrogators eventually wins over even her toughest critics.
The series premiered in the USA on TNT on 13 June, 2005.
The Closer originally premiered in South Africa on M-Net on Wednesday 16 November 2005, at 19h30. After the first season the show was moved to DStv's actionX channel, which became M-Net Action in 2008. After the fifth season the show was moved to DStv's M-Net Series channel. The show also aired on TopTV's Top One channel.
See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times by channel.
The Closer 3 originally aired on M-Net Action from 21 April to 28 July, 2008, on Mondays at 20h00. New episodes broadcast weekly.
Season 3 premiered on Top One on Wednesday 17 August 2011, at 21h00. New episodes broadcast weekly. There are 15 episodes in the third season.
M-Net Action Repeats
Tuesdays: 23h00
Fridays: 11h00
Sundays: 19h00
Season 3
Television's top detective is back on the case as Kyra Sedgwick returns in The Closer, with a compelling new season of complex cases.
In addition to Sedgwick, The Closer's ensemble cast is back, including Jon Tenney, J.K. Simmons, Corey Reynolds, Robert Gossett, G.W. Bailey, Tony Denison, Raymond Cruz, Michael Paul Chan and Gina Ravera.
Offbeat yet indomitable CIA-trained Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, a former Atlanta detective brought to Los Angeles to head a special LAPD unit charged with cracking sensitive, high-profile murder cases, is an expert at digging into a person's secrets and obtaining confessions, despite constantly struggling with her own imperfections and neuroses.
Providing loving support for Brenda, as well as the occasional investigative assistance, is FBI Agent Fritz Howard. Despite their decision last season to move in together, Fritz's devotion to Brenda continues to be tested by the long hours she spends on the job.
On the professional front, Brenda has a strong ally in her boss, Assistant Police Chief Will Pope.
Brenda's team of detectives has become more tightly knit over the past two seasons. Closest to her is Sgt. David Gabriel, a young detective who serves as her right-hand man and who was one of the first on her squad to be won over by her skills as an investigator and interrogator.
The cantankerous Detective Lt. Provenza and the slick Lt. Andy Flynn are two excellent investigators. But they occasionally make bone-headed mistakes, such as failing to report a dead body in Provenza's garage so that they could attend a Dodgers game.
Lt. Mike Tao provides expert technical support for the team, while Detective Julio Sanchez is an expert on Los Angeles' gangs. And Detective Irene Daniels frequently sees a case from a perspective her colleagues - including Brenda - miss.
Working another side of the investigative arm of the LAPD is Commander Taylor, head of the Robbery Homicide Division.
While he has in the past been a thorn in Brenda's side, blocking her investigations or interfering with her squad in order to make her look bad, he and Brenda tried to bury the hatchet last season, establishing a better - although not entirely congenial - working relationship.
Main Characters
Assistant Police Chief Will Pope
As the Assistant Police Chief of the LAPD, Will Pope is Brenda's boss. Before joining the department he worked for the CIA in Washington D.C. during which time he had an extra-marital affair with Brenda.
Pope commands the authority of his team and his department detectives generally respect him.
Closing cases and convicting criminals is his frist priority, even if it means taking the heat from his superiors.
He's always willing to defend his team and is more than willing to take the blame for them.
He can be a chameleon though and often plays both sides of the fence to get what he wants and to keep everyone happy.
As far as his relationship with Brenda goes - he still has feelings for her and always wants to please her. He constantly defended her against the other detectives when she first arrived - this despite him ending their affair.
After he broke it off with Brenda he left his first wife for his current, soon-to-be ex second wife Estelle. As a result of all this he's jealous of Fritz Howard's relationship with Brenda.
Detective Sergeant David Gabriel
Brenda's right-hand man, Detective David Gabriel started off as a rookie cop and moved on to work in Robbery/Homicide under Commander Taylor.
With Taylor's support he received a Masters in Public Administrtion from USC and enthusiastically campaigned to get his current position on the Priority Homicide Squad.
Friendly and polite, Gabriel is one of the only detective's who's been kind ot Brenda since joined the Squad.
He's eager to please her but is also out-spoken and isn't afraid to tell her what he thinks.
He can be too polite and loyal and is regularly labelled a "suck-up" by his colleagues. He doesn't take criticism well and craves constant acknowledgement and reassurance from his superiors.
FBI Special Agent Fritz Howard
A close friend of Brenda's now living in L.A., Special Agent Howard received his training from the FBI in Washington DC.
He's been working for the Los Angeles FBI for three years where he specializes in gangs.
Smart and well-liked Howard's got many law enforcement connections and knows how to track down information in criminal cases.
He would do practically anything for Brenda and understands and accepts her addiction to work to the extent that he'll wait hours and even days for the opportunity of seeing her.
He's head-over-heels in love with her and is often willing to put his professional career at risk in order to help her with hers.
He has a shady past with alcohol though.
Commander Taylor
Head of the LAPD Robbery/Homicide unit, Commander Taylor was head of the Priority Homicide Squad before Brenda arrived.
He was removed from the position after too many celebrity cases were handed to the DA with what was termed "less than compelling" evidence.
Taylor was with the LAPD for 21 years before becoming a Commander is highly ambitious.
He's also very resentful of Brenda and will do practically anything to undermine her authority.
Detective Lieutenant Provenza
Provenza's an LAPD old timer who's been on the force for many years. A seasoned veteran of the Robbery/Homicide unit he was selected to join the elite Priority Homicide Squad.
Because he's seen it all, nothing gets to him. He's tough-as-nails and a self-proclaimed SOB who always has a witty one-liner.
He's also chauvinistic and politically incorrect which results in him being forced to attend sensitivity workshops.
He resists change and has a hard time accepting new investigation and interrogation techniques.
There is a softer side buried deep down beneath his surface though - which slowly but surely starts to emerge as he starts respecting Brenda more over time.
Detective Lieutenant Andy Flynn
Flynn was a member of the Robbery/Homicide Unit until he was "loaned out" to assist the Priority Homicide Squad.
When he returned to Robbery/Homicide Captain Taylor accused him of botching an old case, Brenda stood for him and Flynn asked for a permanant transfer to the Priority Sqaud, which is where he's remained.
He's influential and has the ability to persuade other detectives into taking his side on political matters.
He also prefers taking the easy way out when it comes to solving crime which often leads to mistakes. He's also disloyal, often fails to keep his word and can't keep secrets.
Seasons
Season 1 (13 episodes)
Channel: M-Net | Premiere: 16 Nov 2005 | Finale: 8 Feb 2006 | Wednesdays, 19h30
Channel: Top One | Premiere: 2 May 2010 | Finale: 21 Jul 2010 | Wednesdays, 21h00
Season 2 (15 episodes)
Channel: actionX | Premiere: 12 Feb 2007 | Finale: 21 May 2007 | Mondays, 20h00
Channel: Top One | Premiere: 28 Jul 2010 | Finale: 3 Nov 2010 | Wednesdays, 21h00
Season 3 (15 episodes)
Channel: M-Net Action | Premiere: 21 Apr 2008 | Finale: 28 Jul 2008 | Mondays, 20h00
Channel: Top One | Premiere: 17 Aug 2011 | Finale: 23 Nov 2011 | Wednesdays, 21h00
Season 4 (15 episodes)
Channel: M-Net Action | Premiere: 22 Jun 2009 | Finale: 28 Sep 2009 | Mondays, 19h00
Channel: Top One | Premiere: 11 Jan 2012 | Finale: 18 Apr 2012 | Wednesdays, 21h00
Season 5 (15 episodes)
Channel: M-Net Action | Premiere: 11 Oct 2010 | Finale: 17 Jan 2011 | Mondays, 19h00
Channel: Top One | Premiere: 20 Dec 2012 | Finale: 28 Mar 2013 | Thursdays, 21h00
Season 6 (15 episodes)
Channel: M-Net Series | Premiere: 5 Apr 2011 | Finale: 12 Jul 2011 | Tuesdays, 19h30
Season 7 (21 episodes)
Channel: M-Net Series | Premiere: 27 Mar 2012 | Finale: 28 Aug 2012 | Tuesdays, 21h30