ABOUT THE BOOK
The Closer introduced TV mystery fans to the prickly and intense Brenda Leigh Johnson, a brilliant
CIA-trained interrogator recruited by L.A.P.D. Assistant Chief Will Pope to head a new homicide squad for high-profile cases. Johnson's thin veneer of Southern charm often cracks as
she hones in on a suspect, but she gets results: "She's not Miss Congeniality,
I'm aware of that, but she is a closer," Pope says.
Valerie Kalfrin is an award-winning writer whose byline has appeared in Ladies' Home Journal, The Tampa Tribune, Time Out New York, and Poynter.org, among other publications. She lives in Florida.
EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK
"I never bluff . . . I just express my optimism forcefully." -- Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, pilot episode
Naked and bloody, the bludgeoned and bullet-riddled corpse on the bedroom floor of a swanky Los Angeles house had the detectives' attention -- until a woman with bedraggled blonde hair and a cozy brown cardigan spoke.
"Looks like love," she drawled from behind a surgical mask to stanch the odor of decomposition. She nodded at introductions, tucked her hair into a ponytail and crouched down to examine the body. "Mind if I jump right in here, doctor?"
Two minutes into the series premiere of The Closer, Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson attracted audiences with her sharp dialogue, pointed questions and forceful demeanor -- coated with reflexive if insincere courtesy that tended to vanish in a snap.
"No need to be a bitch about
it," one character bristled as she took control of the crime scene.
"If I liked being called a
bitch to my face, I'd still be married," Brenda replied.
By the end of the pilot and The Closer's initial summer season, Brenda had captivated audiences and cable television networks alike. About 5.3 million households watched the June 13, 2005, premiere on TNT, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. More than 6.3 million viewers tuned in for the season finale, making The Closer "ad-supported cable's top original series for the year to date" among adults ages 25 to 54, among other demographics, this research states.
... According to its creator,
each season of The Closer has an overarching theme. For Season 1,
the theme was "a woman in a man's world."
The Closer introduced TV mystery fans to the prickly and intense Brenda Leigh Johnson, a brilliant
CIA-trained interrogator recruited by L.A.P.D. Assistant Chief Will Pope to head a new homicide squad for high-profile cases. Johnson's thin veneer of Southern charm often cracks as
she hones in on a suspect, but she gets results: "She's not Miss Congeniality,
I'm aware of that, but she is a closer," Pope says.
A ratings smash for TNT, The Closer won fans thanks to its twisty plots and the portrayal of Brenda by Kyra Sedgwick, showing a woman confident in her investigative skills but awkward at personal relationships. It also paved the way for the debut of other original cable-TV series during the summer-rerun doldrums -- and shows with strong female characters over 40, such as TNT's Saving Grace with Holly Hunter and Hawthorne with Jada Pinkett Smith, plus Damages with Glenn Close on FX.
Go inside the initial season with this informative guide that includes detailed episode summaries, character bios, interesting trivia, and more.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Valerie Kalfrin is an award-winning writer whose byline has appeared in Ladies' Home Journal, The Tampa Tribune, Time Out New York, and Poynter.org, among other publications. She lives in Florida.
EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK
"I never bluff . . . I just express my optimism forcefully." -- Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, pilot episode
Naked and bloody, the bludgeoned and bullet-riddled corpse on the bedroom floor of a swanky Los Angeles house had the detectives' attention -- until a woman with bedraggled blonde hair and a cozy brown cardigan spoke.
"Looks like love," she drawled from behind a surgical mask to stanch the odor of decomposition. She nodded at introductions, tucked her hair into a ponytail and crouched down to examine the body. "Mind if I jump right in here, doctor?"
Two minutes into the series premiere of The Closer, Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson attracted audiences with her sharp dialogue, pointed questions and forceful demeanor -- coated with reflexive if insincere courtesy that tended to vanish in a snap.
"No need to be a bitch about
it," one character bristled as she took control of the crime scene.
"If I liked being called a
bitch to my face, I'd still be married," Brenda replied.
By the end of the pilot and The Closer's initial summer season, Brenda had captivated audiences and cable television networks alike. About 5.3 million households watched the June 13, 2005, premiere on TNT, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. More than 6.3 million viewers tuned in for the season finale, making The Closer "ad-supported cable's top original series for the year to date" among adults ages 25 to 54, among other demographics, this research states.
... According to its creator,
each season of The Closer has an overarching theme. For Season 1,
the theme was "a woman in a man's world."
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Quicklet on The Closer Season 1
+ Introduction
+ James Duff: The Man Behind The Closer's Woman in Charge
+ Overall Summary
+ Episode Summaries
+ ...and much more
The Closer Season 1
Quicklet on The Closer Season 1
+ Introduction
+ James Duff: The Man Behind The Closer's Woman in Charge
+ Overall Summary
+ Episode Summaries
+ ...and much more
The Closer Season 1
