I forgot to mention this earlier… For those of you who are fans of TNT’s The Closer, the winter season’s shows start tonight! Set up your various types of taping devices, or plan to be seated in front of your television set. (And, if you’re not a fan of The Closer, then I have to say, you are missing a really neat show!)
I have written about The Closer before (yep, that’s the link to my previous entry about this terrific show) so I won’t say too much about it today, OTHER than to remind all of you about tonight. [Of course, not being a person who can limit her talking… I will (again!) say that I absolutely LOVE this ensemble show!]
So, don’t forget… tonight is the new winter season’s debut!
Suzy says
The Closer is my absolute favorite television show. I plan my Monday nights around it. I’m so glad it is finally starting again.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
My daughter and I love The Closer. We actually discuss the shows after we watch them… You would think we really know Brenda Lee and the gang! (I sure hope that her mom and dad – Frances Sternhagen & Barry Corbin – come to visit her during this short winter season.)
Petie says
Love the show! G. W. Bailey lived next door to my twin sister a couple of years ago while he worked here in Houston. He came over for our birthday and the holidays and was one of the nicest men you would ever want to meet. So down to earth. We remembered him from being on M*A*S*H decades ago, and he was without a doubt a great gentleman.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Oh my gosh, Petie… I love the relationship between Lt. Provenza and Lt. Flynn. But, of course, I love most of the relationships on that show.
It’s always nice to hear that some of the people who make it in Hollywood aren’t jaded by their successes. When you watch the show, it must be sort of déjà vu for you to see him on the screen…
Jackie says
My Monday’s are already so full! Castle, Hawaii Five-O, Chase, Men of a Certain Age . . . why can’t something good be on TV on Saturday night? Everything is good on Monday!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jackie, I know exactly what you mean. My Wednesday nights are like that: The Middle, Better with You, Modern Family, The Defenders, Law & Order L.A., and The Whole Truth (which, incidentally, I thought was a really good show, but has been cancelled all the same… They are currently airing the shows that were already shot…)>>> Between all those shows, I had to use several of my taping devices to be sure to get them all.
ann says
I love the Closer. I didn’t notice this until late this evening. I hope they will do a repeat.
Ann
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ann, I just checked. The Closer will be re-airing the season’s premier show (“Old Money”) on this Saturday at 10:00 AM (my time zone) and on Monday night, right before the new episode. It’s a good one!
Sandra says
I LOVE THE CLOSER and couldn’t wait for tonite. Just got done watching it, had to stay up a lot later than I normally do in order to watch it. Also my entire family, except me has satelitle tv and I have the local digital cable, so they all get TNT shows like the Closer, 3 hrs before I do! I have had to threaten them to not email or phone anything about the show until after I have watched it!!! So their answer is for me to give in and switch my tv service, I don’t look at email, cell phone text, or answer the land line on Monday nights because they will blow it on purpose and tell me what Brenda did each Monday night.
Why do we all like this show so much? I have no idea except that it is the entire combination of characters, they all work together just perfectly! And tonight at the end I think that is what Brenda was thinking as she watched her squad walk down the hall to have a end of the case drink. You have to love them all, let alone Brenda and her accent and her love of candy and junk food. Oh and her clothes! Who else could dress like she does and it be so perfect?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sandra, you’re so right. I think it’s all in the characters! They are all just… perfect! And the little details like her candy/junk food drawer really make this a great show to keep coming back to. So often, I tire of shows… they become stale and repetetive. Not so with The Closer.
Jennifer says
My FAVORITE SHOW, the only one i have a season pass for, i LOVE IT!!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jennifer, I would have to say that The Closer (and In Plain Sight) rank up on the top of my favorite television shows list.
Stephanie says
Gosh, we have similar tastes, Danna – those two are my favorite, too!
I used to count Saving Grace right up there with them, but of course that’s off the air now, too…
I also really enjoy Memphis Beat.
Mostly, I guess these are shows with strong women leads. But another common trend (and this is even the case for Memphis Beat!) is that they’re on cable channels. Why can’t network channels get it together and produce great TV these days?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Stephanie,
I wonder the same thing about major network channels!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sorry, Bonnie, for some reason your comment went to my computer’s server. I will post it this way:
“I watched the show on Monday and she is getting better at her job. No nonsense comes from her or her team. Bonnie”
Lee Ann says
TV Guide.com says the Closer will end after next season. Why do they always take off the good shows that are popular?
Love this site Danna, found you by doing a search for cozy mystery. Thanks for all your hard work 🙂
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Good grief, Lee Ann! Are you pulling our legs Re: The Closer currently being in its last season? Another great show bites the dust! Apparently there is more need for EVEN MORE mediocrity in television-land! Hopefully, they will be able to work another reality show into the television waste-land! Maybe some really self-absorbed, obnoxious 20-somethings could all live in a house and gossip about each other, before ultimately voting each other out >>> Sounds like a novel idea!
Edie says
I love The Closer and have from the start. I’m sorry to see it go, but I know eventually all shows run their course. Thankfully, we have dvds to keep us going and I’m sure we will see reruns somewhere. It has been a fantastic show with a great group of actors. I’m sure that is what has kept it so popular over the seasons.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
My husband just sent me a little blip on why The Closer is going to call it quits. Apparently Kyra Sedgwick wants to close it down. At least it’s not the network!
Jennifer says
i know this is an older thread, but i had a baby and was so behind on these episodes! I just finished the last two seasons and I am so upset that it’s almost over, it’s so addicting! I am so curious about who the “mole” is! I also hear they are continuing this show with Mary McDonnell and calling it “Major Crimes?” Do you know any shows like it? It’s one of the only ones out there on tv that feels like a cozy — they don’t usually show the murder beforehand (I hate when other shows all show it in full detail).
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Congratulations, Jennifer!
My daughter told me about Mary McDonnell taking over in a spin-off, but I didn’t remember the title.
As for other shows like this one, now that I hear they aren’t bringing back Memphis Beat (another really good show that shouldn’t have been cancelled!) I would tell you about I personally can’t think of another show. I would mention In Plain Sight, but I think it might only have another season left, also.
Hopefully someone will know about another show…
Lynn T. says
My husband and I are both Closer fans and will miss it when it ends. Do hope that Major Crimes will be made so we can see if we will like it as well. Guess it is hard to say goodbye to some series.
We both liked Memphis Beat too. Liked the cast of characters and the music. Thought the story line or plot was better the 2nd season. Thought it had the makings of a hit. It was unique.
One show that was really good this year and for some reason the ratings were low was Prime Suspect with Maria Bello. It reminded me somewhat of the Closer as it had a strong female lead and a great cast of characters. It was a police procedural. It had great reviews but somehow never caught on. They really don’t give shows much time to find an audience. Think years ago the show Cheers in its first year had low ratings. They decided not to pull it but stayed with it because they believed in it. Look what happened. It is now a classic TV show. That doesn’t happen today. Of course, some should be pulled quick!
Jennifer says
I wish i received updates when someone replies, for some reason I don’t 🙁 I will try those shows, my parents love “In Plain Sight” I think. I just hate how these days every show has to have either a.) violence, b.) everyone sleeping with everyone, c.) cursing. I’d love to see a blog post about new cozy-type shows; I feel like “The Closer” is the *closest* i have found to a cozy. I know there are relationships, but the violence is miminal and i love how they show the crime already committed. I used to watch Criminal Minds but I couldn’t take the graphic and explicit descriptions of killed babies and kids; it was too much.
Jennifer says
P.S. I know Criminal minds was the furthest thing from a cozy, I just meant to say that they all seem to be that way now.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jennifer, my daughter and I used to watch Criminal Minds, also. As you said, it became too graphic. It seemed like every week another child or woman would be killed… and by saying “killed” I mean that the show would highlight the torture the woman or child had to endure before being killed. We had ENOUGH!
Jennifer, see if your library has any of the British mystery shows that I talk about on the TV and Movie page. Father Brown mysteries, Miss Marple (with Joan Hickson), Midsomer Murders, Brother Cadfael, Campion, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Inspector Alleyn Mysteries, Jonathan Creek, The Last Detective, ETC.
The USA also has a few really good Cozy Mystery television series:
Ellery Queen (with Jim Hutton) and the earlier years of Murder, She Wrote, to name two.
Jennifer says
That is exactly how i was with Criminal minds. After having my baby last year, it felt doubly harder to watch it. All i could think about was my own little girl. I liked how shows like Murder she wrote kept little kids/babies OUT of it. I love old Murder she wrote episodes. I didn’t know USA played Murder she wrote or ellery Queen. I dont think I have ever seen Ellery Queen either for some reason! I will check out that page, thank you so so much!!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jennifer, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean the USA channel. Since I referred to the British mystery shows, I meant the “United States”>>> Your library might carry some of these shows, but I doubt very much the USA channel shows the Ellery Queen Mysteries.