Well written. Well acted. Great characters -- with flaw and foibles, so human and very interesting. Always has great dialogue and along with the inevitable deaths/murder solving -- ther is a good deal of situational humor. A great production worth watching.
The Closer
(Rated TV-14, Drama, Starring Kyra Sedgwick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Tenney, Where to watch: TNT, DVD, Online)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Riveting crime drama with a strong female lead.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 14–18
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of The Closer was written by Sierra Filucci
Parents need to know that this crime drama's main character is a strong, smart female in a complex role. That said, since the series is about murder investigations, dead bodies, blood, and intensely emotional interrogations are all shown frequently. Crimes sometimes involve drugs and other nefarious activity.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the show's main character. What makes Johnson so interesting? How is she different from other characters on crime shows? What does her relationship with the other main female character say about female relationships, especially in the workplace? How does race play out in the drama -- is it even a factor?
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More on The Closer
What’s the Story?
Kyra Sedgwick plays a bold, quirky police detective from Atlanta who heads up a special murder unit of the LAPD in this riveting crime drama. Like the outstanding British crime series Prime Suspect, starring Helen Mirren, THE CLOSER's cases are complicated, the dialogue fast-paced, and the working relationships tense -- all accompanied by a strong, complex female lead showing off her stellar detecting and interrogation skills. Sedgwick's Brenda Johnson is a pleasure to watch; she's full of ticks and traits: her battle with sugar, her indecision over settling down with her FBI beau (Jon Tenney), the Southern charm she turns on and off, and -- most importantly -- her apparent disregard for her coworkers' opinions of her. The show's title refers to Johnson's unfailing ability to extract confessions from difficult subjects and tie up sensitive cases with passion and precision.
Is It Any Good?
While Johnson's co-workers don't always like her, they can't help but admire her dedication to her work and her unequalled abilities. In one episode, for example, Johnson investigates the murder of a police detective and a notorious criminal. She walks through a sea of uniformed officers who are protesting her delayed removal of the detective's body from the crime scene and stands firm against intense pressure to skip important investigation steps in order to appease the angry crowd. She's clearly a force to be reckoned with, wrapped up in tiny, blond female form.
Johnson's boss/former lover, Assistant Police Chief Will Pope, is played by the crackly J.K. Simmons of Law & Order and Oz, who turns in a quality performance to back up Sedgwick. Johnson's co-workers are a welcome mix of ethnicities, though they're mostly male; other female characters are rare, sadly. Tension between Johnson and the one other female character in the squad, Detective Irene Daniels (Gina Ravera), while hardly different from the guarded relationship between Johnson and the rest of her staff, could tip toward female backbiting with a slight push.
Blood and dead bodies are not uncommon, and semi-graphic descriptions of crime and violence are peppered throughout the action.
Our Members Say
See all 10 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 14 and give it
Quality, well-written, well-acted television.
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Pretty Good
Like most crime shows, this has rape, murder, and all the other stuff, but this also has humor in it, and I think Kyra Sedgewick plays a good role model in this show.
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I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
kyra sedgwick is a really powerful actress. it really shows in this show. the storyline is really interesting. im hooked and so are my parents.
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
great show!
good show. I like the cat in it!
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I rate this title on for age 15 and give it
ok for some older teens
if you let your kids see this make sure they understand not to do any of the things on this movie except for kissing maybe
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