Major Crimes - General Discussion

[Bastet]

3 hours ago, Crs97 said:

though her line to Rusty that he isn’t the first surly teenager to grace her home with his indifference remains one of my favorite lines ever.

It really is perfect:

Rusty: Don't think I'm gonna be all, like, thankful for you taking me in.
Sharon: Oh, trust me, you're not the first adolescent to grace my home with your presence.  Having raised two teenagers of my own, I have tremendous capacity for ingratitude.

[proserpina65]

On 7/19/2022 at 9:57 PM, Bastet said:

Yeah, he's ... not good.  It's no coincidence his husband is pretty much the only person who's ever cast him in anything.  He seems like a nice guy, but I just can't with giving Buzz storylines given his meager acting skills.

I liked Buzz well enough as part of the team, both on The Closer and Major Crimes, but the actor definitely was nowhere near good enough to carry storylines of his own.

[Bastet]

On 1/11/2023 at 11:06 AM, proserpina65 said:

I liked Buzz well enough as part of the team, both on The Closer and Major Crimes, but the actor definitely was nowhere near good enough to carry storylines of his own.

The story they gave him in season five, about finally solving the open case of the murder of his dad and uncle, was, in theory, decent enough -- every cop show has someone who became a cop (or, in this case, wasted a USC film degree on recording crime scenes) in order to avenge a loved one's unsolved murder, but at least this one showed how that "closure" didn't actually do a damn thing to help him heal (a scenario not unusual in life, but ignored on TV).

But he just does not have the acting chops to pull it off.  He has two facial expressions, both annoying and neither fitting what was needed here.

Plus, it was - of course - in service to the Rusty Beck, Junior Detective storyline that managed to be even more annoying than Rusty Beck, Super Journalist, and they blew right past Buzz feeling conflicted about the Jones family now being in a somewhat similar position to the one the Watson family had been thrown into at the same age and kept going, into him developing a rather creepy relationship with the family.

There are a couple of moments I like, particularly when Bill Jones asks to be able to say good-bye to his family, and Buzz asks him if he gave Jay Watson the chance to say good-bye to his family (and then, after a beat, agreeing), but I'd have exponentially preferred someone else get a storyline.

[Crs97]

I have a question about Fritz in Two Options. I know that episode was planned as a possible pilot for a new series following the SWAT and SOB division.

In it, Major Crimes is trying to rescue the wife and two children from a serial murderer, and Fritz leads the charge over Andy’s initial objections.  He says things along the lines of “you have to trust me, Andy. You don’t want to know how I can do this” and then he takes out the guy while catching the daughter before now dead guy drops.  

The only other time I can remember seeing this kind of action from Fritz was when we find out in The Closer that he is some sort of sharp shooter, as he takes out a guy threatening Brenda.

Do they ever follow up on Fritz’s abilities or history?  I assume the line to Andy is there to be developed if the new series was approved, which it wasn’t.  Did Major Crimes ever explain it?

[shapeshifter]

11 minutes ago, Crs97 said:

I have a question about Fritz in Two Options. I know that episode was planned as a possible pilot for a new series following the SWAT and SOB division.

In it, Major Crimes is trying to rescue the wife and two children from a serial murderer, and Fritz leads the charge over Andy’s initial objections.  He says things along the lines of “you have to trust me, Andy. You don’t want to know how I can do this” and then he takes out the guy while catching the daughter before now dead guy drops.  

The only other time I can remember seeing this kind of action from Fritz was when we find out in The Closer that he is some sort of sharp shooter, as he takes out a guy threatening Brenda.

Do they ever follow up on Fritz’s abilities or history?  I assume the line to Andy is there to be developed if the new series was approved, which it wasn’t.  Did Major Crimes ever explain it?

I happened to re-watch that episode yesterday(?) too.
Knowing what comes next, I loved Fritz's line to Flynn:

• Andy, I'm the right person to do what needs to be done here, for lots of reasons.

So the line stands on its own quite well——at least it does for me knowing the history of Fritz and Andy working together through The Closer and then 2+ more years of Major Crimes. 

I also loved Fritz safely taking out the perp with one bullet.  

Edited January 20, 2023 by shapeshifter

[Crs97]

Fritz is awesome!  I just can’t remember whether we ever got more details about those “lots of reasons.”  

Edited January 20, 2023 by Crs97

[Bastet]

3 hours ago, Crs97 said:

Fritz is awesome!  I just can’t remember whether we ever got more details about those “lots of reasons.”  

Not in Major Crimes.  (If there was more info given back in The Closer, I wouldn't remember, but MC still occupies a ridiculous amount of space in my brain.  What I do recall of his job in the original series is all investigatory, although, yes, there was that episode where he was suddenly a sharpshooter who took out the ICE agent.)

I'm glad that spin-off never happened.  I wouldn't have watched it -- too much a typical cop show, way too excited about gadgetry and shoot 'em ups, and they were going for something with shipping child-averse Brenda off to D.C. and having Ann be a widow gazing over at Fritz comforting the little girl -- and I'd have missed having Fritz on MC.  I like how he works with the squad, particularly Sharon.  But I liked him better as the FBI liaison than as head of SOB, which was not a match for his skill set (or, at least, they never bothered to explain what about his FBI experience made him fit to run a huge, multi-department tactical division of the LAPD, let alone why Taylor just had to have him for it; it came out of nowhere, and with the SOB spin-off going nowhere, we were stuck with them shoehorning in these new people from time to time).

Edited January 20, 2023 by Bastet

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, Crs97 said:

Fritz is awesome!  I just can’t remember whether we ever got more details about those “lots of reasons.”  

I don't think so.
But I'm fine with just remembering it as that one line 
——the way Fritz addressed "Andy" by first name
——conveying that they had built up a trust and shorthand communication between them (they were both long-time AA members).

[Bastet]

Most of "Chain Reaction" (with the dueling Santas in the flash mob created to distract from a bank robbery) never fails to make me laugh, including what I just tuned on the TV in time to see -- when Sharon makes everyone clear the Murder Room rather than gawking at Patrice when they learn she and Provenza are going away together for Christmas, and in the case of Andy and Buzz she has to physically move them along.  It's physically funny, and it also makes all the characterization sense in the world those two would be the most curious. 

Another favorite is coming up:  When they tell the defense attorney they found the missing co-conspirator's body under the suspect's bed, stuffed inside her son's cello case, and Provenza says, "Thank God he doesn't play the triangle."  Laughing at that meant it took me until the second or third viewing to notice Sharon's reaction, which is great.

Edited March 5, 2023 by Bastet

[PattyorSelma]

On 2/3/2022 at 6:55 AM, Crs97 said:

My favorite episode will always be the old show biz folks in the nursing home.  Seeing Tim Conway and Ron Glass and Marion Ross on my tv evoked such memories and their final scene is the best thing ever.

I also love this episode.  Is there an inside joke regarding Provenza’s special request that they all serve on the Emmy judging committee?  Were they all Emmy winners, or maybe guest star Emmy winners?

[Bastet]

I love that episode, too.  Season two is my favorite, and that's one of the many reasons why.

Tim Conway and Doris Roberts won numerous Emmys.  The rest were all nominated - Marion Ross many times - but never won.

The characters wouldn't qualify to serve as voters unless they'd worked more recently than was implied, but I let it go because it was a cute thing for Provenza to request.

This episode was made back when TNT supported the show (before the new guy took over and hated it because it wasn't "edgy", even though it remained the network's number one drama no matter how many different timeslots he put it in), so I wonder if they submitted any of the actors for consideration in the guest star category of that year's Emmys.  If they did, I can understand none being nominated; how could you single one out?  They were the perfect ensemble -- at the apartment complex, at the station, and, especially, in that hilarious allocution in the courtroom.

[PattyorSelma]

I loved Tim Conway's promise to the judge to never let anyone kill himself from his own rudeness again.  😊

The episodes with humor were very funny.  The flight attendants who told Flynn and Provenza that they should meet their Moms.  Ha!  I like the episode about the very, very vanilla shakes, too.  The wife was played by Missi Pyle. I was friends with her sister in school and spent a lot of time at her house.  The entire family sang together at church and they were fantastic. 

[shapeshifter]

4 hours ago, PattyorSelma said:

The episodes with humor were very funny.

There's a curated list of funny Major Crimes and The Closer episodes featuring Flynn and Provenza:
https://majorcrimesdivision.fandom.com/wiki/Flynn_and_Provenza_Episodes

But there other funny episodes too, like The Closer's "You Have the Right to Remain Jolly."

And Andy Dally as "Dick Tracy" in Major Crimes "Frozen Assets" and The Closer "Tapped Out," but those 2 may be on the Flynn & Provenza list too.

[Bastet]

7 hours ago, PattyorSelma said:

Ha!  I like the episode about the very, very vanilla shakes, too.  The wife was played by Missi Pyle. I was friends with her sister in school and spent a lot of time at her house.

That's cool.  She has great line delivery and facial expressions.  I hadn't seen her in many things when "Off the Wagon" (the "very vanilla" episode) originally aired, but she later turned up in a recurring role on Mom and I really liked her in that, too.

The comedic episodes are some of my favorites, too.  I can't pick which one tops my list, but "There's No Place Like Home" (the one we were just discussing, with all the great guest stars) and "Cutting Loose" (with Luke Perry as the star of Badge of Justice) are definitely contenders.  Because I particularly love when the comedy includes - or centers around - taking the piss out of their own industry.

[PattyorSelma]

On 6/17/2023 at 1:35 PM, shapeshifter said:

There's a curated list of funny Major Crimes and The Closer episodes featuring Flynn and Provenza:
https://majorcrimesdivision.fandom.com/wiki/Flynn_and_Provenza_Episodes

But there other funny episodes too, like The Closer's "You Have the Right to Remain Jolly."

And Andy Dally as "Dick Tracy" in Major Crimes "Frozen Assets" and The Closer "Tapped Out," but those 2 may be on the Flynn & Provenza list too.

I am currently watching “Tapped Out” (airing today!) and Andy Daly is absolutely hilarious.  I had forgotten that he was the guy who pretended to be Flynn, Provenza and Pope after they all gave him their cards.  Brenda pointed out that this Detective Richard Tracy could also be known as Dick Tracy.  He’s so funny again on Major Crimes.  I love the last scene when he mouths the words on the stolen letter of recommendation that Provenza wrote for Rusty.  He probably would have been a great cop!

On 6/17/2023 at 4:25 PM, Bastet said:

That's cool.  She has great line delivery and facial expressions.  I hadn't seen her in many things when "Off the Wagon" (the "very vanilla" episode) originally aired, but she later turned up in a recurring role on Mom and I really liked her in that, too.

The comedic episodes are some of my favorites, too.  I can't pick which one tops my list, but "There's No Place Like Home" (the one we were just discussing, with all the great guest stars) and "Cutting Loose" (with Luke Perry as the star of Badge of Justice) are definitely contenders.  Because I particularly love when the comedy includes - or centers around - taking the piss out of their own industry.

I think the best thing I saw Missi Pyle in was the episode of “My Name is Earl” where she played a knife throwing pageant mom.  Absolutely brilliant!  It’s a shame she never got to sing because she has an incredible voice.

Edited June 19, 2023 by PattyorSelma

[Bastet]

While I enjoyed Pope being caught up in the foolish shenanigans rather than the usual of looking down on Andy and Provenza's blunder, I don't particularly care for the "Dick Tracy" episode of The Closer.  There's just so much of Baird, and he's so damn loud, and they go a little too light in talking about someone with mental illness. 

But I love "Frozen Assets", when he returns in this show.  They're honest about his illness, and he's medicated other than that final day when he forgets to take it, so he's not as bombastic, which makes him a lot funnier.  (And when he is yelling, it's to hilariously take down their theory of him as the killer.)

I think my favorite thing about it may be the Eternal Meadows commercial, as that is a perfect parody.  The disclaimers and "See our ad in Golf Lover’s magazine” chyroned across the bottom throughout are particularly inspired. 

But the whole episode cracks me up.  Provenza and Flynn bickering is always fun, so I love them as they go to find the frozen head, and especially when Andy guesses cabin boy on the Mayflower or dish washer at the Last Supper for Provenza's first job.

It does bug me that, in an episode of The Closer, Mike found a way they could test cremated remains for arsenic but then in this episode he's the one who says it can’t be done.  (And there was no need to contradict themselves for the sake of the plot about needing the head; they could have simply said they needed to test a tissue sample, not the remains, because they needed to establish the level, not just the mere presence, of arsenic [since her cancer treatment contained arsenic].) 

But I still love it for things like Sharon's reaction to Marcella Brewster's wig.  And for including one of the several times she gets away with sitting on Provenza's desk.  I love that she's the only one who can.

 

[Spartan Girl]

I may not like Rusty, but it’s impossible not to feel for him when his bitch mother (using the term in the loosest way possible) blames all her problems on him being gay and has the audacity to accuse him of liking what he was forced to do on the streets. Him finally standing up to her and cutting her off was one of his better moments in the show.

[PattyorSelma]

I also liked all the videos that took the relatives out of the will but always gave millions to the dog.  The modestly clothed statues were funny too.  
 

[Bastet]

On 6/20/2023 at 6:12 AM, Spartan Girl said:

I may not like Rusty, but it’s impossible not to feel for him

If Duff hadn't been so obsessed with him as his Mini-Me, and gave him the lesser focus he should have had in this ensemble, I wouldn't really have issues with Rusty.  I love him with Sharon, and with Provenza (I like that in one episode we catch a glimpse of two framed photos on his dresser, and one is a picture of him and Sharon and one a picture of him and Provenza), there's humor to be found in his adolescent myopia and obnoxiousness via others' pitch perfect reactions to him, and there is much that is very moving about him slowly coming to understand as abuse what happened to him with his other mother and on the streets.  We just needed less of him.  And to tone down by about 80% the Rusty Beck, Super Journalist and Rusty Beck, Junior Detective storylines.

I will say regarding Sharon Beck, Ever Carradine does an impressive job when playing Sharon using versus playing Sharon sober, using facial expression and vocal intonation to really highlight what's the same and what's different.

[shapeshifter]

2.5 "D.O.A." just aired on START TV.
The B plot is "Elsewhere, Raydor's estranged husband arrives in Los Angeles to work as an attorney" and, especially, to freeload off of Sharon.
Although my ex (since 30+ years ago) is nothing like Jack Raydor, they are equally...hmmm...what's a good word for it?...
Let's say: Disappointing.
I really enjoy seeing how Sharon handles Jack.
The writing for their non-relationship is perfect.

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

I really enjoy seeing how Sharon handles Jack.
The writing for their non-relationship is perfect.

Yes, very well written and the actors - who'd played spouses in a play back in the '80s - work very well together.  It was an interesting, layered relationship.  They had to show us both why she'd married and had kids with him in the first place and why she'd remained separated from him even after he quit drinking, and they did.

One of my favorite episodes with them is "Boys Will Be Boys", because we see how Jack still knows her very well in some ways, understanding how the case affects her, but we also see him perplexed she only wants one pancake, because he hasn't been part of her daily routine since back when she had the metabolism to eat a stack of pancakes and stay that thin.  (Also, the way she waves her fork at him to gesture for him to stop asking Rusty about Kris tickles me all out of proportion, and did even before learning Mary McDonnell lost control of it in one take and Tom Berenger nearly had a fork sticking out of his chest.)

[shapeshifter]

12 hours ago, Bastet said:

They had to show us both why she'd married and had kids with him in the first place and why she'd remained separated from him even after he quit drinking, and they did.

And, although they used Catholicism as the reason Sharon was still married to Jack after being separated for 20 years, I am now wondering if that was just for simplicity.
A friend Sharon’s age recently went through a divorce, which was very tricky because her spouse had decided to “retire” at 50, while my friend had recently received a substantial salary increase, and almost got stuck paying alimony even though she provided all child care, housekeeping, cooking, etc. for 18 years, during most of which she worked too.

So Sharon not divorcing because she was a practicing Catholic may have in part just spared us a bit of financial soap opera and allowed the writers instead to tell more character-driven stories.

Edited July 8, 2023 by shapeshifter

[Raja]

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

And, although they used Catholicism as the reason Sharon was still married to Jack after being separated for 20 years, I am now wondering if that was just for simplicity.
A friend Sharon’s age recently went through a divorce, which was very tricky because her spouse had decided to “retire” at 50, while my friend had recently received a substantial salary increase, and almost got stuck paying alimony even though she provided all child care, housekeeping, cooking, etc. for 18 years, during most of which she worked too.

So Sharon not divorcing because she was a practicing Catholic may have in part just spared us a bit of financial soap opera and allowed the writers instead to tell more character-driven stories.

With an attorney husband, even with addictions to snatch his money I really don't think money was the root but that they actually wanted to put particulars of faith into play. The story of Sharon needing to get the okay from others, her Bishop accepting an annulment in this case, to get married.

For recent generations, outside of the Philippines, it is no longer a storyline that is looked at in fiction since the states allow the remarriage and only the devout people take that path as opposed to being a totally universalist or secular wedding.  And while we see characters of various faiths on TV, maybe one per show often the brother priest of the lead shows up, we rarely see lead characters that follow the letter of the law of their faith. Part of the reason being of their being only one character we really explore faith with.

So though Detective Sanchez shares her faith besides seeing his actions when entering a church it really didn't play into stories. On the other hand Sergeant Gabriel's faith, more in a community than doctrinal sense on The Closer being more integrated into stories than Julio's before Sharon took over the lead.

[Bastet]

Religion was only one of the several reasons Sharon mentioned, and when she decided to finally divorce him, we learn it had largely been inertia for a while -- originally, it helped her at work to be technically married, but that had long since passed and there basically just hadn't been a need for it until wanting to adopt Rusty necessitated it.

[Bastet]

I just accidentally clicked on this forum instead of the one below it on my home page, and seeing my post about Sharon's divorce reminded me I forgot to add an FYI about the financial aspect since that was raised.  They misstated CA law in the episode where Jack says in a divorce, he'd be entitled to half her savings and half her pension.  That's the entire point of her filing for legal separation all those years ago; to, as she said in an earlier episode, untangle her finances from his.

Everything she'd earned from the date of separation on - which, of course, is the bulk of her money - was her separate property, not their community property, so he wasn't entitled to any of it.  They'd have just needed to figure out their shares of what was earned and acquired during the ten years they were a "marital economic community".  (And for that reason it's realistic that financial reasons were listed when Sharon answered Rusty's question [upon Jack's return] about why they're still married -- it's just that so much time had passed since they were in a community property situation, it's about avoiding an administrative pain in the ass, not a financial burden.)

Edited August 4, 2023 by Bastet

[Spartan Girl]

“Flight Risk” was on. I really wish that instead of ending it with the mother running out of the room crying after Sharon (offscreen) breaks it that the cousin she was fucking killed her husband and kids, they ended with her beating the crap out of him like Julio tries to. Especially how he tried to make her think that the husband took the kids and abandoned her…

Although what was she doing, sleeping with him in the first place?! Not that I’m trying to victim blame here but still. I mean, her COUSIN, for FFS!

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

I mean, her COUSIN, for FFS!

I love Taylor's delivery on "Didn't see that coming".

That's an odd one, because she says it's "something we fell into when we were 16" and she stopped it "years ago", but the kid fathered by the cousin is the younger one, not the older one.  So was it going on that entire time?  Off and on?  On other than the time she and her husband lived in San Diego?  It doesn't matter, obviously, I've just always found that whole thing so weird, because it's not like he's a cousin she didn't grow up with, so doesn't feel like a cousin to her; the whole extended family has apparently always spent time together.

2 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Especially how he tried to make her think that the husband took the kids and abandoned her…

And it's not like his original plan (which didn't include killing the kids; he thought they'd already be at camp) was much less cruel in terms of psychological damage to the woman he claims to love, making her think the husband had abandoned her and their kids.

Edited August 4, 2023 by Bastet

[Chaos Theory]

I have been watching the occasional episode.  Not in any particular order since the show apparently is on a couple channels now.    My favorite episodes are actually the ones where you end up kinda following the killer like in “Poster Boy”,  “Moral Hazard” and “Penalty Phase”.  I also really liked “The Jumping Off Point” and”Two Options” because they told interesting stories.     
 

I know Rusty was a divisive character but I kinda like what he was meant to be even though it didn’t always work.    He was the epitome of what a twist of fate can mean for a life and we were watching that life unfold.  Warts and all.  

[Bastet]

51 minutes ago, Chaos Theory said:

He was the epitome of what a twist of fate can mean for a life and we were watching that life unfold.  Warts and all.  

The storyline with "Alice Herrera/Jane Doe #48" (who turned out to be Marianna Wallace), Bug, and Slider really drove home how their stories were the far more typical ones of abandoned/runaway kids on the streets, and how much a lucky anomaly Rusty was.  I love the scene when he acknowledges this to Sharon. 

I also love the trajectory of Sharon and later Sharon and Dr. Joe guiding Rusty to understand what he "did" on the streets was actually what was done to him.

Plus, while I don't watch most cop shows as I hate - among other things - their normalization and even glorification of police misconduct, of my limited exposure (either by watching or hearing about), I don't think any other has really gotten into like this one does what life means for a material witness in a big case.  There have been sensationalist stories about witnesses being killed, but not the daily reality of it going on for years, of having to give depositions and testify at pre-trial hearings, of being subject to being locked up for lack of cooperation, etc.

They also hint at in in "Dismissed With Prejudice" about Lydia, who as a little girl had testified about seeing her father stab her mother but then been tricked by him into recanting -- she made the case for the DA's office, but when it resurfaces, the prosecutor didn't even know where she'd been living (with her maternal grandparents) since.  They're treated as pieces of evidence, not as people, so when they've served their purpose, the system never thinks about them again. 

Even Sharon initially took Rusty in simply because he kept running away from his foster homes, and she thought she'd be able to sit on him.  It's just that things evolved fairly quickly; it's not all that far into the first season that - even though she does not yet regard him as a son, of course - I am convinced even if Philip Stroh had dropped dead and thus they no longer needed Rusty as a witness, she would have committed to continue fostering him through high school graduation at least.

[Crs97]

You know when I disliked Rusty the most?  When he wanted to write an audition article about their investigation into the string of robberies that ended in murder and got pissed that Major Crimes went to professional reporters rather than give him the scoop.  He should have had more than Buzz calling him out.

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

The storyline with "Alice Herrera/Jane Doe #48" (who turned out to be Marianna Wallace), Bug, and Slider really drove home how their stories were the far more typical ones of abandoned/runaway kids on the streets, and how much a lucky anomaly Rusty was.  I love the scene when he acknowledges this to Sharon. 

True. Without the similar-but-contrasting Alice/Marianna Wallace and Slider story, Rusty can appear to have had good fortune due to his own, diamond-in-the-rough qualities rather than a turn of luck (mostly due to Sharon entering his life).

 

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

I also love the trajectory of Sharon and later Sharon and Dr. Joe guiding Rusty to understand what he "did" on the streets was actually what was done to him

Yes, the arc of Rusty’s effective therapy is probably rare, but it serves to educate the viewer about the role of trafficked children better than any one-liner by Olivia Benson on L&O SVU — her lines always seeming to me to be the Band-Aid of Socially Redeeming Value on an otherwise sordid tale told through a gratuitous lens.

[Crs97]

I think I keep missing an episode or two.  Can someone please explain why Julio isn’t speaking to Andy and why Andy explains to Sharon that he did what he did to Julio because he wanted to protect her?

[TrixieTrue]

On 8/16/2023 at 11:38 PM, Crs97 said:

I think I keep missing an episode or two.  Can someone please explain why Julio isn’t speaking to Andy and why Andy explains to Sharon that he did what he did to Julio because he wanted to protect her?

So this happens from the last episode of season 3 and the first of season 4. 

In the last episode of season 3 (Special Master Part 2), the team was looking for someone who was burning down houses with dead sex workers left inside. When they found him, Julio beat him up. Rather excessively. I feel like perhaps a scene was cut, but it seems like Andy doesn't think Julio is ready to be back after his suspension and wants Robbie O'derno (spelling?) to stay on the team. 

Edited to add a little since I went back and rewatched episode 1 of season 4. Andy says that O'derno should finish the case since he started it, not Julio. Provenza confronts him and Andy says that he doesn't want to worry about the guy next to him exploding. 

Andy and Julio have a disagreement about how the undercover people are handling the case. In a later scene, O'derno finds out that the brother bought a stun gun and Andy tells him good job, but in an over-exaggerated way in front of everyone, including Julio. In the final scene, Andy tells Sharon that he was looking out for her best interests. 

 

 

 

Edited August 18, 2023 by TrixieTrue
More info

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, TrixieTrue said:

In the final scene, Andy tells Sharon that he was looking out for her best interests. 

I like her response: Andy, I've been looking after my own best interests for a really long time, especially at work.  I don't need you for that.

And I love that Julio not only finally faced consequences for his actions, he actually did the work on managing his anger.  It was nice to see him punished, and it was very nice to see him deserve to return.  It's so very Sharon that she went against Taylor's recommendation and brought Julio back to the squad when she did, and put him right back out in the field, trusting his progress and commitment and knowing he needed to feel like he still belonged.

[CrazyInAlabama]

When he came back Julio didn't move into his old desk, and when Rusty asked him why, Julio said that he wasn't sure he was staying.   

I was stunned when Julio went to talk to his late wife's doctor, and found out the wife lied to him about the doctor letting her quit her medication.  

[proserpina65]

On 8/18/2023 at 3:55 PM, Bastet said:

It was nice to see him punished, and it was very nice to see him deserve to return. 

I didn't think he was anywhere near ready to return at that point, but it was good to see that he did have to face consequences.  His anger issues went on for far too long before that happened, though.

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

I didn't think he was anywhere near ready to return at that point, but it was good to see that he did have to face consequences.  His anger issues went on for far too long before that happened, though.

Oh, yeah - far too long, across both series.  Although until the string of episodes that ends with him only being allowed to stay active on the job if he goes to twice weekly anger management sessions for a year, most of his inappropriate behavior happened outside of Sharon's view.  I don't remember how much of it Brenda saw.

But he's in control once he comes back, and we see him using his anger management techniques to maintain control when he feels it start to slip, a touch I really appreciated.  They don't just drop it; they show him continuing to do the work, including finally confronting his biggest source of anger, at his wife's doctor, and dealing with the emotional fallout of learning the truth.  It's a good arc for him.

[Spartan Girl]

The Kayla Weber episode…you know I would never condone violence against women, but in this case, I’ll make an exception.

[TrixieTrue]

17 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

The Kayla Weber episode…you know I would never condone violence against women, but in this case, I’ll make an exception.

This episode is (for me) an interesting case in contradictions. On the one hand, there's all these cheerful Christmas decorations everywhere, in contrast to the very dark storyline. 

I actually posted about this episode some time ago, wondering what kind of sentence the dad would get. When the team arrived at his home at the end, he was in a kind of dissociative state. Maybe that's not a good way to describe it, but it's like he's quasi-aware of what's happening. I wonder, if this happened in real life (and I obviously hope it never would), how the remaining parent would be sentenced. He would have the best lawyers and public opinion would be somewhat on his side. Yes, he committed a very serious crime, but would be unlikely to do it again. I don't know how I would feel if I were on a jury. 

[Chaos Theory]

1 hour ago, TrixieTrue said:

This episode is (for me) an interesting case in contradictions. On the one hand, there's all these cheerful Christmas decorations everywhere, in contrast to the very dark storyline. 

I actually posted about this episode some time ago, wondering what kind of sentence the dad would get. When the team arrived at his home at the end, he was in a kind of dissociative state. Maybe that's not a good way to describe it, but it's like he's quasi-aware of what's happening. I wonder, if this happened in real life (and I obviously hope it never would), how the remaining parent would be sentenced. He would have the best lawyers and public opinion would be somewhat on his side. Yes, he committed a very serious crime, but would be unlikely to do it again. I don't know how I would feel if I were on a jury. 

Beating someone to death is actually tiring.   Dude was probably just exhausted.  Not to mention the stress and anger of losing his daughter and finding out how she died leaving his body the way it did.  The mom hadn’t been dead for long so he was still feeling what he did.   And yeah he would likely get the best attorney and have public opinion on his side which is why he would likely make a deal for manslaughter or something.     Risk a jury not seeing it his way or make the best deal with a prosecutor who is afraid the jury might.  

[Bastet]

7 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

And yeah he would likely get the best attorney and have public opinion on his side which is why he would likely make a deal for manslaughter or something.

Yes, while Provenza says "Now, it's a murder", it would likely be charged as manslaughter, not murder, and almost certainly result in a plea since both sides have incentive to deal -- he's guilty, but he's a rich public figure who'd just found out his wife negligently caused their child's death, so the prosecution has reason to worry about a jury.  So they'd probably wind up settling on a sentence at the low end of the guidelines for manslaughter.

[Chaos Theory]

I was never a fan of “The Closer”.  Something about the show just annoyed me.  I can’t put my finger on what it was but it wasn’t the procedural as I do watch a few of them.   To be honest I didn’t even watch Major Case until the series finale and only because I caught an episode or two and I have a deep and all consuming love for Mary McDonnell.   Battlestar Galactica will forever be one of my favorite science fiction shows.  Questionable ending or not.   Anywho while watching I kinda did like the premise which was less tricking someone without a lawyer into confessing and more making sure they had a lawyer, knew they had rights,  offering them a deal and then walking them into a confession that invalidated that deal.  All with every camera in the building watching.    I kinda dug that.   Plus there was some comedy that I found….comedic.   Provenza and his printer that everyone just accepted they had to pay to use.   Him calling Uber “The Uber”.   I also really liked Provenza’s relationship with Rusty.  
 

my favorite episodes are still the ones where you follow the bad guys around a bit like Poster Boy, Miral Hazard, and  Penalty Phase.

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

Him calling Uber “The Uber”.

That is, without a doubt, my favorite part of "Moral Hazard".  We'd heard him say The Facebook or The Twitter several times before, and it made me laugh every time, but when he came out with "If he left his car behind, how did he get out of here -- The Uber?" I absolutely cracked up.

I like the episodes you listed, where we follow the killer around, but they're not my favorites and it's a narrative structure I'm glad was the exception rather than the norm.

I'm always kind of surprised I like "Moral Hazard" as I long ago grew bored with stories about straight white guys convinced the system is out to get them, but I do.  I have a few issues, though:

Patrice.  I get so aggravated by characters (like Fritz) who knowingly marry someone with a dangerous job they wouldn't give up for the world, and then complain about it.  Not wanting to share his pension with Liz is only why he won't retire even if/when he gets thoroughly infuriated by something (like hating his new bosses at first); he wants to die at his desk, period.  Unless he lied to her - meaning he told her he'd love to retire and travel with her (on a budget, heh), but can't unless Liz remarries and he's off the hook for the pension - she's out of line.  (Now, given his history, how he initially tries to wiggle out of the conversation in this episode, and how he considers lying to her about getting shot, I'll grant that is possible.  I just have a frequent problem with how Patrice is written; the character is largely saved for me simply because I like Dawnn Lewis in everything I see her in.)  She comes around very nicely in the end, though.

I don't understand why Chase bothered to hide the mortgage guy's body.  He's not trying to get away with anything - he killed people on camera, and left all the other bodies behind - just keep ahead of the cops long enough to carry out his big finale at the conference.  So why take the time to hide this one?  And where is it (they're still looking as the episode ends) -- it's not in the tow truck where he killed him, in the gas station bathroom where he ditched his bloody clothes, in his bags, or in the trunk of the victim's car he stole.  So he took the time to go somewhere else, for the sole purpose of ditching that body.  It's out of step with his MO.  (I probably wouldn't have noticed it until I was multiple viewings in, except Sharon and Taylor mention the ongoing search.)

Two little things, too:

When Sharon gets out of the car at the hotel, she still has on her heels.  It's not until the next scene there she has on the ankle boots she wears in the field.  It would make more sense to have changed shoes in the car.

And, sticking with the theme of feet, when they go to the water company boss's house, they don't put on their usual shoe cover booties to walk around the crime scene -- which was already noticeable to someone like me, and more so when Sharon walked right onto the bloodstained rug.

Edited August 24, 2023 by Bastet

[CheshireCat]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

Patrice.  I get so aggravated by characters (like Fritz) who knowingly marry someone with a dangerous job they wouldn't give up for the world, and then complain about it. 

Right?! It always irritates me to no end, too. Everyone has traits that a partner might find irritating or frustrating and you may be able to change small things. But if you expect the partner to change jobs simply because you have an issue with what you do then maybe they're not the right partner for you. It never makes sense if they write it like that especially since more often than not, the writing seems to suggest the partner who doesn't give up their job is at fault or something.

[Bastet]

I'm not sure why, as I haven't watched anything Major Crimes related on YouTube in quite some time, but this came up as a recommendation.  I'm not much of a fan video connoisseur, but this struck me as pretty good, something that would have made for a nice extended promo of the show (and I love it including Sharon's dialogue from an episode of The Closer, when she talks to Brenda about the difficulties in being close with those you're working with; I've always thought "relationships sometimes depend on what you're willing to overlook" was a very true sentiment):

 

[shapeshifter]

16 hours ago, Bastet said:

I'm not sure why, as I haven't watched anything Major Crimes related on YouTube in quite some time, but this came up as a recommendation.  I'm not much of a fan video connoisseur, but this struck me as pretty good, something that would have made for a nice extended promo of the show (and I love it including Sharon's dialogue from an episode of The Closer, when she talks to Brenda about the difficulties in being close with those you're working with; I've always thought "relationships sometimes depend on what you're willing to overlook" was a very true sentiment):https://youtu.be/K3Q-8NtvU6E

I didn't see Sharon with the bean bag gun (a fabulous bit).
Maybe it doesn't work well as a clip?

Edited September 8, 2023 by shapeshifter

[Bastet]

9 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I didn't see Sharon with the bean bag gun (a fabulous bit).
Maybe it doesn't work well as a clip?

I believe they stuck to clips from Major Crimes for the visuals, only taking that one audio clip from The Closer (but not using the video of that scene, just laying it over clips from MC).

[basiltherat]

As Rusty said on one occasion, "My Mom's a badass."

[Bastet]

5 hours ago, basiltherat said:

As Rusty said on one occasion, "My Mom's a badass."

She is, in so many ways, but I love the juxtaposition in that scene.  It's after she goads a misogynist suspect into lashing out at her, so they can hold him for assault, and he hits her in the face (which I think is a little more than she bargained for).  Calming down from seeing it happen, understanding how methodically she went about it, and seeing Sharon "hold on a minute" to everything from getting some ice to talking to anyone other than Andrea until she confirmed she got what Andrea needs, Rusty says that line -- and then we cut to Sharon whimpering "Ow" as she heads for her office.  TV usually presents getting hit in the face as nothing (unless it's one of those magical TV/movie punches that knocks someone out completely), so I appreciated that.

I always appreciated that her physical badassery was limited and realistic, something 60-something Mary McDonnell was actually doing, not something performed by a 25-year-old stunt double.  I love Mama Bear Sharon tearing barefoot down eight flights of stairs to bust open a door with a fire extinguisher to keep Wade Weller from killing Rusty.

And, yeah, the bean bag gun back in The Closer was great, and my absolute favorite part is that - matching what Sharon had said about it being a lucky shot, the recoil on those guns is terrible - later that day when they're talking in the squad room, Mary plays the scene with her hand tucked inside her jacket, resting where the butt of the gun would have bruised Sharon and now be starting to throb.

Edited September 10, 2023 by Bastet

[Spartan Girl]

Sharon was so awesome. Olivia Benson isn’t fit to polish her shoes (yes, unrelated shows, but still)