The Closer - Season 7 - Final Six Episodes - Press Release & Descriptions

TNT’s Landmark Series The Closer Reaches Powerful Conclusion With Six Final Episodes, Beginning Monday, July 9

Series Finale to Air Monday, August 13, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT), Followed by the Launch of New Series Major Crimes

For seven memorable seasons, Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson and the LAPD’s Major Crimes unit have closed some of television’s most intriguing, mind-bending and surprising cases. This summer, Johnson and her team will face their last cases together as TNT airs the final six episodes of the record-breaking blockbuster series The Closer. The acclaimed series, starring Emmy winner Kyra Sedgwick, will return Monday, July 9, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) with all-new episodes, leading to the unforgettable series finale on Monday, August 13, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).

The endearing Brenda Leigh Johnson, seamlessly brought to life by Sedgwick, has brilliantly solved puzzles, interrogated criminals, elicited confessions and closed complex cases for more than seven years with vigor, wit and a whole lot of southern charm. The dedicated detectives working under her have investigated their way through mishaps and successes, creating an indelible cast of characters that have engaged audiences since the beginning.

In addition to Sedgwick, The Closer’s extraordinary Screen Actors Guild Award–nominated cast includes Jon Tenney as Brenda’s husband, FBI Special Agent Fritz Howard, who worries the stress of the job may be too much for her; J.K. Simmons as interim Police Chief Will Pope, whose career has undergone several seismic shifts; Corey Reynolds as Brenda’s right-hand man, Detective Sergeant David Gabriel; Robert Gossett as Commander Taylor, whose role in the department is constantly being redefined; G.W. Bailey as Lieutenant Provenza, a seasoned veteran who serves as Brenda’s second in command, despite a record of embarrassing blunders; Tony Denison as Lieutenant Andy Flynn, whose sarcastic comments have frequently landed him in sticky situations; Michael Paul Chan as the squad’s tech guru, Lieutenant Mike Tao, whose obsessive attention to detail can try his colleagues’ patience; Raymond Cruz as gang expert Detective Julio Sanchez, who often allows his emotions to get the better of him; and Phillip P. Keene as audio-visual technician Buzz Watson, who demands the utmost respect for the department’s equipment.

Two-time Oscar® nominee Mary McDonnell joined The Closer as a regular cast member last summer in the role of Captain Sharon Raydor, the role that had previously earned her an Emmy® nomination as a guest star. McDonnell will continue to play Raydor in TNT’s new series Major Crimes, which is slated to premiere August 13, right after The Closer's series finale.

As The Closer winds down with its final six episodes, Brenda thinks she has finally cornered her longtime nemesis, lawyer and suspected rapist and murderer Philip Stroh, played by returning guest star Billy Burke. Brenda has been haunted for years by her obsession with putting Stroh behind bars, and this could be her last chance to close this open case. But her reckless fixation on Stroh could put the case – and Brenda's career – in jeopardy.

Meanwhile, Capt. Raydor (McDonnell) and Chief Pope (Simmons) will continue investigating a mysterious leak in the department that fueled a federal lawsuit against Brenda. Although the lawsuit was eventually dropped, Pope was forced to put a new policy in place called “The Johnson Rule," which unfairly tied Brenda’s last name to a requirement concerning the release of suspects in a dangerous environment. The new rule may have effectively ended the case against Brenda, but the new rule back-handedly incriminated her for transgressions she believes she did not commit. It also made Brenda realize that there are people in the department she simply cannot trust.

Brenda’s parents, played by guest stars Frances Sternhagen and Barry Corbin, will also make a return visit this summer, distracting Brenda further and making decisions about her future with the department all the more difficult. In addition, Jon Tenney will take a turn in the director's chair when he helms a light-hearted episode airing July 16. The episode will introduce viewers to Lieutenant Provenza’s first ex-wife, Liz (guest star Diedre O'Connell), who ropes her former husband into helping recover her wedding ring from a shady gold buyer. But Provenza will once again find himself stuck in a professionally embarrassing situation, this time involving a robbery, a felony murder and an evidence-swallowing dog.

Since its premiere in 2005, The Closer has garnered numerous ad-supported cable viewership records, including being the only series in cable history to rank #1 for five consecutive years. In its seventh season so far, the show is averaging 8.3 million viewers.

The Closer is produced for TNT by The Shephard/Robin Company, in association with Warner Bros. Television. The series was created by James Duff, who serves as executive producer with Greer Shephard, Michael M. Robin, Kyra Sedgwick and Rick Wallace. The show is produced by Andrew J. Sacks. Gil Garcetti, Los Angeles district attorney from 1992 to 2000, serves as consulting producer

Episode Synopses

"Hostile Witness" – Monday, July 9, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
Brenda thinks she has finally cornered her longtime nemesis, lawyer and suspected rapist and murderer Philip Stroh (guest star Billy Burke), when his latest client shows signs of cracking under pressure. But a shocking courtroom maneuver by Brenda puts the entire case in jeopardy, which does not sit well with new D.A. Claire Baldwin (guest star Amanda Mason Warren).

Directed by Steve Robin
Written by Steven Kane
Created by James Duff


"Fool's Gold" – Monday, July 16, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
Provenza gets trapped into helping his first ex-wife, Liz (guest star Diedre O'Connell), recover her wedding ring after she got ripped off by a shady gold buyer. But he once again finds himself stuck in a professionally embarrassing situation, this time involving a robbery, a felony murder, an evidence-swallowing dog and a frantically desperate appraiser (guest star Reg Rogers). John Tenney directs.

Directed by Jon Tenney
Written by Ralph Gifford & Carson Moore
Created by James Duff


"Drug Fiend" – Monday, July 23, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
In a case that hits too close to home for Brenda, a well-liked cancer doctor is brutally killed and his drug supply wiped clean. But the case could have a much wider reach than anyone suspects. To make matters worse, Captain Raydor has a new assignment that leaves Brenda questioning her loyalty to Pope. And Gabriel makes a significant life change.

Directed by Paul McCrane
Written by Duppy Demetrius
Created by James Duff


"Last Rites" – Monday, July 30, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
The murder of a priest puts the squad on a collision course with the Catholic Church and drives a wedge between Brenda and Chief Pope. Meanwhile, Brenda's parents are in town while her father continues his cancer treatments.

Directed by David McWhirter
Written by Leo Geter
Created by James Duff


"Armed Response" – Monday, August 6, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
A young couple hanging out in someone else's house find themselves in hot water when a security guard and decorated veteran winds up dead in the street outside. But Brenda finds her investigation stifled by the watchful eye of the District Attorney's office. Meanwhile, Raydor and Pope finally pinpoint the leak in the department.

Directed by Michael M. Robin
Written by Steven Kane & Jim Leonard
Created by James Duff


Series Finale: "The Last Word" – Monday, August 13, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
A young street hustler (guest star Graham Patrick Martin) sees what appears to be a man burying a woman in Griffith Park, prompting an investigation Brenda is convinced will lead to Philip Stroh (guest star Billy Burke). But Brenda's obsession with Stroh threatens not only her career, but also her life.

Directed by Michael M. Robin
Written by James Duff & Mike Berchem
Created by James Duff