My Review of Major Crimes

Rarely does a spinoff find its own identity.
The graveyard of all the Joanie Loves Chachi spinoff wannabes is pretty large. Still every now and then a lucky few find their own way and turn into something special. Think about it. There is NCIS from for JAG and the plethora of Homicides, or CSIs, Still quality is hard to come by.
That’s why I like Major Crimes so much.
This “The Closer” spinoff has really found its own footing. Crisp writing, excellent characters and powerful story lines fuel the action. The show uses inventive approaches to camera work and direction all having the effect of riveting viewers to their sears.
Mary McDonnel portrayal of Capt. Sharon Raydor is/was an excellent crossover for the stickler form IA who found a home with the rough and tumble squad. The character has a significant advantage over Brenda Lee Johnson (play by Kyra Sedgewick in the Closer). Raydor cares as much about her people as solving the case, while the Johnson would sacrifice friend and foe alike to catch the bad guy.
G.W. Bailey always the loveable curmudgeon, is excellent as LT Provenza. The writers have done a nice job humanizing him, but Provenza does his best to keep humanity at bay. It is his shtick, but that is okay.
Lt. Flynn Andy Flynn, played by Tony Denison, has come a long way from his first days of plotting against Brenda Lee. So much so that now he is having a relationship with Capt. Raydor.
I hope the writers can resist the urge to have Raydor and Flynn break up and make things uncomfortable in the unit. It has been done to death.
The one thing I miss are the old Provenza and Flynn screw up episodes. They were always fun. You know, like the time they found a body in the garage, left it there so they could go to a baseball game and serious antics ensue.
I was not a big fan of the Rusty storyline (played by Graham Patrick Martin) until he pulled it all together as a faux journalist who uncovered the true identity of a dead Jane Doe. The writing was masterful and each episode layered the next. I have to admit it was pretty cool.
I have always been a big fan of Raymond Cruz. I think he gobbles up the screen. I would encourage the writers to make more use of him and the Julio Sanchez and his mom storyline.
I was skeptical of Kearran Giovanni as Sykes, but by golly, she has really proven to be a real addition to the team
I guess the real test of any spinoff is whether you forget the source show. Major Crimes has achieved that. It stands alone as a unique work of art.