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A Few Bad Raps
Kyra Sedgwick courtesy TNT
I'm often asked why The Closer seems so retro. "Isn't it," some journalists inquire, "a throwback to another era?" Well, no. It only feels that way because other popular procedural shows are culled from the future. There aren't many lasers working in the Robbery/Homicide Division of the LAPD. A new crime lab is under construction for Los Angeles County and, when it's done, the people who work there will not be interviewing suspects or solving murders. Or working in the dark. In sprawling glass offices.
The sci-fi fantasy world of CSI intrigues and amazes; it's a fun alternate universe. And the heart-pumping score dazzles. But the many variations of CSI are not based on reality.
Our sets, for example, look like those of a public building because we used Parker Center (LAPD's actual headquarters) as a model. At Parker Center, you will find no lasers or microscopic lenses or instruments that allow one to determine a single French fry's restaurant of origin.
The people pay for the offices of law-enforcement officials through their taxes; that's why, in life, squad rooms seldom look as fashionable as they do on screen. Parker Center, for example, has been condemned. It has asbestos problems. We have added surveillance cameras to their elevators as a public service, but they do not yet possess them.
Brenda often gets reprimanded by fans for lying to murder suspects. But lying is, paradoxically, the only way (sometimes) one can get to the truth. Legally, detectives can lie to your face, just like, legally, you can lie to theirs (though it's against the law to knowingly misstate the truth to federal agents).
In one episode last year, Brenda angers the LAPD by refusing to move the body of a fallen officer until she's examined it. Some who read the script objected to this particular story point: "You never move the body before the investigators see it." Actually, this is not true. You never leave a police officer lying dead on the ground, especially not if he or she has fallen close to the killer; doing so is considered dishonorable.
Another complaint: "How can Brenda question so many people without an attorney present? It's not realistic!" Well, again, over 75 percent of all criminals fail to demand an attorney before being interrogated, mostly because they think asking for a lawyer will make them look guilty. And they think they can outsmart the police anyway.
"Why don't you use more DNA evidence? DNA is central to convictions in modern crimefighting!" Again, this isn't quite true. DNA doesn't so much solve cases as it matches up with the criminals once you find them. Yes, there is some DNA on file, but much, much, much less than you might suppose. Find the criminal and then, if you can put his DNA at the scene, you have a good case to take to court.
The truth is, law enforcement has not fully integrated the modern era's technological advances because it can't afford to do so. We are retro because the world is not yet as we imagine or hope it will be.
One final note: Here in Closer-land, we are very proud that Kyra Sedgwick has once again been nominated for an Emmy as Best Actress in a Drama Series. We love our leading lady and her performance as Brenda is, to all of us, inseparable from the show's success.
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Jul 30, 2007 9:53 PM
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Watching The Closer for the first time was like coming home after a long absence. CSI and the like are fun to watch, but the human element is always missing. Not exactly like our lives, huh? Mr. Duff, your post made me think of public education and some of my colleagues who have forgotten that human interaction and intervention can often do so much more than any technology or funding ever will.
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Jul 31, 2007 12:32 AM
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Congratulations to Krya's Best Actress Emmy nod. Well deserved. I'll be rooting for her.
I'd also like to see "The Closer" in the best show Emmy category. It's certainly as good, if not better, than some of the other shows in the category. But, one step at a time, I suppose!
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Jul 31, 2007 12:24 PM
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Thank you!
Finally someone said what I've been thinking since the CSI era began. CSI is slick, great entertainment, with handsome men and women, but not realistic. With every knock off of the original CSI (Miami and New York) it get's less realistic.
The Closer harkens back to shows like Homicide: Life on the Streets when tv crime fighting had less to do with technology and more to do with human interaction between detective and criminal.
Most crime dramas today rely heavily on technology that can tell one snow flake from another without any type of human interaction or drama. The detectives are cartoonish. Who has ever heard of a public servant (a detective no less) driving a Hummer. Horatio Cain I'm talking to you!!!
That's what makes The Closer so special, the realism, the emotion, characters that aren't perfect but relate to each other and criminals as detectives should.
Congrats Kyra!!
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Jul 31, 2007 1:49 PM
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Brenda Leigh is a tough, bright LADY. It's hard to find that combo. She does a so-called "man's job" in high heels. What's not to like? Okay, a bit of a klutz and a chocolate lover ... So she's not perfect. All the more reason to love her. You go, girl/Kyra. Also like the mix of characters in the supporting cast. TNT, give us more!
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Jul 31, 2007 3:52 PM
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Mr. Duff--I believe one of the things I enjoy so much about The Closer, is, how so like a well-written mystery it is. I know how much razzle-dazzle is thrown at the audiences with the other shows but the great thing about The Closer is it takes both the forensic and the awareness of keen observation and creates a well done mystery drama.
And kudos to Kyra for being nominated!! Next should be a nomination for best drama and writing.
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Jul 31, 2007 3:57 PM
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James - I applaud your efforts to bring us viewers an accurate portrayal of today's criminal investigators. I abhor the CSI shows that shove inaccurate procedures and situations down our throats. How many Forensic people get injured on a crime scene? It appears to be a very dangerous job if you watch the CSI's!
I love The Closure and consider it the top procedural on TV today!
I love your blogs too!
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Jul 31, 2007 4:38 PM
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Mr. Duff - thanks for your blog! I enjoyed reading it. You did bring some things to light that, I'm sure, people regularly ask you.
People do tend to think we are further advanced in science than we really are. Your blog reminded me of Scotty in Star Trek IV - affectionately known as the Save the Whales movie at my house - where Scotty walks up to the computer and starts talking. Since that technology didn't exist at that time - it was hilariously funny.
Detective work could be characterized as part hard work, part technology. Thanks for renminding us how important the human side really is.
Love this show - and hope Kyra wins!
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Jul 31, 2007 5:13 PM
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It is maddening the extreme differences in procedures between different shows. In the CSI-type shows, the CSIs do all of the evidence collecting, questioning, etc. while in show like L&O, the Cops collect evidence, question, etc. And of course, in obscure crime shows like Monk, Psych, The Dead Zone, etc. an outsider does all the work! -which is correct? Not everyone can do it all like Horatio!
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Jul 31, 2007 7:39 PM
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Hi James,
Thanks for the lesson in real police work. One of the many reasons that I love The Closer is that it depicts real detectives doing the basic detective work that actually solves the crimes. CBS's Cold Case does the same thing, which is why it's also one of my favorite procedurals. I love the original CSI, but I also watch enough forensic shows on Court TV to know that what the CSI's do in CSI isn't how real crime labs are run.
Thanks for a great show and blog.
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Aug 1, 2007 4:55 PM
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Thank you Mr. Duff for this informative and entertaining blog. I applaud you for putting so much emphasis on realism in The Closer. You dare to be different from all the other crime shows. Bravo!
Congratulations to Kyra for the Emmy nomination and everyone who works on the show for the renewal!
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Aug 2, 2007 8:41 AM
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Dear James:
If anything below rings any bells, know that we've been trying to connect.
1. Playing bridge, badly.
2. Doing rewrites on War at Home on my dining room table at Manhattan Plaza.
3. The "Song of America" the week after me years and years ago.
4. Many, many other........
Nina and I have thought of you often and missed you. We LOVE the show.
Melissa1609a@yahoo.com
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Aug 5, 2007 8:19 PM
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the people who work there will not be interviewing suspects or solving murders. Or working in the dark. In sprawling glass offices.
Amen! You've just highlighted one of the things that drives me crazy about the high tech procedurals and also one of the many reasons I love The Closer! I love that you don't make us spend ten minutes of each episode watching "the lab" swirl pretty colored liquids around in tubes, I'm glad when Brenda enters a crime scene and it's dark she simply flips on the light switch instead of walking around in a dark house with a flash light, and I'm really, really glad that after Brenda first encounters a crime scene she doesn't end the moment by standing with her hands on her hips, badge glaring, gun showing, staring off in the distance and making a "clever" remark like, "That's murder, California style." Really, I can't thank you enough.
James Duff, you and your entire Closer crew rock! Long live The Closer!
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Aug 7, 2007 10:24 AM
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James Duff -
Thanks for explaining to the viewing public what life in the criminal justice system is really like. I worked for 7 years as an assistant district attorney in NYC. Our offices never looked as pretty as even those on Law and Order. Space was very tight, so we generally had at least 3 people to a small office. The pipes often leaked and we would quite often come in on a Monday to find all of our files floating in the flood. Although, we did have pets - very large rats that freely roamed the building!
Thanks also for pointing out the fantasy of CSI! I remember when that first started, we instantly saw how it changed what juries expected. Everyone wanted DNA and other fun CSI stuff. That show made it harder to bring a conviction.
Lastly, about your comments on suspects talking without a lawyer. That surprised me when I first started - how willing they are to speak with the cops and with the ADAs. I found that not only did they think they can outsmart you, but that, quite often, they are proud of what they have done. Some of them actually want to boast about what they have done.
I'm a recent convert to the show - keep up the great work!
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Aug 7, 2007 10:35 AM
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To Mr. Duff,
I know this is off topic a bit, but could you tell me what the cast is putting in their coffee in season one? Everyone in Priority Homicide was holding out their mug to Detective Tao for some kind of pasty stuff. What was that??? I'm just curious..
I LOOOOOVE the show, especially Brenda and, oh, everyone, really! Such an awesome development of characters. You just have to care what happens to each one of them. Lt. Provenza. I love his expressions at the end of tense moments. He is such fun to watch.
Ruby, Protect and Serve and the episode a week ago with the serial killer are among my favorites. I'm waiting for that scary dude to come back who went free a couple of seasons ago--the one who called her "Just Brenda" I just know there's more from that guy.
And I'm really enjoying the tension between Pope and Brenda. Somehow I know that's not quite over. No. Not quite. Maybe you could get them stuck together in an elevator, or stuck somewhere so they have to confront latent feelings/issues. That would be interesting. Then of course there'd be all the fall out of Fritz knowing they'd been stuck alone together. Okay. Sorry. I digress. I'll stop for now.
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Aug 16, 2007 6:43 PM
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