THE CLOSER - Series 2 [IMPORT]

Loved the first series and couldn't wait to get hold of the second.

In a nutshell, it's a cop drama. The first series introduced an out-of-state woman (with some very strange ways) brought in to run a homicide department handling high profile murders. Initially she had a hard time being taken seriously (partly because of the strange ways) and was not respected by the rest of the division but by the end of the first series she had just about been accepted.

She's a 'closer' because she has the ability to close cases - i.e. she solves them, her ability to get confessions during interviews is remarkable.

In the second series she continues to win respect and support, sometimes by solving crimes, sometimes by simply supporting her team through difficult times.

The second series is every bit as good as the first. The characters are great and completely believable (except Fritz, who is too good to be true but gorgeous with it, I hope he's there as long as the show lasts). I recognise traits of people I know in every one of them - they are REAL people, with depth.

Story lines are well written, gripping and have a fair amount of humour. Some of them are quite bizzare but they make compelling viewing.

It's certainly way above the standard cop dramas. Although it has certain formulaic elements these are relevant to the plots and stories: Brenda-Leigh, the high-flying deputy chief is always going to get opposition from some male co-workers on the basis of her gender - that's life (sadly). She's going to find it difficult to balance work and home because it IS difficult. There's bound to be a romance within her department at some time, they happen.

It's the way these situations are written, acted and handled that make them believeable rather than like a cheesy story from a soap opera.

I bought this thinking it would last a few weeks - it arrived Saturday morning and I'd watched the lot by Sunday evening. That was a few weeks ago, I'm just about to start watching it all again!

This series is very entertaining with good characters and dry humour. The series itself would be more popular in this country if the TV Channel did not put this on so late and then keep changing the times. It is hardly ever mentioned in TV reviews. I have Series One which is available as Region 2 but the others seem to be only available as Region 1 at present but I will be ordering them when available.

Kyra Sedgwick is so right for the part as the sometimes irritating Brenda Johnson the 'Closer' who is an expert at closing important criminal cases. Her team are a very diverse bunch of individuals and after a rocky start support her all the way (well mostly). Brenda is absent minded about personal things, has a craving for cakes and sweets but as she uses them to reward herself is very slim. She uses her Southern charm and when she says 'Thank you all so very much' it can mean many things. Her relationship with her lover Fritz is refreshing and although she tries to protect her parents from bad things they are not nearly as naive as she thinks.

There are a LOT of police dramas out there and they really seem to work when the characters are as well-developed as the storylines, thus, you care about them. Kyra Sedgwick's Brenda Johnson was fascinating from episode one and it takes a lot of skill to bring to life such a flawed, stubborn creature to the screen and make her believable and then likeable. Bravo Kyra.