'The Closer' recap: Sanchez in the spotlight
Aug 26, 2008, 12:36 PM | by Jennifer Reese
Categories: Mini TV Watch, Television
The Closer likes to rotate members of its ensemble in and out of the spotlight, and last night was Sanchez's moment. What a wrenching story line they handed him. Out fixing his motorcycle, he hears shots, races down the street, and finds his kid brother Oscar bleeding all over the sidewalk. And then the African-American ambulance driver won't pull right up: "Sorry, gotta be careful in this neighborhood." Nice little irony, there.
Incidentally, as Sanchez ran out of his garage, I thought the camera zeroed in briefly on something he dropped. I figured it was his badge and later, when the ambulance approached, I figured they wouldn't believe he was a cop. But he flashed his cop ID, so I don't know what it was he dropped.
The episode was all about how we respond, often wrongly, to appearances and perceived threats. Oscar wasn't who he appeared to be, and neither is anyone else, most notably the murderer, revealed in that spectacularly chilling final twist. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
We've seen this plot device a thousand times before, the cop who takes an overly personal interest in a case and is commanded to stay off the job -- and doesn't. But it still works, and even after Brenda told Sanchez to take a vacation and find a counselor, didn't we all know he'd soon be back, ignoring regulations and pushing the case forward?
And this case needed all the help it could get, what with unreliable witness Elena Contreras, her bloodstained sneaker twitching under the table. Agitated and semi-hysterical, she was clearly lying when she said the shooter was black. Was there any doubt about that?
We then had a brief cameo from our favorite journalist, who accuses the LAPD of prioritizing cases involving the rich, the white, and relatives of cops.
Brenda: Right back at you, newspaperman.
By the way, big hole in this episode -- nobody else from Sanchez's family was ever introduced. Maybe a mom or dad or another sibling or such could've enhanced the plot and helped us learn some more about Oscar, about whom I felt curiously...nothing.
But the show hit its stride when Brenda started interviewing the series of vividly drawn witnesses and suspects.
First up, the comically pathetic, possibly brain-damaged Miguel, who tries to explain away his massive bruising: "I slipped and fell. I'm a very clumsy person." And then: "I am here of my own violation."
He gives up Puppet, Elena's ex, which makes way for the amusing hot-tub/boat scene, in which Provenza has a chance to be Provenza. Loved it when he rolled up his pants to take a little soak.
"Hey old man, get out of our pool."
Provenza doesn't (of course!) and when he eventually leaves he and his team have wangled Puppet's location (of course!) only to find Sanchez already there (of course!), having backed the cowering Puppet behind a futon.
What a prince this Puppet is. "That girl loved to get dated," Puppet says of Elena. My first response: Too true, if she was willing to date you. And get that tooth fixed.
Even worse than Puppet, though, is the ex-con with the lovely forehead tattoo, whose expressions range from smirk to scowl. He'd make a great Scared Straight poster. I thought it was just a cute little embellishment to his character that they had his hand-wringing mom and baby brother trail in after him. And I was sure he was the shooter.
But half-dressed, jittery Elena doesn't finger him, Sanchez starts freaking out, everything seems to be falling apart and what's this? Why is Elena suddenly shouting and crying?
My skin prickled. It wasn't the burly scary guy after all, it was the skinny clean-cut kid in the collared shirt, spotted by Elena in the waiting room. I honestly did not see that one coming.
Terrific moment. Terrific drama. Brenda gets Tony in the box, and after a little manipulation, he confesses, telling a sadly banal story of boys, guns, and macho posturing.
I've said this before, but I think Brenda gets too hammy in the interrogation room. I cringed when she whipped out the hat to show the kid that it contained "no markins, no numbers, just blood!"
I thought her fiery speech undermined the pathos of the moment rather than heightening it. Anyone else wish Kyra Sedgwick would tone it down now and then?
Comments