'The Closer' recap: Who murdered Sergei?

SkinnyBritches Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 11:54 AM EST

I can walk the walk and talk the talk. You couldn't. Who's laffing now?

BillyBobStupid Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 11:52 AM EST

Cat get your tongue?

Sun, Sep 7, 2008 at 08:54 AM EST

Only a sick psychopath would find a "dead dog in a box" funny. Those type of people are a joke on humanity.

kungpao Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 10:17 AM EST

to me the best part of this ep was when Fritz was lifting Brenda up to look over the fence, and her big bag was hitting him in the face, and he said "The bag!" I had to watch it a bunch of times, it cracked me up so...

raprilc Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 08:20 AM EST

I'm a week late but still feel compelled to comment. Like others here, I was really surprised that there was no mention of Brenda and Fritz's big blow-up from the previous week's episode. Fritz has every right to feel betrayed. I don't want them to break up, but Brenda's really pushing it.

mkaffeine Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 08:38 AM EST

A few seasons ago there was an episode where Brenda was turning 40 and Fritz wrote "I love you" in the flowers he delivered to her that day. So Brenda is basically the same age as Kyra.

rhib Thu, Aug 21, 2008 at 02:26 PM EST

No, Bonitaverano. She thought it was early menopause, but she actually had a reproductive-related health problem (I can't remember what tit was) and had surgery to take care of it, in hopes of one day having children.

Bev Thu, Aug 21, 2008 at 09:29 AM EST

Please keep the Closer recap on the Closer.If it says recap for Closer thats what we want to read...not Grace.Will read recap for Grace if we want.

Bonitaverano Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 11:21 PM EST

Didn't Brenda find out she's going through early memopause last season (or maybe the season before)? I thought the having kids question was already answered by that.

pai Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 06:47 PM EST

I didn't think she was too much in the interrogation. That one is a hard sell though. I still can't feel that bad for the parents, since they spent the whole ep lying. Of course if they fessed up right away ... no plot.

As for Grace, there's something so real about it. Ham's reactions to things -- esp. his misstep with his estranged wife and the scenes with the puppy -- in particular this week were very stirring.

Lisa G Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 05:29 PM EST

The only recourse in this situation is to relinquish your parental rights and give the child to the court. Unfortunately, it is done more than you think. It's the human equivalent of taking your dog to the pound, except with the kid, you still are financially responsible for him.

When Sergei disposed of the hamsters, crushed baby birds, killed his sister's cat, why didn't the parents call the cops and have him arrested? Why wasn't that kid in juvey?

lilune Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 05:07 PM EST

MWC-I think they mentioned at the beginning of the episode that it was because he was 13. I believe they had a conversation that if he were 14 this would be treated as a completely different case.

My thoughts on the pregnancy topic are that if she were to have or adopt a baby, it wouldn't really help the show. I'd love to see her juggling a baby along with her job and Fritz, but she barely has time for anything but her job so a baby would not blend well with the show.

And I second, third, fourth or whatever... please do not mix Saving Grace with The Closer recaps. The recaps are short enough and then you talk about a show I have watched but couldn't get into.

MWC Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 12:20 PM EST

I love the show, BUT I'm a little fuzzy as to why the Priority HOMICIDE Division was investigating a missing persons case when no HOMICIDE had been confirmed.

Jano Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 12:16 PM EST

Brenda, you recall, celebrated her 40th birthday in an earlier episode, and also had surgery relating to her reproductive system. She is clearly over 40 and seemed at the time of her reproductive surgery to want to have children and the thought of losing that ability was distressing to them both.

sk Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 11:12 AM EST

Poor, misguided Brenda! She thinks if she just sweeps issues with Fritz under the rug, they'll disappear! What she needs is a reality check - come home and find him gone. They're great together but she takes him for granted and has does make their relationship a priority.

And there is talk in comments about adoption - but that just wouldn't happen. They are both over 40, work dangerous, stressful jobs and he's a recovering alcoholic. They would not be given a child under the strict adoption guidelines in the US and Brenda doesn't want it enough to go overseas (especially after demon Sergei's murder)

Bobbi Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 07:32 AM EST

I love this show and can't stand "Saving Grace" so count me in on leaving that commentary out of this recap.

It seems obvious to me that Fritz and Brenda are headed for some type of blow-up. The fact that they didn't address what happened last week or how it was resolved amazed me. When the child issue was brushed aside so easily this week, it just seemed as if they were piling on the layers. Despite Brenda's medical issues, there are many other ways to build a family. It seemed quite telling to me that this episode was built around an adopted child. If that was what was in Fritz's mind, it gave Brenda another basis to argue against it. The parent's so-called resolution of this problem was absolutely repulsive and certainly would give Brenda more reason to question whether or not she wanted a child. (Not that I think she's particularly maternal in nature anyway.) Great interplay between Pope and Fritz in this episode too!

Gail Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 06:39 AM EST

And Grace's last name is Hanadarko.

BJohnson Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 04:34 AM EST

Don't forget to check those prior eps for your questions. There was a whole episode about her acting all crazy and they found out it was her 40th birthday. I think her decision about kids had to go with not just this case but a good amount of her cases were dealing with kids, the boys in the cherry picking game, this sergei kid, the kid a season or two ago whose parents let him run off to Mexico. I'm 33 and I'm not even sure if I want kids just because what kind of world will I be leaving my kids in. She did feel for the parents but she doesn't like to lead all on a wild goose chase. She did the dramatics so they would blurt out something which they did, that they knew exactly when he died.

Jen in WI Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 02:48 AM EST

To Jennifer Reese--We're in a time where there are actually TV shows that have depth and are worth actual discussion, those of us that like to dissect the eps, the arcs, and the character development are looking for the same when coming to recaps like this. That is why some of your commentors get pissy with short, uninspired entries. Leave Grace to her own recap--these are not sister-shows, one is not a spin-off of the other. Enough already.
For a good model of great recaps, read the Mad Men recaps--that writer is good at this.
This comment is not in a nasty tone--just wondering if you understand why you get smack talking comments about your recaps. They look like you've never watched the show before, or that in the present, barely watch each episode. Gotta dvr those babies and watch at least twice, & take notes--that's how much 'stuff' is packed into these episodes--nuances especially, are missed the first time around.
You can do it, you have it in you, just need to flesh it out.
:-

pede Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 01:38 AM EST

Apparently Brenda missed the profiling class that teaches that most, if not all, serial killers begin by torturing & killing animals as children. These people are sociopaths and I felt sorry for the parents for having to deal with this child. Yes, killing him was extreme, but I'm sure after God knows how long of putting up with his behavior, they just snapped. Maybe they could've had him committed to a psychiatric ward, but eventually he would've gotten out & would probably be even worse than when he went in. As for Brenda & Fritz having kids, I think he'd be a great dad, while her...eh.. not so much. Considering she can't even commit to buying a house together with him, I'd be a little bit leery of their future together. That said, I love everyone on her team, and hope no one leaves or is written off anytime soon.

Jackie Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 10:59 PM EST

Brenda had the onset of early menopause but by modifying her diet and having a surgical procedure it was nipped in the bud :)

k Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 07:26 PM EST

I enjoyed the show! I think it is great that they would bring to light, the kid you have done everything for and that you can with a difficult child-What would you do??
Been there done that, it is not easy and is very hard. it is always the parents fault-jail, institutions don't work and no one takes you seriously- he is just a kid. Thanks for the "real life" situation.

LaT Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 06:24 PM EST

"Returning to the interrogation scene, did other people think Brenda was too hard-assed? Did you find her hammer-banging overly, um, hammy?"

I didn't think she was too hard-assed at all. At the end of the day, Brenda's priority (no pun intended) is *always* going to be the victim. And Sergei *was* the victim, his bad-seedness notwithstanding. The father didn't just physically discipline Sergei in a way that might have actually cowed him; he *crushed the kid's skull*. I had no problem with Brenda tearing into him for that. I mean, I don't think one can argue "Murder isn't the answer" while in the same breath expect Brenda to go easy on a murderer just because said murderer didn't have -- or didn't think he had -- any other options.

As for the hammer, I saw that as Brenda's deliberately and carefully OTT way of confirming her suspicion that the daughter wasn't the killer. I think she suspected the parents by that point; she just wanted to ascertain which one of them did it.

me Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 06:03 PM EST

yes,Brenda did go through menopause,so unless they;re gambling on a 'change of life' baby,it's a no go.What fantasy land is Fritz living in?

seattle_girl Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 05:36 PM EST

Amen AJ! Leave the Saving Grace commentary for another recap. Keep the focus on the Closer please. This was a good ep, but I always prefer to see a few more clever gags thrown in (like the classic "Idiot" and "Bigger Idiot" on the white board pics of last week's suspects). I think the Dead Dog marker on the box was about it last night. Love Brenda and Fritz together, but they're sure throwing in plenty of foreshadowing for a potential split.

Alex Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 05:02 PM EST

Jason, the friend who Sergei bullied, was the same actor who played one half of the Spy Kids, the Richard Rodriguez movie about a family of secret agents.

Barb Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 04:52 PM EST

I agree that the recap/critique should be far more in depth. I am disappointed that they have not addressed Brenda's betrayal of Fritz in a previous episode. Their relationship is an integral part of the story. The audience deserves to see how they reconciled. If they continue to evade important issues, their relationship could explode. Is that what the writers are building up to--a cliffhanger season finale?

Patty Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 04:20 PM EST

Maybe Betty Draper from Mad Men needs to spend some time with Sergie and then she won't think her own little angel Bobby is so bad.

AJ Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 04:03 PM EST

I think The Closer deserves a full tv recap, not this half-arsed half-page. The Closer also deserves the writer's full attention, without delving into Saving Grace.

KLF Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 03:35 PM EST

No one deserves to die but my question of the day is...if you were his parents, what would you do? They are protecting the daughter, sent him to mental institutions, tried to give him back to Russia, all to no avail. What recourse do they have?

Laurie Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 02:11 PM EST

I don't think that anyone deserves to die, no. But since this is a tv show, I feel perfectly okay in having more sympathy for the parents and, most of all, for Brenda who had to drag a confession out of them than for a vicious child who would probably have ended up killing human beings and going to prison for it. And that was kind of the best case scenario for poor evil Sergei.
The only thing I didn't like about the episode was the anviltastic demon child plotline coinciding with Brenda's having to make an immediate decision about whether or not she seriously wanted to have a child. I've seen it done before, and I would have appreciated a little more subtlety. I expect better from this show.

Jen in WI Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 02:08 PM EST

I didn't find Brenda off-putting in the interrogation room--she knew it wasn't the sister, only used her to crack the parents. Feel sorry for the parents? To a degree, yes. But remember they lied to Brenda et.al. non-stop from the beginning, wasted their time and resources, caused discourse between Will and Fritzie-I'd be hacked off too.
Even if Brenda didn't have the surgery for her early menopause, and probably way difficult to conceive, and that she's 40, she is SO not the mother type. Plus she's seen too much ugliness in her various positions, I don't see her with babies, no way.
Oh....last night's Grace was a good one to come into--and I want to know why the two shows are constantly compared--because the leads are women in law enforcement? Not enough of a match, as far as I'm concerned.

anon Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 02:06 PM EST

Did anyone else notice that the bratty older sister was none other than April (Luke's daughter) from Gilmore Girls?

miles64 Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 01:59 PM EST

I thought I also glimpsed some compassion from Brenda when the boy revealed that he was gay and that Sergei had been blackmailing him.

miles64 Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 01:59 PM EST

I thought I also glipmpsed some compassion from Brenda when the boy revealed that he was gay and that Sergei had been blackmailing him.

Maria Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 01:59 PM EST

On a note to Ms Reese, being Goth doesn't make her a bad kid and certainly not a brat. The child-killers had no problems with her. The dad put a lock on her door to protect her from her brother's impulses. And, in Theresa's voice mail on Sergei's phone, she was angry about Sergei causing their mother to cry.

Besides, simply taking away black lipstick will not turn a girl into Marcia Brady. She was a teenager, after all.

Nicole Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 01:44 PM EST

So everyone feels more sympathy for the parents than the child they killed. Sergei was evil and deserved to die? I don't think so.

I do believe that "nature" has a lot to do with the kind of person you grow into, but abuse and neglect during the formative years is something that is extremely difficult to overcome. Sergei was adopted from another country and lived in who-knows-what conditions until the age of eight.

Sergei's parents had other options. If he had killed animals before, they could have had him arrested and requested a psychological examination. They could have had him committed, if not with the state then in a private institution- they were his "parents" after all.

vw Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 01:39 PM EST

Brenda suffers from some sort of condition that makes fertitlity a problem and has had her suffering from menopausal symptoms, that's why she has to lay off the candy because it makes it worse and can leave her unable to have children.

krisa Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 01:39 PM EST

hello peeps! age aside - there was a whole storyline last year where brenda is going through premature menopause. so whether she's in the age range to have kids is moot - she would have to adopt if she's already menopausal. and i don't know who would want to adopt immediately after that disaster of a family example.

VW Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 01:32 PM EST

I love this show - I laughed out loud at 'Dead Dog' written on the box. Nature vs Nuture - age old question - I used to think 100% Nuture but now, not so sure. It seems there are 'Natural Born Killers' every where.

LisaMama Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 01:30 PM EST

OK, people, here's the thing: Brenda's job is to get a confession. Her job is to push people -- push them HARD -- until they spill the beans about themselves or point the finger at someone else. She was obviously trying to get the husband (or wife) to confess OR blame their spouse. But when the wife and husband genuinely broke down because they couldn't control their terrible son, Brenda's face showed that she sympathized with them and hated doing what she was supposed to be doing. Her job is not to judge them or provide excuses for what they did or figure out if it was "justifiable" homicide -- her job is to get them to confess, pure and simple, and then let the justice system sort out the rest. I'm sure that there are plenty of police officers who sympathize with the criminals but who are required to do their job, no matter what.

As for the baby situation, Brenda did have a health scare last year and for her to have kids is now more difficult, but not impossible.

SV Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 01:11 PM EST

In a previous episode, Brenda acknowledged celebrating her 40th birthday-- a difficult milestone for her-- and thought she might also be pregnant. (She wasn't.) So, the topic of children has come up before-- with her being very reluctant and Fritz being more willing.

R.D. Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 12:55 PM EST

I did notice the "dead dog" written on the box, and said to my spouse, "Did that say dead dog on the box?"
I assumed the hands in the pockets was so he wouldn't need to put handcuffs on him when they took him for questioning.
As for Brenda's age, I thought she went through early menopause a few seasons ago. Anyone else remember that?

Michael's Sister Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 12:55 PM EST

Jennifer - Your recaps keep getting better. I think it would benefit your insight into the series greatly if you did a Closer marathon and caught up with some of the finer character points. Fertility has been a topic in some past eps for example. Your writing is terrific (ignore the unemployed humps) you just need a little more insight into what makes these people tick. I'm glad you saw Grace last night - it was a great intro to Grace herself. Keep up the good work - it keeps getting better!

Really Michael's sister!

K Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 12:48 PM EST

Although Brenda's attitude in the final interrogation with the parents was a little off-putting, I'll take her over the monumentally self-centered Grace any day.

Did anyone notice that the cardboard box at the scene was labeled 'Dead Dog'? Cracked me up.

There is one other thing that was bothering me--why did Flynn ask the next door neighbor to put his hands in his pockets when they finished questioning him? For the life of me, I can't figure that one out.