Major Crimes is an American police procedural television series. It is a continuation spin-off of The Closer. It premiered on TNT on August 13, 2012, following The Closer's finale.
The series was created by James Duff with Duff, Michael M. Robin, Greer Shephard, Adam Belanoff, and Rick Wallace serving as Executive Producers.
The show concluded its sixth and final season on January 9, 2018, after a total of 105 episodes (four less than its predecessor, The Closer).
Premise[]
After the departure of Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, Captain Sharon Raydor faces difficult challenges as she assumes Johnson's former post as head of the Major Crimes Division. As she is a former Internal Affairs investigator, many of her new subordinates do not trust her. The LAPD's new cost-saving policy of striking deals with violent criminals instead of extracting confessions from them, which Raydor embraces, is causing additional distrust and ill will towards Raydor, particularly from Lieutenant Provenza, who hoped to take over Major Crimes himself and who believes making deals allows the criminals to get a way with lighter prison sentences than they deserve.
Raydor's foster son Rusty Beck adds drama to her personal life but it bleeds into her professional life as well, since Rusty is the key eyewitness in the trial of serial killer Phillip Stroh.
Characters[]
Main characters[]
Los Angeles Police Department[]
- Commander Sharon Raydor (Mary McDonnell): The Commanding officer of the Major Crimes Division until “Conspiracy Theory, Part 4” of Season 6 when she suffered a fatal heart failure. She was promoted from Captain to Commander in “Shockwave, Part 2” after being passed over at the time she assumed command of Major Crimes.
- Lieutenant Louie Provenza (GW Bailey): The Assistant Commanding Officer of the Major Crimes Division. Provenza is the division's senior member and the second-in-command of the division. As the second-in-command, he is the immediate supervisor of the team in standard day-to-day operations. Provenza was assigned as the Acting commanding officer of the Major Crimes Division from Season 6, “Conspiracy Theory, Part 4” onward and was confirmed as the new permanent Commanding Officer in the series finale, “By Any Means, Part 4”.
- Lieutenant Andy Flynn (Anthony Denison): Provenza's partner in the field. Flynn has been restricted to desk duty since “Heart Failure” of Season 5 because of health issues. In Season 6, he is allowed to resume field work in the presence of his commanding officer.
- Lieutenant Michael Tao (Michael Paul Chan): The squad's forensics and technology expert; Tao was previously assigned to the Scientific Investigation Division.
- Detective III Julio Sanchez (Raymond Cruz): The squad's gang and weapons expert, experience gained from his days on the Gang Intelligence Unit.
- Detective II Amy Sykes (Kearran Giovanni): Transferred to the division from the Special Investigation Section, she is an expert on undercover operations. Sykes is a military veteran who served in Afghanistan.
- Detective I Wes Nolan (Daniel DiTomasso): Transferred to the division from the Special Investigation Section after spending nearly six years undercover in a white supremacist gang. (Seasons 5–6)
- Detective I Camila Paige (Jessica Meraz): Transferred to the division from the Missing Persons Unit where she had become exceptional at finding teenagers. She became a favorite of Leo Mason during her time in the Criminal Intelligence Division. (Season 6)
- Civilian Surveillance Coordinator Buzz Watson (Phillip P. Keene): Buzz is the Scientific Investigation Division's civilian investigator assigned to the division. He is responsible for memorializing crime scenes, and managing technology in the field and in the squad's office. During Season 4, he qualified to be a Reserve Police Officer, and for Season 6, a Reserve Police Detective, allowing him to act as a detective when the division needs additional investigative personnel.
- Assistant Chief Russell Taylor (Robert Gossett): The LAPD's Assistant Chief of Operations until “White Lies, Part 1” of Season 5 when he was killed in the line of duty. The former commanding officer of the Robbery-Homicide Division and later the Office of Operations' Operations Coordinator, Taylor long felt passed over and unappreciated by Chief Pope and the LAPD upper echelon command. (Seasons 1–5)
- Assistant Chief Leo Mason (Leonard Roberts): The LAPD's Assistant Chief of Operations during Season 6. During Season 5, Mason was the Commander of the LAPD's Criminal Intelligence Division. (Seasons 5–6)
Los Angeles County Department of Coroner[]
- Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Fernando Morales (Jonathan Del Arco): Morales has a sharp medical mind and and equally sharp, sometimes sarcastic, wit. Morales is gay and occasionally provides expertise on the gay community in Los Angeles.
- Coroner's Investigator Kendall (Ransford Doherty): Kendall is responsible for examining the body at the crime scene and taking initial measurements, as well as preparing the body for transportation to the Los Angeles County Coroner's office.
Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office[]
- Deputy District Attorney Andrea Hobbs (Kathe Mazur): The DDA who works most frequently with Major Crimes, Hobbs is a team player.
- Deputy District Attorney Emma Rios (Nadine Velazquez): An inexperienced DDA under Hobbs' supervision, she is charged with preparing the case against Phillip Stroh. After Stroh escaped custody in “Special Master Part Two”, she was not seen again until “By Any Means, Part 1” when she was murdered by Stroh following his return to Los Angeles (Season 2-Season 3).
- Rusty Beck (Graham Patrick Martin): Sharon Raydor's adoptive son, a former prostitute who witnessed Phillip Stroh burying a body. He has since started an investigative video blog called Identity and has started preparing for law school after finishing his journalism degree. Currently works as an assistant for DDA Andrea Hobbs.
Recurring characters[]
- Deputy Chief Fritz Howard (Jon Tenney): The Commanding officer of the Special Operations Bureau from Season 3, “Sweet Revenge” onward. During The Closer and at the beginning of Major Crimes, until his appointment to the LAPD, he was a Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the liaison officer to the LAPD.
- Lieutenant Chuck Cooper (Malcolm-Jamal Warner): The Officer-in-Charge of the Special Investigation Section of the LAPD.
- Detective I Robby Oderno (Brandon Barash): Robert Oderno is a detective in the LAPD's Missing Persons Unit.
- Gustavo Wallace (Rene Rosado): Gus Wallace is the older brother of murder victim Mariana Wallace. He is currently dating Rusty Beck.
- Judge Steven Grove (Ron Marasco): Steven Grove is a judge for the Superior Court of California.
- Judge Craig Richwood (Steve Tom): Craig Richwood is a judge for the Superior Court of California.
- Dr. Joe Bowman (Bill Brochtrup): Dr. Bowman is a psychologist who occasionally consults for the LAPD.
Plot and Theme by Season[]
Season 1[]
The theme for season 1 is fairness. The season will explore how fair life can, or cannot be, both professionally and personally.
Season 2[]
The theme for season 2 is identity.
Season 3[]
The theme for season 3 is expectation.
Season 4[]
The theme for season 4 is courage.
Season 5[]
The theme for season 5 is balance.
Season 6[]
The theme for season 6 is faith, reason and risk.