Closing Time

Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson has been an icon and a powerful presence in the lives of so many fans of. It's hard to believe that the moment has come for fans to give her, and the show, one hell of a send-off.
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Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson has been an icon and a powerful presence in the lives of so many fans of The Closer. It's hard to believe that the moment has come for fans to give her, and the show, one hell of a send-off. Even with the new show Major Crimes (poised as a continuation of The Closer) set to bring back and showcase many familiar faces from The Closer, it is still a bitter pill to swallow that Brenda Leigh will be saying goodbye to the fans, to whom she has endeared herself to. Kyra Sedgwick has been a commanding and incomparable powerhouse that has made The Closer the heartwarming, and pounding, program that will be sorely missed.

Brenda Leigh Johnson has made a dent in the hearts of fans and her place in their lives it has been fully cemented. Whether she has nailed a suspect, ripped into someone with a cunning quip laced with sweet Southern drawl, or nibbling a Ho Ho or Ding-Dong, fans can't help being enamored with her. She has a hard edge to her that will rock you, but that has layers of sensitivity and vulnerability underneath. She can be your best friend, or she can be your worst enemy, and both come with a fine line to walk in between. Brenda Leigh can rock you to the core and make you wish you never crossed her path, or she can be an asset of backbone and support. She never ceases to amaze TV watchers and never knows the meaning of the word "quit."

As hard as Brenda works, she has had a phenomenal system of support in the Major Crimes Division with officers Provenza (G.W. Bailey), Gabriel (Corey Reynolds), Tao (Michael Paul Chan), Flynn (Anthony John Denison), Sanchez (Raymond Cruz) and of course Chief Pope (J.K. Simmons). Plus, there is ever ready videographer Buzz (Phillip P. Keene). She has an added arsenal support system at home and at work with her husband Fritz (Jon Tenney) who is also an FBI agent. Not to mention her know-it-all parents, who seem to just want the best for her, and who provide humor in their calamity. Support comes in all shapes and sizes for Brenda Leigh, and one of the best dynamics Brenda has in her life is with Captain Raydor (Mary McDonnell). The two seem to share a unique bond that goes beyond work and, hopefully, will extend into upcoming new show Major Crimes. Fans hope there will be a time when Brenda's pumps return to echoing down the halls of the LAPD.

Major Crimes will definitely soften the blow for fans that are sure to be left reeling from the certain wake that will be the major reveal of who the leak in the department is. Not to mention the fate of Brenda's father who has cancer, or what will happen to Brenda and Fritz at the end. Will they finally start a family, will the fallout of the mole leave Brenda jobless, or will the future be left as an uncertainty for both Brenda Leigh and for show fans? There are only four episodes left for the series and everything is left undetermined. Though it is tough to please an audience, no matter what the outcome of a show or storyline may be, it's clear that The Closer will always have a place in the heart of fans regardless of what the final scenes and stories hold for the woman with a mission to protect and serve.

Kyra Sedgwick has owned Brenda Leigh and made her the incredible role model that viewers can look to her as classy, charismatic, and take charge. Never one to back down from a fight, she's showing viewers that you should always be an advocate and never back down or give up. When Brenda is on the case, you know that for the most part justice will prevail. Whether it's right in your eyes or hers, Brenda Leigh always believes in doing what's best.

Whether or not Brenda Leigh Johnson will make an appearance on Major Crimes is unknown. But Mary McDonnell is a powerhouse of her own and has been garnering a lot of great buzz for Major Crimes and deservedly so. McDonnell has many ans from her days playing the president on the show Battlestar Galactica, but she's also made newer fans for her turn on The Closer. Now that her character Captain Raydor is taking charge, fans will hopefully get to learn a bit more about her background and a lot more about what makes her tick. Is Raydor a Ho Ho or Ding-Dong fan like Brenda, or does she have a poison of her own? Everyone has a weakness, but be careful, because weaknesses can be exploited.

Don't miss a heart pounding moment of the last three episodes of The Closer so you can bid a proper goodbye. Best of luck to Brenda Leigh Johnson and a show that has touched the hearts and lives of so many loyal viewers. Send Brenda Leigh off in style with a salute to the woman who will always have the last word.

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