What I’m Watching: The Closer

The Closer: Season 7, Episode 8 “Death Warrant” (B+)

If echoes of this lawsuit against Brenda were bleeding into her other cases in the past few weeks, this episode brings it all full circle as they collide in more ways than one. Speaking to the case of Ray Diamond and his potentially snitchy ways, it’s definitely a bad sign when your staff witness gets their throat slit immediately after meeting with the police in jail. It was rather satisfying to be able to not have to cut through any red tape and to have the videotape of the deadly girlfriend meeting with him become so instantly available. Fritz and Brenda coming with D.A. Hobbs to protect the witness was cool, and things always get exciting when one of the show’s central characters in nearly assassinated. This episode also gave Raydor an unusual change to shine, as she ended up tailing Maria Flores for Brenda, mainly because she was concerned about police brutality, and then she showed off her shooting skills with an extraordinarily impressive shotgun usage. It became clear that Brenda’s alleged actions involving Turrell Baylor are well known to others, as the lawyer said that Brenda is no different than him even though didn’t actually pull the trigger. Having Gavin at the station proved to be quite entertaining and enlightening. His interviews were amusing, and then things got more serious as he threatened whoever it was that was leaking information to the other side. Who would have thought that Mark Pellegrino, so good but stoic in shows like “Lost” and “Dexter,” was capable of playing a seedy, flamboyant character so well?