Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson (who often thinks rules don't apply to her and was brought in by Assistant Chief Will Pope/J.K.Simmons , her former boss in the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington D.C., with whom she had an affair) as the head of the Priority Homicide Division of the LAPD , which was created to focus on high profile cases . Brenda runs the Priority Homicide Division of the LAPD with an unorthodox style , she is a well trained interrogator and has a great innate ability to get confessions and to read people resolving the city's toughest , most difficult , hardest cases . Later on , there appears Sharon Raydor well played by Mary McDonnell introduced to the Priority Homicide Division universe as the Captain of the Force Investigation Division , taking over the renamed PHD , which looks into officer-involved shootings , including one involving Detective David Gabriel/Corey Reynolds . It is a subdivision of Internal Affairs bound by federal oversight and is unpopular among LAPD personnel . She and Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson are initially antagonistic , although each is very dedicated to her job and believes in following the truth . Subsequently Raynor commands ¨Major Crimes¨ , a spin-off to ¨The Closer¨. Each series of "The Closer" has a theme on which its episodes are based. For Season 1, the theme is a woman in a man's world , the followings about partnerships , family , upon a meditation on power , the changing , and adjustment.
The expert team it is formed by the following members : 1- Corey Reynolds plays well Sergeant David Gabriel . The ambitious and eager Gabriel quickly becomes Brenda's favorite in the squad and her right-hand man, also occasionally her driver and errand boy . Gabriel is thoughtful and intelligent, and will stand up for what he believes in, even disagreeing vocally with Brenda when she veers toward street justice outside the system. Gabriel is a problem solver and creative thinker. He subsequently has s love affair to Detective Irene Daniels , Gina Rivera. 3- John Tenney interprets magnificently as Fritz Howard who is a special agent with the FBI and is part of the Crimes Unit in Los Angeles . He knows Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson/Sedgwick from when they both lived and worked in law enforcement in Washington D.C. He has been in L.A. for three years when the series begins and has a sister, Claire, who believes she is psychic. He knows about Will Pope/J.K.Simmons and his relation to Brenda and is uncomfortable around him 3- G. W. Bailey plays very well as Lt. Louie Provenza , he is a cranky older cop who has been married four times , initially gives Brenda a hard time , but warms to her and particularly appreciates her toughness . He and Lt. Andy Flynn/Tony Denison , his best friend and one of her biggest defenders , have a habit of getting into shenanigans together , fouling up cases and tell jokes themselves . As the oldest member of the squad , he is often threatened with forced retirement for budgetary reasons . He is a crusty curmudgeon who hates when people touch his stuff, but he still has sharp detective skills . He is especially protective of Detc. Julio Sánchez/Raymond Cruz . 4-Tony Denison performs perfectly Lieutenant Andy Flynn , he isn't always the most dedicated detective, and sometimes cuts corners or slacks off on cases . His loyalties can be shifting . His best friend is Provenza, and the two have the habit of getting into antics and nearly fouling up cases . Flynn is a recovering alcoholic who has been sober for 10 years . He is divorced and has a grown daughter . 5- Michael Paul Chan plays rightly Lt. Mike Tao , he is the unofficial technology , science and electronics expert for the Los Angeles Police Department's Priority Homicide División . He is of Chinese descent and his wife Kathy is Japanese . They have a teenage son . Before being transferred to Priority Homicide , Tao was a member of the SID . He is a true geek and loves to explain the science behind everything, even when a short answer will do . 6- Raymond Cruz is good as Detective Julio Sanchez , he is an important and competent member of the Priority Homicide Division , under direction of Brenda Johnson . He is a widower and an expert on Latino gangs . He has a quick temper and often plays the "bad cop" in interrogations, getting in a suspects face or threatening violence . Despite his temper, he can also be taciturn, letting his menacing stare do the talking . He is a shameless flirt and also very brave as well as tough . 7- Phillip P. Keene plays as Buzz Watson , he is a Civilian Service Coordinator who provides technical support to the Los Angeles Police Department's Priority Homicide Division . He films crime scenes and runs the audio system in the interrogation room . Brenda also calls on him for random help in a pinch. The squad is protective of him , as a civilian , but also treats him a little bit like a mascot or pet . 6- Robert Gosset plays as Taylor , he is manipulative and works hard to undermine Brenda at every turn . Taylor loves addressing the media . He encourages people in his squad to continue their education . 8- Jonathan Del Arco plays Dr. Morales , Deputy Medical Examiner for the Los Angeles County Department of the Coroner . As such, he is responsible for determining cause of death . He is sarcastic, blunt and has a sense of humor, even over dead bodies. But he is also sensitive and clearly shows pain for victims , especially the younger ones . He is openly gay and sometimes serves as a resource on the gay community.
