Though his perpetual troublemaker days may never truly been behind him, evidence suggests that Lt. Provenza may at last be mellowing a bit. MajorCrimesTV.net spoke with G.W. Bailey during a recent set visit to get the scoop on the upcoming winter episodes of Major Crimes, and find out if Provenza may finally be a changed man (hint: there may be wedding bells in his near future!)
MajorCrimesTV: You’re almost through filming this super-sized season of Major Crimes. Have you found there to be any unique challenges involved with the longer season?
G.W. Bailey: Doing 23 episodes is definitely not an easy thing, and its been a little bit like trial by fire. At the same time though, it is a very unique experience. I have been playing this character for so many years, but I actually never did a long-term series prior to The Closer or Major Crimes, though I have been involved in a lot of different network shows over the years. Some of those either didn’t last very long, or I was simply a recurring character. So to now film 23 in a row is very trying; and it’s especially trying on the writers, as they’ve been working virtually non-stop this year, but it’s rewarding at the same time. It’s just a different sort of an experience for them, and for all of us working on the show.
So doing more is always a challenge – mentally, emotionally, you just get tired. So yes it does have its challenges but in the great scheme of things, this is gravy; this is a great gig! It’s a safe place to work, good food, good housing, you know, it’s not a bad gig!
MCTV: Not only is this season longer than any other that you have done previously, but the structure itself is very unique. Can you speak a little bit about what is different in this upcoming winter arc?
G.W. Bailey: The writers are doing something that’s very new to us and that is a lot of fun for the final five episodes. They are a serial piece as opposed to a procedural piece, which of course means that there is one crime, or rather series of crimes, and they’re all connected to either a killer or a group of killers. We will be spending the entire final five episodes trying to solve those murders and bring that killer or killers to justice.
Structuring the show in this way is a 
big first for us, so that’s been fun to explore. And the best part is that we (the actors) truly don’t know, or rather we won’t know the outcome until the final episode, so all of us on set have our own theories as to who it might be.
Jonathan Del Arco’s Dr. Morales has had a great year this season on Major Crimes, exploring exploring the world outside of the morgue, and even (finally!) getting a first name! We caught up with Jonathan on set during the filming of the upcoming winter arc of Major Crimes, to ask a few questions about this season, and his continued political and charitable passions.
When MajorCrimesTV.net first spoke to Kearran Giovanni just before the second season of Major Crimes, she and her character Amy Sykes were both learning the ropes as they adjusted to being part of a new team. Now, with four seasons under her belt, and Sykes having a key role when Major Crimes returns next Monday with a special winter episode arc that explores one case over five episodes, it’s clear that Kearran and Sykes are both relishing and flourishing in the expanded roles they’ve taken on.
season, those new skills are put to the test when Sykes is given a tip that brings her face to face with a disgraced former officer, whose involvement in one of the LAPD’s most notorious cases seems to connect with a set of gruesome murders the team is investigating. This series of events sets in motion an internal conflict for Sykes on how she must proceed as the investigation progresses. 
Michael Paul Chan, the man behind everyone’s favorite tech-wizard and veteran cop, took some time out of his season four filming schedule to chat with us about how season four is going for him, and tonight’s Tao-centric episode of Major Crimes.
nny premise, but it’ll be fun because it’s a whole other thing to deal with.
Major Crimes series creator and Executive Producer James Duff recently took the time to chat with MajorCrimesTV.net about tonight’s exciting season premiere, and preview what lies ahead for the team as they enter their fourth season. 
that dilemma that all parents face by having Philip Stroh escape; he becomes an existential threat in how do you deal with these existential threats and how do you live your life in the face of something like that kind of fear?” He stresses that Sharon, like so many parents before her, is struggling with having to relinquish her control over Rusty’s safety.
Rusty’s newly-discovered passion will also bring something new to the show, in the form of short video-blogs that will will be posted across the official Major Crimes social media pages (and Rusty’s own YouTube channel, which will be launched concurrently with the blogs). They will follow Rusty’s journey to try and identify Alice over a 10-episode arch. Duff reveals that these vlogs will take place in some familiar settings around the murder room, but will feature a fresh perspective on them in the form of Rusty, and that other familiar faces from the show also turn up within them.
Other members of the Major Crimes team will also have to call on their courage in situations that will test them beyond their limits this season. Duff elaborates, “Tao has to face the consequences of using his weapon. And how that affects him, and how it spurs him on beyond finishing the case.” Additionally, Det. Sykes is faced with an impossible situation when, “[She] has an opportunity to protect a witness and this opportunity comes with great challenges because this witness could possibly solve a murder that they have not solved, and yet the witness’ identity cannot be given out.” Duff explains that, “The law does not make exceptions for the judgment of a police officer in this case, so she is standing up to the legal system as well as to a very deadly street gang.”
Duff also reveals how the theme of courage will resonate with one of the most anticipated storylines this season, as the deepening relationship between Sharon Raydor and Lt. Flynn is continues to be explored. Duff shares that Sharon will need to search for a certain kind of courage herself this season, in order to allow her heart to welcome this potential romance. “There are a lot of pluses and minuses involved in dating someone with whom you work with and especially when the stakes are life and death sometimes. But one of the things that is not necessarily a con is how the LAPD looks at these relationships, all you have to do is inform your immediate superior that the relationship, is in fact, going on and you’re in the clear. But, informing your superior that the relationship is going on means admitting that relationship is going on. So, saying it out loud has a lot of power, and I think that probably is one of the most courageous things that [Sharon] is going to have to do.”
With Flynn getting closer to Sharon this season, that leaves Provenza the time that he needs to evaluate his relationship with Patrice, who was introduced as his own love interest last season. “We love Dawnn Lewis, she is an amazing actor, and a lot of fun. She loves coming to play with us and we love having her.” Duff says this relationship is where Provenza will need to call on his own courage, “I think it takes enormous courage to start a new relationship at Provenza’s age with a woman who is closer to being a peer than the last woman he dated, who was ridiculously young.”
With the season four premiere of Major Crimes right around the corner, MajorCrimesTV.net talked to Tony Denison to get the scoop on this season’s upcoming storylines, surprises, and of course, ‘Shandy.’