Category Archives: News Stories

MCTV Exclusive: Tony Denison Previews What’s Next For Flynn, “Shandy” and More

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By A. Cascone and M. Sharpe



MAJOR CRIMES (TNT)

Photo credit: Justin Stephens. Courtesy TNT, used with permission

Since TNT’s hit drama Major Crimes debuted, audiences have been delighted to see a whole other side of resident tough-guy Lt. Andy Flynn revealed as Flynn has confronted both family and personal health conflicts, adjusted to new additions to the Major Crimes squad, and, most excitingly, has begun to step toward a potential new romance. Recently, we caught up with Tony Denison on the set of Hollywood Today Live, where he took the time out of his hiatus schedule to update us on Flynn’s journey so far, as well as speculate with us as to what might be next for the smart-alec Lieutenant.

MCTV: Firstly, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us again. You are halfway through your third season right now, what’s your experience been like so far and what can we look forward to in the second half?

Tony Denison: This season has been so great that somebody said to me one day, ‘How much longer do you think you can play this character?’ And I am telling you, without exaggeration, that I could go ten more years; I am having so much fun. And it’s ten years into it [playing Lt. Flynn] and I am not even remotely bored. I love every episode and whatever I get to do and I love to work with G.W. Bailey; he’s a friend and he’s a wonderful actor. I also love all of the stuff that I get to do with Mary McDonnell, as well as the other guys in the cast too, like Kearran Giovanni and Raymond Cruz and Michael Paul Chan; they’re all just great.

MCTV: Congratulations on rising to TNT’s “BOOM” rebranding challenge! Major Crimes has been delivering consistent, record-breaking ratings this season. You and the rest of the cast and crew must be incredibly proud of that accomplishment.

TD: We are poised again to be TNT’s number one show. I joked with James Duff one day and I said, ‘if you write it, they will watch.’ And I was right!

MCTV: Last season audiences got to see glimpses of how Flynn’s family life has affected him, but we didn’t actually get the chance to meet any of his family members. If we do get the pleasure of meeting his children this season, what do you think Flynn’s relationship with them will be like?

TD: Well, I know through dealing with a lot of cops that I’ve spoken with over the year that it’s probably a very tough relationship. When you work a profession where when you go out the door in the morning and your family doesn’t know if you’re going to return alive that night, where you’re carrying a gun, it’s got to be a strain on everybody in the family. Whether people openly admit it or not, there’s got to be some kind of like stress and I am sure that it affects everybody in the family to some degree; maybe a lot, maybe a little, but it’s got to be there. So I would guess that Flynn’s character has experienced what a lot of detectives go through when it comes to their families. Continue reading →

MCTV Exclusive- The Doctor Is In: Bill Brochtrup Talks LA Theatre, Dr. Joe, and Major Crimes

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By A. Cascone & M. Sharpe


Brochtrup_Bill_190Bill Brochtrup has had a successful film, stage, and television career spanning over 20 years. For the past two seasons he has graced our screens on Major Crimes as Rusty’s witty, intelligent, and unorthodox therapist, Dr. Joe, and his character has fast become a fan favorite.  Recently Bill took time out of his busy schedule to chat with MajorCrimesTV.net about his television career, his love for the theatre, and his role as Major Crimes’ Dr. Joe.

MajorCrimesTV: The Doctor is in! Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. Dr. Joe struck a chord with fans as soon as he was introduced, how exactly did this role come about for you?

Bill Brochtrup: I’ve known James Duff for years, he’s an old friend of mine. I was in a play he wrote and he’s an outstanding writer. I totally knew the show, I had watched like every episode of The Closer and knew every episode of Major Crimes up until I started filming.

I think James was, for a long time, looking for something that might work for me on The Closer but we never really found anything that worked schedule wise or that was the right fit so when he had this idea, I was thrilled and I just jumped at it. I think this part is so good, I love Dr. Joe. Plus I love working with Graham Patrick Martin [Rusty Beck].

MCTV: So you were very familiar with the world of Major Crimes?

BB: Oh, very much so. Hollywood can be kind of a small town. I’ve known Tony Denison [Andy Flynn] for many years.  I’ve known Phillip P. Keene [Buzz Watson] as long as I’ve known James, he’s a very good friend. Jonathan Del Arco [Dr. Morales] and I did a play together in the 90s, and I did a play with Kathe Mazur’s [Andrea Hobbs] husband back in 2004.

Coming into Major Crimes, on my first day I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is old home week!’ Also that first episode I did, Esai Morales was a guest star, and we worked together on NYPD Blue for many years, so it really was almost surreal. It was like, ‘Wow, I know everybody here’ and there’s just such a warm feeling in the room.

And that is really created by James. At the table read each week he introduces everybody, he kind of runs the whole thing. The table read is where the cast comes together to read the script before we start filming. And James sets a tone that is unlike any place that I’ve ever worked before; it’s like you’re at a party at his house and when they say “guest” star you really are like a guest in their place. You’re treated like a true guest would be, as if you’re spending the weekend at their house or something. It’s an unusual and very, very nice feeling.’

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Ratings: Major Crimes Scores Another New Season High; Wins Week as Most Watched Cable Broadcast

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By Mina Sharpe


MAJOR CRIMES (TNT)Major Crimes continued its blockbuster summer season, with 5.84 million viewers tuning in for last nights episode, besting last week’s previous season high by over 6%!  This marks a new two-season high for Major Crimes, and it easily won the night as the most watched basic cable program. The episode, featuring 90′s heartthrob Luke Perry and a bevy of winks-and-nods to TV fans and fandom also scored 1.0 million viewers in the 18-49 demographic, a whopping 11% increase over last weeks outing. Overall, “Cutting Loose” now marks the 3rd highest rated episode of Major Crimes ever!

Last week’s action packed episode of Major Crimes continued to take no prisoners in time delayed ratings, coming in with a season high 7.3 million viewers in live + 3 ratings (an increase of 4% over the prior week), with 2.2 and 1.6 million viewers in the 22-55 and 18-49 demographics respectively, and won the week as the Most Watched Cable Broadcast (including scripted, reality and sports).

With two episodes left in the summer season, Major Crimes is poised to end the summer as the 2nd most watched scripted series of the summer (and gaining rapidly on the top position), and is in the Top 4 most watched series in the key 25-54 demographic.

Congrats to the cast and crew on continuing to dominate the summer! BOOM!

 

308 – “Cutting Loose”

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“Cutting Loose” – Monday, July 28, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) – TV-14-DLSV

Lt. Mike Tao of Major Crimes finds himself doing double duty when the star of the cop show on which he moonlights as a consultant becomes the prime suspect in the murder of his biggest fan.

Directed by Roxann Dawson
Written by Duppy Demetrius
Created by James Duff

Episode Stills


Episode Promo

MCTV Exclusive: Ties That Bind – Mary McDonnell on Family and Major Crimes

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By Mina Sharpe


MM S3 Gallery1 lr2

Photo credit: Justin Stephens. Courtesy TNT, used with permission

It’s all quiet on the set of Major Crimes as Captain Sharon Raydor, played by Mary McDonnell, tries to come to terms with what her foster son, Rusty Beck, has just told her. Long estranged from her husband, Raydor has tolerated his occasional comings and goings for many years. But when his actions threaten to do serious harm to the trust she has so carefully built with Rusty over the past two years, it’s clear that Jackson Raydor may have finally gone too far.

Over several takes, McDonnell gives different glimpses into the complicated relationship with her character’s husband, and Raydor’s varying reactions to it. What doesn’t change is the fierce loyalty and protectiveness Raydor shows towards the boy she already considers her son, and the clear message that Sharon Raydor is a force to be reckoned with when those she loves are threatened.

As she sits down with MajorCrimesTV.net for a chat after the scene is done filming, it quickly becomes clear that like her on-screen persona, for McDonnell, family– in whatever form it comes– is key. Whether it is the family you are born into, the family that you adopt along the way, or the family that is forged out of difficult circumstances, McDonnell recognizes that family can have the largest and most resounding impact on a person.

When Captain Sharon Raydor first marched into the murder room on The Closer, audiences and fellow officers of the Major Crimes division alike bristled at the seemingly tough-as-nails and emotionless new officer, and on both sides of the screen she quickly became known by the moniker “Darth Raydor”. Now as Major Crimes enters its third season, McDonnell credits the relationship between her character and foster son Rusty Beck as the catalyst that helped make the transition between the two shows occur flawlessly, allowing the greater depth of Sharon Raydor to be revealed.  “In my mind it’s kind of a genius element to this,” McDonnell says.  “Because James [Duff] has this ability to understand, seemingly out of the blue, what is needed. And when he thought up this Rusty character and saw Graham [Patrick Martin], he understood that this could be our connecting object into the new series. It relieved us from having to force Sharon Raydor this way or that way, because he knew that through this personal relationship he could expose her as a human without her having to give up her Darth Raydor.” McDonnell laughs. “I did not want to give up Darth Raydor.”

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