Category Archives: News
Major Crimes- Winter Season Episode Descriptions
Major Crimes- Season 2
Winter Episode Descriptions
“Pick Your Poison” – Monday, Nov. 25, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) – TV-14-DLV
After a bad batch of drugs claims the lives of two brothers, the race is on for the squad to find the dealer before more of their fellow high school students are threatened. Feeling smothered by his new around-the-clock security detail, Rusty faces a big decision.
Directed by Steve Robin
Written by Jim Leonard
Created by James Duff
“Jailbait” – Monday, Dec. 2, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) – TV-14-DLV
When a newly released prisoner misses two back-to-back parole meetings, the squad is called in to track him down after the suspect’s therapist expresses concerns over his mental state. Meanwhile, Sharon invites therapist, Dr. Joe Bowman (guest star Bill Brochtrup), to the office to evaluate Rusty over a game of chess. Esai Morales also guest stars.
Directed by Michael M. Robin
Written by Ralph Gifford & Carson Moore
Created by James Duff
“All In” – Monday, Dec. 9, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) –TV-14-DLV
When a body turns up at a posh country club in a quiet neighborhood, the squad’s investigation leads them down a money trail full of surprises. Flynn is noticeably distracted on the job, and Emma’s actions have Rusty questioning her intentions, causing him to distrust her even more.
Directed by Anthony Hemingway
Written by James Duff & Mike Berchem
Created by James Duff
“Curve Ball” – Monday, Dec. 16, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
Christmas vacation is interrupted for the Major Crimes Division when a baseball scout is found dead in his RV. The squad works through the murder case, unfolding a complicated kidnapping scheme. Meanwhile, Rusty opens up to Dr. Joe (guest star Bill Brochtrup) about his mom.
Directed by Jon Tenney
Written by Michael Alaimo
Created by James Duff
“Risk Assessment” – Monday, Dec. 23, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
When a well-off graduate student gets shot to death in a gang-riddled neighborhood, the Major Crimes Division must work with the FBI, including Fritz Howard (guest star Jon Tenney) to find his killer. Throughout the investigation, it is revealed how each member of the unit became interested in joining the police force.
Directed by Stacey K. Black
Written by Duppy Demetrius
Created by James Duff
“Year-End Blowout” – Monday, Dec. 30, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
A year-end blowout sale becomes literal for a used-car lot after one of its owners is killed when a bomb explodes. While the squad tries to find who is responsible, Rusty dons a bullet-proof vest under the watchful eye of Lt. Chuck Cooper (guest star Malcolm-Jamal Warner), a SIS (Special Investigation Section) supervisor, in an attempt to catch the person responsible for threatening his and Sharon’s life.
Directed by David McWhirter
Written by Leo Geter & Ralph Gifford & Carson Moore
Created by James Duff
“Return to Sender” – Monday, Jan. 6, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
The squad must work quickly to track down a serial killer before he strikes again. Meanwhile, things get dangerous over a game of chess. Malcolm-Jamal Warner guest stars.
Directed by Rick Wallace
Written by Michael Alaimo
Created by James Duff
“Return to Sender Part 2″ – Monday, Jan. 13, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
The Major Crimes unit draws closer to finding a dangerous serial killer. Rusty faces his biggest challenge yet when he bravely takes the stand against Phillip Stroh. Complicating the case further, the team goes head to head with Linda Rothman (guest star Jeri Ryan) a tough, powerful attorney who doesn’t let morals stand in her way of winning a case. Jon Tenney also guest stars.
Directed by James Duff
Written by Adam Belanoff
Created by James Duff
Major Crimes Returns November 25th with Eight Powerful New Episodes
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Via TNT Press Release:
TNT’s Hit Drama Series Major Crimes Returns Monday, November 25
With Complex Cases and One of Television’s Best Ensemble Casts
TNT’s hit drama series Major Crimes, which fired up summer as one of basic cable’s Top 10 dramas, returns this winter with eight powerful new episodes. Oscar® and Emmy® nominee Mary McDonnell stars as Los Angeles Police Captain Sharon Raydor, who heads up a special squad within the LAPD that deals with high-profile or particularly sensitive crimes. The series is set to begin its winter run Monday, Nov. 25, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT), with the season finale set for January 13.
Major Crimes explores how the American justice system approaches the art of the deals as law enforcement officers and prosecutors work together to score a conviction. In the series, McDonnell is joined by an extraordinary ensemble cast that includes G.W. Bailey as Lieutenant Provenza, Tony Denison as Lieutenant Andy Flynn, Michael Paul Chan as Lieutenant Mike Tao, Raymond Cruz as Detective Julio Sanchez, Kearran Giovanni as Detective Amy Sykes, Phillip P. Keene as tech expert Buzz Watson, Robert Gossett as Assistant Chief Russell Taylor, Nadine Velazquez as Deputy District Attorney Emma Rios and Jonathan Del Arco as Dr. Morales. Graham Patrick Martin also stars as Rusty Beck, a homeless teen and material witness taken in by Captain Raydor.
This past summer on Major Crimes, Raydor and the detectives in the squad finally settled into a good working relationship. But they are now under the watchful eye of Deputy District Attorney Emma Rios, who has been assigned to shadow investigations and work with Raydor’s team to build successful cases and secure plea deals whenever possible.
Throughout the summer, Rusty struggled to come to terms with his past and his own emotional turmoil. His close friendship with a female classmate showed signs of bringing his life some sense of normality, but Rusty pushed her away for reasons he refuses to explain. And Rusty’s distrust of DDA Rios will continue to grow as her actions make him begin to question her intentions.
In the winter episodes of Major Crimes, the squad will be called upon to investigate the deaths of two brothers who may have died as a result of a bad batch of drugs, track down a recently released prisoner whose therapist has concerns he could be dangerous and follow a money trail full of surprises when a body turns up at a posh country club. The winter episodes will also reveal the mysterious person sending threatening letters to Rusty and Raydor, and Rusty will finally testify against Phillip Stroh in a preliminary hearing. Jon Tenney – who played FBI Agent Fritz Howard on The Closer and the first season of Major Crimes – returns to direct the Dec. 16 episode and will guest star in two episodes.
TNT’s Major Crimes launched in 2012 and finished its first season ranking as basic cable’s #1 new series of the year. The drama returned earlier this year for its second season, averaging 6.9 million viewers in Live + 7 to rank as one of basic cable’s Top 5 summer series. In key demos, Major Crimes has averaged more than 2.1 million adults 25-54 and 1.6 million adults 18-49 in its second season.
Major Crimes is produced for TNT by The Shephard/Robin Company and Walking Entropy, Inc., in association with Warner Bros. Television. The Closer’s James Duff, Greer Shephard, Michael M. Robin, Adam Belanoff and Rick Wallace serve as executive producers on the series. The show is produced by Andrew J. Sacks
First Look at the “Major Crimes Cookbook”
Greg LaVoi shared this sneak-peek at the cover of the upcoming Major Crimes Cookbook on Twitter. Photo credit: @GregLaVoi
The holiday season just got a little brighter for Major Crimes fans! We are thrilled to announce that a very special “Major Crimes Cookbook” is being published by the Major Crimes team just in time for the holidays. The book features favorite recipes of the cast and crew, as well as fabulous cover artwork by none other than Major Crimes costume designer Greg LaVoi! All proceeds from the sales of the book will benefit G.W. Bailey’s The Sunshine Kids Foundation, a children’s cancer charity.
Updated 1/6/13- The Major Crimes Cookbook is now available! Place your order now from The Sunshine Kids Foundation! (Please note- only domestic orders are available to be processed at this time- an international option is coming soon!)
Stacey K. Black to Direct Winter Episode of Major Crimes
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There’s a lot to look forward to in the winter episodes of Major Crimes!
We are thrilled to report that Stacey K. Black will also be returning to direct episode 16 of season two, slated to air in December (as previously reported, the episode will also feature the return of Jon Tenney, reprising his role as Fritz Howard).
Along with directing last years fan-favorite episode “Cheater’s Never Prosper”, and working as the Major Crimes Department Head Hair Stylist, Black also created and directed the weekly Major Crimes Season 2 Video Blogs, which feature the cast and crew of Major Crimes answering questions about the show. Black previously directed two episodes of The Closer.
The winter season of Major Crimes returns to TNT on Monday, November 25th.
Ratings Notes: Major Crimes Scores Big on Two Continents!
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Though there was no new episode this week, that didn’t keep Major Crimes from continuing to dominate in the ratings on two continents!
-Here in the U.S., last week’s summer finale of Major Crimes came in as one of basic cable’s Top 2 Scripted Programs for the week among total viewers, and in the Top 3 Dramas for the week with adults 25-54. In Live + 3 ratings, last weeks episode has risen to 6.7 million viewers, with 2.1 million adults 25-54, and 1.5 million adults 18-49, a 2% growth for both key demos. (source: TVbytheNumbers)
-In Live + 7 day ratings, episode 208 stayed steady with the increases seen for the previous week, topping out at 7.3 million total viewers and 2.1 million adults 25-54.
- Meanwhile in the United Kingdom, episode 202 of Major Crimes topped its own UK season 2 premiere numbers by 5%. That ranks as a new series high for Major Crimes on Universal Channel UK. Of the new high, TVWise noted that “ratings for Major Crimes hold steady, the series will be on track to outstrip Law & Order: Special Victims Unit to become Universal’s highest rated series.” (Source: TVWise)
Major Crimes has already been renewed for season 3, and season 2 will return to TNT on Monday, November 25th at 9pm/8c.
James Duff on Rusty Beck and ‘Thrown Away’ Children
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A new article in the New York Times looks at some of the current films and TV shows that are exploring the issues surrounding children in foster care, and spoke to Series Creator James Duff about Rusty Beck and Major Crimes.
“Another cable series takes a grittier approach to a similar subject. In the Los Angeles police procedural “Major Crimes” on TNT, the main character, Capt. Sharon Raydor (Mary McDonnell) becomes an unofficial foster mother to Rusty (Graham Patrick Martin), a gay, homeless teenager and former sex worker who is a key witness in a case. “Major Crimes” treats Rusty with sympathy without glossing over his past. That’s because the character comes from a deeply personal place for the show’s creator, James Duff, who is gay.
“I ran away from home when I was 17,” said Mr. Duff, who said he is hoping to raise awareness of runaways or, as he called them, “thrown-aways,” by providing a window into a little-seen world.
“When I see what goes on now with thrown-away children in our own culture, I think Dickens would have blushed,” he said. “ ‘Oliver Twist’ is actually an uplifting story compared with the horrors that the unattended children of Los Angeles are suffering now.”
Read the full article here
Ratings Post: Summer Finale Wins Night, Ranks Top 2 Scripted Program of the Week
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- Major Crimes finished its season on top, with Monday night’s summer finale coming in with 5.291 million live viewers and demo of 0.8 18-49, making it the highest rated scripted cable offering of the night for the 11th consecutive week!
- Last weeks episode of Major Crimes was the second most watched scripted cable program of the week, and has continued to grow in time delayed ratings with 6.9 million viewers in Live + 3 day ratings, and 2.0 million adults 25-54 (an increase of 6% over the prior week) and 1.5 million adults 18-49 (up 1% over the prior week).
- Episode 208 of Major Crimes saw big gains in Live + 7 day ratings, finishing with 7.0 million total viewers, and 2.2 million adults 25-54.
We’ll continue to report time delayed ratings as they are released over the next few weeks.
Congrats to the cast and crew of Major Crimes on their season 3 renewal! Major Crimes will return to television with winter portion of their 2nd season on November 25th.
Written by M. Sharpe