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.
MCTV: One of the things that is so much fun for fans to see on Major Crimes is how Provenza reacts to integration of modern technology and people’s social lives. Do you share the same opinions about technology that Provenza does?
G.W. Bailey: Well I’ll give you an example as to how I sympathize with Provenza’s view. Earlier today I was talking to a few guys, and as we were talking I looked over, and two of the guys were texting on their phone. So I just stopped and said, ‘well if what we’re saying isn’t important enough that you can stop and listen to it, then I guess we don’t need to be saying it, do we?’ And waited for them to put the phones down until we continued.
I mean, there’s no one closer to me and my wife than my granddaughter, and when we have dinner together, I don’t look at the top of her head while we eat, you know? So it’s safe to say that I am a mean asshole. (laughs).
MCTV: Provenza has had some fun storylines this season, most especially with Patrice. How has that been to explore a relationship at this point in Provenza’s life?
G.W. Bailey: Well Dawnn [Lewis], who plays Patrice, is a great gal. She’s a very positive presence on set, and she’s very happy to be doing this with us. She spends the vast majority of her time with her music, which she loves immensely, and does a lot of different charity work specifically for inner city issues, which the cast and crew have been very happy to help support her with as well.
I have a lot of great lines about their relationship, specifically about their recent progression. But the one that really sang to me the other day was when Provenza and Patrice were discussing wedding plans. Provenza wants to go big with the wedding and she wants to go real cheap and real small and I say, “Do you realize that this could be my very last marriage?!” And I think that’s a great line! He’s been married six times, and he’s you know, 200 years old – so, yes, this could very well be my last marriage! And he so badly wants to make a big deal out of it.
MCTV: Given that Provenza has vocalized his belief that Patrice could be his last wife, does that mean that he has finally found “the one?”
G.W. Bailey: I think she’s the one, I 
don’t think there’s any question about that. I also don’t think he has the energy to get divorced again! She also knows the ropes – it was established in an earlier episode and I assume that we’ll talk about it again that she was married to a cop. She’s a widow, and she was married to a guy in Long Beach in Robbery/Homicide, so she knows the ropes, she knows the cops life. She’s a nurse, and of course, that’s what Provenza really needs at this point in his life!
MCTV: Well, we’ve already seen Flynn taking advantage of that particular skill set of hers!
G.W. Bailey: Yes, I’ve had her over there taking care of him.
MCTV: Any hints if viewers will get to see that wedding?
G.W. Bailey: You are going to be present at the wedding, yes. Though I haven’t seen the script yet, I don’t think it’s the wedding that he was hoping, for but I think that it’s going to be a very nice wedding.
MCTV: Provenza has unique relationships with everyone on the team. Can you speak to those relationships and how they have grown over the years?
G.W. Bailey: Well what normally happens is that the writers and James Duff have a storyline that they want to pursue and if I am involved in that storyline I spend a lot of time with another character. But, then I’ll approach James and say, yeah what we’re doing is great but I really miss Rusty, what’s happening with Rusty? So then, if he’s able to, he’ll carve out some time for Provenza to spend with Rusty.
But then when I am with Rusty, I’m worried about Julio and his antics and his temper! He’s very emotional, and so I get worried about him, and then that gets me thinking, you know I haven’t seen Julio in a long time, and so the process begins all over again.
As an actor, you sort of miss the other characters, when you’re not involved with them. You can’t be involved with them all every day, but I like all of them and Rusty particularly I am very fond of. In fact, in the last few episodes of the final five, I’ll be a little more involved with what is happening with him through his biological mother.
MCTV: You and Provenza are headed towards your 12 year anniversary together. Is there anything at this point that you haven’t had the chance to explore or get to do yet?
G.W. Bailey: I’d like to cash a larger paycheck, that 
hasn’t been done yet! (laughs) I would love to see the relationship with Rusty get stronger, and there’s all kinds of things to write there. He’s a young gay man, who has an affinity for a much older man and so there’s all kinds of stuff to be experienced and to play in that relationship. And of course the relationship with Patrice is very very important and one that I would love to continue to develop.
MCTV: Do you have any other projects that you’re going to be working on during the upcoming hiatus?
G.W. Bailey: I spend most of my time with Sunshine Kids, and a lot of events and trips to help support that charity. (Read more about G.W. Bailey’s work with Sunshine Kids here). Other than that, I will be spending time with my family and I will be taking a trip to southern France to see an old friend, so I’ve got lots to keep me busy.
Major Crimes returns this Monday at 8pm/8c on TNT.