We spoke with Tony Denison to try and find out the answer to that, as well as his feelings about the Flynn/Raydor relationship, the changes his character has undergone this season, and how that’s affected him as an actor, as well as the scoop on the new project he’s been working on during his hiatus.

MajorCrimesTV: So, before I go any further, the question everyone is asking is, what happened? Did she say yes? 

Tony Denison: Well, I’m not allowed to say… But apparently there’s unintentional hints out there. So if people are observant, they might see something. If not, maybe they don’t see, or they see the absence of something. But they’ll have to watch (tonight) and see what happens.

MCTV: Ah, I see. Well, a little bit of suspense is healthy for us all. After five seasons to get here, we can’t have the answer in one episode–that’d be too easy!

TD: Exactly. I agree.

MCTV: But it was very exciting! What was it like for you, getting to this point in the characters relationship and filming that proposal scene?

TD: It was great! I enjoy every moment of screen time that I get to work with Mary, especially when it’s one-on-one scenes, so that was really cool, because we got a little bit of the payoff of what’s been going on. And as we move forward, people will see where it goes, and as far as what happens this next season that we’re about to start filming in few months, I don’t really know what happens, to be honest with you. I just know that according to James, it’s going to be a good season.

MCTV: The whole proposal scene was done a little differently than a lot of the show, in that we saw Flynn proposing, but there was no dialogue.  A lot of the fans have been asking, was there more to that scene when you shot it?

TD: There was never dialogue. When I say my last line, after I close the sliding door, at that point, it’s all silence from there on and we don’t say a word. I just take it out of my pocket and then I do what I did. And that’s how it ends. I mean there may have been different camera angles that were shot, but those are the ones that they showed, and there wasn’t anything more than that.

MCTV: Andy has had a lot of health issues in this last year, and a lot of changes in his life. How has he, or has he changed, from experiencing all that, and is that part of the reason he’s kind of gone from this confirmed bachelor to proposing to Sharon? 

TD: Well, I don’t know. Andy’s going through a lot of changes. And there’s a couple of payoffs in this season that are exciting, I have to admit, that happen in terms of how Andy is – his health issues and all that stuff. So I don’t want to give away too much but he’s really enjoying this relationship. I mean, I’m enjoying it because I love working with Mary, and so as an actor and as a character I’m having a lot of fun.

MCTV: It seems that your role has changed a bit this year. All these seasons on The Closer and then for most of Major Crimes,  Andy’s always been “The Cop” and that’s been so much of the role, in terms of being part of the team solving crimes and dealing with suspects. And now with these health issues, that’s shifted, and he’s not out with the team as much, he’s in the office with Sharon. How has that been for you as an actor, to have the role you’ve played for many years undergo this big change?

TD: I’m glad you asked that question. It has been strange. It’s been a really interesting adjustment because Andy has gone through a lot of different things over the years. It started out, he was the nemesis to Kyra’s character, and then they joined forces, and became part of the squad, and then she left and then he was at odds with Raydor early on, and then when she took over the squad they instantly hit it off as co-workers and then it became…I guess the natural extension was for us to hit it off as a man and a woman.

Those changes, as an actor, to get the opportunity to keep playing stuff like that, is great. And that’s the joy of television vs. doing feature films. You do feature films and you get two hours of action-packed fun, you do your character, and your character has his journey, and then the movie’s over and you wind up with all these things you’d like to explore beyond what’s written, and hopefully you’ll get a sequel in a movie and a chance for a bit of that. But in a TV series, the sequel occurs every week. And you get the opportunity to continually explore into different things for the character. And I like that. As an actor, I like that a lot.

MCTV: I can see how it would be very rewarding to be able to continue with, and grow with the character for many years. Another thing I’ve seen a lot of fans commenting about in terms of the storyline between Sharon and Andy is that so much of the development of their relationship has tended to happen off-screen. Is that frustrating to you, or are you satisfied with how the development of their relationship has been portrayed on screen?

TD: I think leaving it up to the imagination is good for us. It’s good for me. I mean, no matter which way it’s done, the fans are clamoring for more of whatever they get, you know? Which is really great. And more than that, the cast, we’re all part of the – I say this a lot because it’s true, for me anyway, but we’re all part of the same team. And it’s great when someone on your team hits a home run and wins the game even if you’re not on base or you didn’t score. You all celebrate the victory. So, the way the show is structured now, [James Duff]is trying to give everybody their home life moments, and to do that, means we can’t follow any one relationship or person that much. And he’s doing a good job trying to satisfy that aspect of the show. But I think at the end of the day, I have no complaints about the work that I get to do with Mary, and there’s also going be some more stuff coming up with G.W. again, which I know a lot of fans miss.

MCTV: Oh, great! We’re looking forward to that!

TD: So that’s going to be happening again. And for me, I don’t ever ask what’s going on, or what’s going to happen to my character. When I get the scripts and read them, I’m like “Oh! Okay, cool.” And that’s it. I don’t question things or want to complain about having more or less to do. It’s not my job.

Now, if they, or come over and say, “Hey, listen, are you happy with the script?” At that point, I might turn around and say “Well, you know, I was wondering is it possible for this to happen or that to happen?” And a lot of times, James is very accommodating to me. We have a good collaborative effort on a lot of that stuff. But for the most part, one thing’s sure, he knows I don’t knock on his door up at the office and say “Hey, you know, I was wondering…?” I don’t do that. So I’m happy with what is written, and what I’ve gotten to do, and how we’ve told this story.

MCTV: You’re filming a new movie right now. Can you tell us about that?

TD: I just finished. It’s called “Agent Emerson” and a virtual reality movie. They needed me for two days and I had some really good stuff to do, and it’s an interesting–and I really highlight the word and underline the word and quotation mark the word “interesting” project. I’ve not ever done anything like that before, in terms of how the camera works. It’s not your typical 3-D, it’s not your typical virtual reality, it’s incredibly immersive. It was pretty cool, and I’m excited for it. People are going to have a ball watching this thing.

MCTV: Well, we look forward to seeing it. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us, Tony. We always look forward to chatting with you.

TD: My pleasure!

Major Crimes is all new tonight at 9PM/8C on TNT.

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.’

After eleven years of portraying Lt. Andy Flynn on The Closer and Major Crimes, Tony Denison says his appreciation for the work that his character and real-life LAPD cops do has grown tenfold. “I always enjoy what we do, solving crime and the exploration of that crime. It’s interesting, because as an actor you never get tired of that.” Even with the advancement of technology and it’s growing prevalence in the lives of law officials, Denison stresses that it’s the gritty reality of cops rolling up their sleeves and really immersing themselves into the crime that most appeals to him as an actor. “I can appreciate shows like CSI that have all that high tech equipment,  but at the end of the day you still have to have someone walk around the place and bring the information to the microscope, and that stuff is always the most interesting to me.”

Solving crime and keeping their cool is all in a day’s work for Lt. Flynn and his fellow detectives. However this season there may be tension brewing among the Major Crimes detectives. The dynamic between Lt. Flynn and Det. Sanchez, who audiences saw struggling with anger management issues last year, will come to a head as we enter this season, and Sanchez returns to the squad after his suspension. Says Denison, “All of us on the show, it’s like the closest thing to being in a family that you can get to. And as is the case in all families, sometimes there is internal squabbling between certain brothers who are mad at each other. I mean, two brothers can be Kane and Abel.”

A different kind of tension also seems to be brewing between Flynn and a certain LAPD Captain. For three seasons fans have watched as Flynn and Captain Raydor (Mary McDonnell) have grown from begrudging coworkers, to friends, and, as this season begins, possibly something more. Denison says that he has enjoyed the journey that the fans have, “affectionately dubbed Shandy,” but unlike fans, Denison prefers the details of what may or may not transpire to remain a mystery to him, “ I don’t ask [James Duff] for how it’s going to be developing, I just enjoy doing whatever James and company come up with.”

He does promise fans that there are, “definitely roads to travel, as far as the Shandy situation and it’s going to be more active than it was last season, that much I do know. If I talk about some of the stuff that’s going on already, than I’ll be giving away more than is necessary, so I have to talk about it generally.”  As far as how this potential relationship would change the work dynamic between the characters, Denison says that he is interested to see how the characters will navigate that challenge.

Other than the potential of a blossoming relationship with Captain Raydor, perhaps the most defining bond that Flynn has among his fellow Major Crimes team members is with his longtime partner, Lt. Provenza. A staple of the Major Crimes and The Closer universe have always been episodes which focus on the Flynn and Provenza dynamic, providing audiences with comedic relief among the gritty crime solving drama. When asked if fans can look forward to more Flynn and Provenza related shenanigans, Denison promises that fans have much to look forward to.  “Yes, in fact we just did one episode where that happened and we have some really good guest stars for that episode and they told me that they’re going to do another one down the pipe, so that’s what is in store for us. “

Denison stresses that these relationships between Flynn and his coworkers, as well as others that have developed between the characters, are what remain at the heart of the show.  “I remember back on The Closer once James was talking about his theme for one particular year on the show and he said that the theme of that season was family. And I think that’s what it’s always about for me, this is a family and these guys are all brothers and sisters and when I come to work I am expecting to give them as excellent as an involvement as I can and I expect the same from them.”

Major Crimes season four premieres Monday, June 8th at 9pm/8c on 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.

Photo credit: Ben Kaller. Courtesy TNT, used with permission

MCTV: Is there anything that you’ve wanted Flynn to get to do that you haven’t had the opportunity to do yet on Major Crimes?

TD: Yes, chasing bad guys on horseback.

MCTV: You’d have to commandeer a horse first!

TD: Yes. And I’d like it to be with Flynn and Provenza, both on horses. Somehow they get stuck and they’re on horses and they have to chase somebody on a horse. It would be brilliant.

MCTV: Flynn and Provenza on horseback, somebody call the writers! Speaking of your better half, Provenza has really stepped up as a role model for Rusty in the last two seasons. Additionally, we got to see Flynn shedding some light on Rusty’s mother and her addictions a few episodes ago. Will Flynn further step up as a positive role model for Rusty as Provenza has?

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

TD: I would guess. I mean, they’ve sort of done it peripherally. And the possibility exists that they’ll do it more but it doesn’t matter if it’s done because my character is a recovering alcoholic. I mean, he can maybe speak with more specificity, but there’s a lot to be said about why they chose G.W’s character. Provenza has wisdom and it’s based on this longevity of the experiences that he’s gone through so that he can talk with somebody who’s experiencing any given issue because he may actually have gone through it himself. But if they want me to interplay with Rusty specifically about that, yeah I’d love to. We’re all supposed to be his godfathers or uncles, Kearran is like the aunt and we’re all the uncles; especially Buzz, who has a lot of interplay with him, just as much as G.W. I would say.

MCTV: We certainly couldn’t pass up the opportunity to ask you about the much-loved Sharon and Andy dynamic. There has been a definite shift in the relationship between the two of them, from where it began in season one to where it is now. Can you comment on that?

TD: Well I’m not trying to be coy, but I really don’t know where it’s going. In the mid-season finale, there’s sort of more of the way that it’s been going. I was told that when the character playing my daughter shows up that there might be more of Flynn going to Sharon as an ally to help with that and dealing with whatever it is, but I don’t know what it is. But whatever it is will probably just serve to draw us closer together. It’s great the way that it’s developed and it’s wonderful. Because I really love working with Mary McDonnell and I am not just saying that because we’re on the show together, I really do love working with her. She’s a wonderful person, and she’s also such a well-known, talented actress. If this were a brand new project and we were just starting out, I’d be like ‘oh great I’m going to be doing stuff with Mary McDonnell, I loved her in this, I loved her in that,’ so for me I’m not only in the business but I am a fan of the business.

Photo credit: Ben Kaller. Courtesy TNT, used with permission

MCTV: Looking ahead, you guys are just about to start filming the second half of the season. What are you most looking forward to?

TD: You have to understand, I don’t consider it work. When people ask me, ‘where are you going today?’ I usually say that I am going to the set or I will say to people that I can’t wait to play today. I hate to call it work. I mean it’s what I do, it is my work, it is what I do for a living, but I don’t really see it as work.

Major Crimes summer finale airs tonight at 9pm/8c on TNT. Major Crimes returns for its winter run on Monday, December 1st. You can learn more about Tony from our previous interview here, and follow him on twitter @RealTonyDenison.

Mary McDonnell talks Major Crimes on the Fox4 Morning Blend

Mary McDonnell and Tony Denison talk about the season with CinemaSource from the set of Major Crimes:

Mary McDonnell talks about Major Crimes on the Pop Culture Podcast:

mm pop culture podcast

Mary McDonnell talks Major Crimes during the premiere press tour:

Major Crimes cast attends the season premiere screening and Q&A at Raleigh Studios

Mary McDonnell talks family, career and Major Crimes in Closer Magazine (click thumbnails for viewable version)