Spinoffs are nothing new in TV. Some of the biggest hits of all time were spinoffs -- Frasier, Boston Legal, Private Practice, The Jeffersons, The Andy Griffith Show, Rhoda, Maude, CSI: Miami, CSI: New York, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: CI...the list goes on and on.

The news today that TNT is backing a spinoff from The Closer is no surprise. It makes sense.

The Closer is the top drama on cable in the ratings and has garnered Emmy notice. That kind of success demands replication, and TNT has empowered the brains behind The Closer, creator James Duff to make it happen.

Is that music coming from The Closer production?


The Closer's Executive Producer James Duff, told TV Guide -- exclusively -- that a wedding may be in the works. Could Deputy Police Chief Brenda Johnson, a woman who's great at her job but a neurotic mess in her personal life, get it together to actually marry the love of her life, FBI agent Fritz Howard? Could it happen this season?

I got to sit in on a conference call with The Closer creator James Duff this week. I have sat in on these calls before-- well, one-- and the call was so crowded with other writers that I couldn't get a word in edgewise. The call with Duff was fantastic because they asked me if I had any questions! But I'll get to that later.

The Closer premieres its third season on Monday at 9pm EST on TNT. I, for one, cannot wait! I had heard the hype about the show, but when I finally watched it (on DVD), I was floored. I have always admired Kyra Sedgewick, especially from Singles and Something to Talk About. And as a parent, I appreciated the sacrifices to her career she made to raise her children while they were young. However, I wasn't prepared for the Tasmanian devil package of energy and talent she unleashed on Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson.

The theme of this third season is family: How do you keep a family together? This theme will be manifest not only as we see more of Brenda's parents (including Northern Exposure's Maurice (Barry Corbin) as her tightly-strung father), but we watch her navigate her relationship with Fritz, and also explore the possibility of having a child.