I remember hating this guy [Brenda's lawyer, Gavin Q. Baker III] when I first watched the show back in 2011. Now, 10 years later, I can appreciate and enjoy the performance of the actor Mark Pellegrino. In all the episodes he was in, Pellegrino really did a great job, with many humorous touches to his character. JK Simmons did his usual excellent job of presenting a complex character, i.e., a real person, who is neither all bad or all good. Also, this episode took a big step in rehabilitating the character of Captain Raydor (saving Brenda from herself), when she was pretty much hated by all the fans of 'The Closer' at the beginning. If you'd asked them initially if they would watch a spin-off of the show with Mary McDonnell as the star, I imagine it would have been an almost unanimous "No." I was certainly one of them, and (thanks in large part to the excellent supporting cast), there I was, watching the spin-off as well -- in spite of the ever-present, ever-irritating Rusty. The main plot of 'Star Turn' was also engaging, keeping us guessing until the end whom the murderer really was. Basing my guess partially on the excellent casting, I got it wrong, but that was fine with me. This was a highly enjoyable episode.
2 Reviews
Never take pepper spray on a hike
biorngm2 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This episode is one of a few weak storylines with a murder, i.e. wife kills husband because she has reached her limit with his behavior lauding over a no talent daughter with an ambition of living out his stardom dream through his child. Enough is enough with his actions moving the family from the Midwest to Los Angeles to seek fame through an agent gladly taking their money, for I believe he secretly is aware the youngster has no talent. To paraphrase Brenda from previous episodes, why not get a divorce or at the very least, stay home in Indiana, sooner or later the money will run out.
There is a clever end to the murder-story by Brenda fooling the wife with her confession. The addition of Ken Howard is sad, and Debrah Farentino continues to be a pleasant view; besides four times divorced, go figure. All in all, the murder-story is lame; not a favorite episode of a television series I truly enjoy. There are very few episodes I cannot stomach, this being one of them. Brenda's attorney Gavin is pleasantly theatrical in proving his point against the prosecutor.
Clue one leading to Beth's arrest: Provenza asks politely for the victim medical and dental records, in due course. Wes immediately hands over an envelope to the Lieutenant, and both he and Brenda look surprised, like the documents would be needed. Is this some Ft. Wayne custom, when traveling to the big city?
Bob was pepper-sprayed before being pushed off the cliff, as the police and the Medical Examiner discovered; finding the body nearly five days after he was reported missing. Footprints were obviously brushed away from the area where Bob went over the cliff with only Bob's prints remaining. The body was relatively devoid of sunburn for being outside for five days and his stomach contents consisted of pizza and blue gummy bears. It turns out Bob was holdup in a hotel for the days he went absent to gain publicity for Missy and her audition. Beth was in on the hoax or diversion confronting Bob in the park alone after lying to the police he had plans of returning to his old job in Indiana when Beth's father told Brenda there was no job to return to back home.
Beth admits the public was deceived if for no other reason to bring notice to Missy's final audition by having Bob suddenly be rescued from his hike. The flaw was Beth bringing the pepper spray when she drove Bob up to the van.
The better part of the episode was Gavin saving Brenda from signing Goldman's document. Goldman is a slime ball. Agree with Captain Raydor never to trust him, or for that matter Pope's judgement.
There is a clever end to the murder-story by Brenda fooling the wife with her confession. The addition of Ken Howard is sad, and Debrah Farentino continues to be a pleasant view; besides four times divorced, go figure. All in all, the murder-story is lame; not a favorite episode of a television series I truly enjoy. There are very few episodes I cannot stomach, this being one of them. Brenda's attorney Gavin is pleasantly theatrical in proving his point against the prosecutor.
Clue one leading to Beth's arrest: Provenza asks politely for the victim medical and dental records, in due course. Wes immediately hands over an envelope to the Lieutenant, and both he and Brenda look surprised, like the documents would be needed. Is this some Ft. Wayne custom, when traveling to the big city?
Bob was pepper-sprayed before being pushed off the cliff, as the police and the Medical Examiner discovered; finding the body nearly five days after he was reported missing. Footprints were obviously brushed away from the area where Bob went over the cliff with only Bob's prints remaining. The body was relatively devoid of sunburn for being outside for five days and his stomach contents consisted of pizza and blue gummy bears. It turns out Bob was holdup in a hotel for the days he went absent to gain publicity for Missy and her audition. Beth was in on the hoax or diversion confronting Bob in the park alone after lying to the police he had plans of returning to his old job in Indiana when Beth's father told Brenda there was no job to return to back home.
Beth admits the public was deceived if for no other reason to bring notice to Missy's final audition by having Bob suddenly be rescued from his hike. The flaw was Beth bringing the pepper spray when she drove Bob up to the van.
The better part of the episode was Gavin saving Brenda from signing Goldman's document. Goldman is a slime ball. Agree with Captain Raydor never to trust him, or for that matter Pope's judgement.
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