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While police procedurals often flood our screens, truly captivating ones are rare gems. “The Closer,” featuring Kyra Sedgwick alongside the surprisingly muscular J.K. Simmons, belongs to this elite category. Although its finale aired over a decade ago, the series has recently found renewed popularity on Netflix, engaging both first-time viewers and long-time fans who cherish its unique appeal.
TNT
In an unexpected resurgence, “The Closer” climbed into the top 10 most-watched shows on Netflix in the U.S. as we transitioned from 2025 into 2026, according to FlixPatrol. Amidst the plethora of holiday content, the choice of many viewers to revisit this decades-old series speaks volumes about its enduring quality, arguably surpassing many of its contemporaries.
The narrative of “The Closer” follows Sedgwick, who shines in her role as Brenda Johnson. Transferring from Atlanta to Los Angeles, Brenda takes charge of a crime unit focused on high-profile homicide cases. What sets her apart is her exceptional skill in interrogation, earning her a reputation as one of the best in the business at extracting confessions from suspects.
Running from 2005 to 2012 for seven seasons, “The Closer” was met with acclaim from critics and audiences alike. It boasts an impressive 83% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer and a 78% Popcornmeter score, with much praise directed at Sedgwick’s compelling performance. The show’s success also led to a spin-off, “Major Crimes,” which followed Mary McDonnell’s character, Sharon Raydor, for six seasons.
Despite its success and the Emmy win for Sedgwick, “The Closer” did not significantly alter the trajectory of her career as some might have expected. In a 2024 interview with Variety, Sedgwick reflected, “I would try to get jobs during my hiatus, and I landed some good ones that did well. But I was never able to parlay the success of ‘The Closer’ into more great features or TV work. Like, I would have loved to have been in ‘Succession.’”
Kyra Sedgwick received the highest acclaim for The Closer
TNT
Airing for seven seasons from 2005 to 2012, “The Closer” garnered positive reviews from both critics and fans. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds 83% on the Tomatometer and 78% on the Popcornmeter, with the majority praising Kyra Sedgwick for her portrayal of Brenda Johnson. The series received a spin-off titled “Major Crimes,” centered on Mary McDonnell’s Sharon Raydor, which then aired for six seasons.
Despite “The Closer” establishing itself as a big ratings hit and securing an Emmy for Sedgwick, it didn’t have the transformative effect on her career that people may have imagined. “I would try to get jobs during my hiatus,” Sedgwick told Variety in 2024. “And I landed some good ones that did well. But I was never able to parlay the success of ‘The Closer’ into more great features or TV work. Like, I would have loved to have been in ‘Succession.’”
While Hollywood might have slept on Sedgwick’s talents and indisputable success as a lead actor, the fans haven’t. The fact that “The Closer” turned out to be a mega hit on Netflix years after it ended is only testament to this. Maybe it is time to put this underrated police procedural in the same league as some of the best cop shows of all time.
