I've got to admit I will miss Kyra Sedgwick, but for the past couple of years Mary McDonnell has been honing and refining her character of Captain Sharon Raydor so that we are familiar with her. As Sedgwick left the LAPD, McDonnell was poised to take over.
I do love Captain Raydor, she stays in control no matter what, completely unlike Brenda Lee Johnson who occasionally liked to cowgirl it up and cut a few corners in the pursuit of justice. Cutting a few too many corners is what forced her to leave. Raydor will never cut corners, she's all about the rules.
Like Sedgwick this first season and probably for some time after that McDonnell will be gradually winning over, Tao, Flynn, Sanchez and Provenza,those who hold over from Brenda Lee's crew. Brenda Lee's crew took a long time to warm up to her and even though McDonnell rose from the ranks, the squad views her still as the woman who was investigating their methods from The Closer.
I'm not sure that bringing in Graham Patrick Martin a street kid who was a material witness to a murder left over from the last episode of The Closer is a good fit. Clearly he's brought in for two reasons, to get a younger audience watching the show and to develop a personal life for Captain Raydor. She's got two grown children and I'm sure they'll visit from time to time which will provide plots for future episodes.
I like what Mary McDonnell does with her character of Captain Raydor and I hope the show lasts.
