Products of Discovery

Season 5, Episode 1, Aired
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9.3
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While investigating the homicide of an entire family, the team once again finds themselves entangled in an FBI case. They also find themselves distracted by an unusually surly Provenza.
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Fan Episode Reviews (4)

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  • The Season 5 opener of "The Closer" was business as usual with a couple of exceptions. Brenda and Fritz are settling into married life and the friction generated by Det. Daniels and Sgt. Gabriel has vanished with the departure of Gina Ravera as Daniels.moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By sunsethill, Apr 23, 2011
    As for plot intensity, Episode 1, "Products of Discovery," is as good as it gets. In the opening scene, Deputy Chief Johnson and her team arrive at the scene of a quadruple homicide. A grandmother, mother, and two children have been murdered execution style. On entering the crime scene, the horrified looks on the investigation team's faces foreshadows the gruesome truth that comes to light. As is the case in many similar murders, the father becomes the immediate person of interest. In the interrogation room with Chief Johnson and Sgt. Gabriel, the father, Victor Rivera, is under the misconception that he is being harassed for former spousal abuse. When he is informed about the murder of his family, his sense of loss appears real; however, he is still under suspicion until he breaks down in a hotel room while being questioned by Chief Johnson and Det. Sanchez. In a moving display of spirituality, Victor asks Brenda and Julio to pray with him. Thinking he is about to confess to the murders, they are surprised when he confesses his sin of infidelity and seeks God's forgiveness and relief from the guilt that he feels for his past behavior. Det. Sanchez is visibly shaken and will ultimately befriend Victor in his time of need.

    The investigation then uncovers a bizarre mistake when Lt. Provenza and Chief Johnson are returning to the murder scene. The murders had occurred at 214 29th Street. However, Lt. Provenza pulls up in front of 214 29th Place, which is where he mistakenly went on the day of the homicides. Chief Johnson has a hunch that maybe the murderer got the addresses confused as did Provenza. Before they could question the resident, a van pulls up and out comes a federal agent to rush away this soon to be revealed protected witness.

    As it turns out, Brenda's case overlaps with an ongoing investigation of a cocaine dealer named Tavio Baran. Enter Det. Nick Carey, the L.A.P.D.'s lead detective in a joint task force with the F.B.I. to bring Baran to justice. They are protecting a witness who is to testify against Baran and as it turns out, he was the intended target instead of the Rivera family. Det. Carey is ordered to turn over everything he has on Baran including videos and pre-trial discovery. Since Baran is serving as his own lawyer, he has had access to all documents related to discovery.

    In reviewing the documents, Sgt. Gabriel comes across a form that identifies the witness. A seemingly small clerical error on the part of Det. Carey, in failing to remove this document before it got to Baran, had set the stage for the "accidental" elimination of an entire family. After reviewing the videos of Baran in jail, it is obvious he has enlisted the help of his pregnant girlfriend, Dina Lopez, to carry out the murder of the witness. Unfortunately, she also got the address wrong and while the witness remained safe, Victor Rivera loses everything he loves in one morning. Ironically, in a chilling confession, Lopez admits that she did it so she could have a family with Baran. She is arrested and will likely lose everything she loves as did Rivera. This episode could as easily been entitled "The Butterfly Effect." One seemingly innocuous incident, such as failure to remove one piece of paper out of a thousand such papers, resulted in such a horrific chain of events that the lives of these people would never again be the same. This includes the unborn child of Dina Lopez. They are all the "Products of Discovery."

    The storyline was quite good; however, it was underpinned with a palpable sense of loss which appeared throughout the episode. Provenza's odd behavior and comments portend a developing sub-plot that may involve the loss of someone close. At the center of this sense of loss was the Victor Rivera family and of course Dina's daughter who will likely be born in prison and then taken away. Even Det. Sanchez is moved to help Victor in getting things together, as Julio is still mourning the loss of his wife and the more recent wounds he received in a shootout. Lastly, on returning home Brenda is informed by Fritz that Kitty is very ill and may not be coming back. The look of devastation on her face is sadly anticipating the loss of Kitty. If the opener is any indication of what's to come, this season is not going to disappoint.moreless

  • Ever wondered what amazing really is? I have, and I have just found out.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By dancecutiee55, Nov 22, 2010
    Ever wondered what amazing really is? I have, and I have just found out.
    The Closer is already one of my favorite shows because somehow in some amazing way the actors and actresses know how to potray a real-life scenerio and make it feel not fake. I loved how in the beggining both the corenor and I think it was Det. Profenza that mentioned that they were late because they got the wrong address at first through a simple mistake of mistaking Place for Street. Knowing the cleverness of the writers and producers of the show from before-hand episodes, I knew this was going to play a big part of the investigation later on.
    Did anyone else notice how Det. Daniels wasn't part of this episode? Oh was she? Did I just forget about seeing her?.....
    Anyways, I think keen details and the witty ways the producers and writers tied things together is why this episode turned out to be an amazing episode and an even better Season Premiere! I can't wait to see what's instore for the rest of the season.
    So yes, I have finally found an answer to what amazing really is: The Season Five Premeire of The Closer.moreless

  • AWESOME!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By brya3, Nov 22, 2010
    Brenda and the team investigate the murder of a family of four at their home, while her cat gets sick. Monday 9:00pm Eastern Time, Monday 8:00pm Central time, on TNT. Starring Kyra Sedgwick, JK Simmons, Jon Tenney, Corey Reynolds, GW Bailey and Tony Denison in a nearly perfect police drama taking place in the city of murders; Los Angeles. Kyra Sedgwick is Brenda Leigh Johnson, the Deputy Police Chief for the Priority Homicide Division recently welcomed by her team from Atlanta, Georgia. She is guaranteed to spice up the drama with comedy and tearjerking moments. Kyra Sedgwick is the Closer.moreless

  • What seems to be a murder of a mans family by an irate husband turns into something totally different. Provenza seems terribly upset about his own personal life. Brenda deals with some trouble at home.moreless

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By jyarter, Nov 22, 2010
    Season Five's opener is another excellent example of a well written procedural. The pieces just don't fit but as the new facts come in and by happenstance Brenda and Provenza stumble onto the solution to their case.

    The murder scene itself was like something out of a mob hit. The covered faces, the boy obviously running, and the total absence of any disruption to the house itself. No broken doors, no knocked over furniture, no signs of any struggle. No real act of passion. This leads you right away not to suspect the father.

    It was just plain dumb luck that both the coroner and Provenza were distracted enough that they went to the wrong address. You wonder how that could be possible. Once you meet Dina Lopez and see the state of her mind it is easy to see what happened.

    How could she not tell that these people were not drug dealers? She was not seeing the people, she was seeing the end result of her plan. Tavio is now on the hook as a murderer as well as a drug dealer. Dina for some reason didn't understand the consequences of her actions but she may never get out of prison. Shooting four totally innocent people including two children execution style.

    It makes you think about what people are capable of. This was cold blooded, pre-meditated murder. Murder in the first degree!

    A well done first episode in what has been a great season five. Thanks for reading...moreless
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