THE CLOSER “Living Proof: Part 2″ Review

THE CLOSER "Living Proof, Part 2"

THE CLOSER “Living Proof: Part 2″ Season 6 Episode 14 - Well, I am not sure I could be more wrong about what was happening and who was it behind it than I was in my predictions last week. Truly, I am no Brenda. Did any of you not gasp when the bomb was dropped about Armand?

Here I was blaming his wife, Joan, and his nephew Skander, when it was Armand all along. I was truly baffled when they got the DNA results and both turned to look at Joan and Armand. I never once guessed that Armand was actually one of the police/soldiers that found the Marku family and raped the women. Then to find out he is the father of Skander? Unreal. I think I am still in shock. Top that off with his killing everyone that could identify him, probably even including his son, and I was stunned. Great twist, writers.

What I loved is how well the team came together to find out how to actually nab Armand once they realized who he was and what he had done, even enlisting his wife’s help. It was chilling when Brenda told her, “There was only one survivor in that room, yet we have heard that story twice.” Do you know I still did not know what was going on at that point? Some detective I would make. I was a bit surprised that the team even managed to come together with all of the griping that was going on. I might have asked this last week, but how is it possible that an entire division, charged with solving murders, thought they could all go away at Christmas and not have a murder to solve? That was the most unrealistic part of these episodes.

How brilliant was it of Brenda to get Armand to admit that Armand Marku was not his real name thereby nullifying his marriage certificate, his marriage and any privilege attached? That certainly gave them entry into the car. Things I loved about this final part of the episode included:

The turmoil Armand’s wife was in after finding out his true identity. Can you even imagine a human rights attorney and activist finding out she married a war criminal? Then to find out anything she knows might be covered by privilege? Unreal.

The fact that Fritz staged a robbery of Brenda’s parents’ RV so that they wouldn’t move here. Seemed to have worked. The crime scene tape was hilarious!

When Brenda asks her father what is missing from the RV, he accuses her of trying to find out what she was getting for Christmas.

In the end, everyone had a very Merry Christmas dinner in the murder room, nonetheless.

I think this was an amazing second part to last week’s episode. I was constantly evaluating what I found out and re-evaluating what I already knew, neither of which helped me in the end. It was good to hear that Joan planned on fleeing with the children. I am not sure that she will ever recover from the betrayal and loss she has suffered. Kudos to the team on this one!

What did you think about tonight’s episode of The Closer, and both parts of Living Proof? Did you have any clue about Armand’s true identity? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Sharon

Excellent episode as usual.
I didn’t get the meaning of “There was only one survivor in that room, yet we have heard that story twice.” until I read your review.
Nor did I get that Fritz staged the robbery! Oh well,
I guess I can forget about taking the test to become a detective too.
I am so going to miss this show!

http://www.daemonstv.com/author/dani/ Dani

That’s okay, Sharon. I had to think hard as to why Brenda knew there was only one survivor in that room. I was slow on that as well. The only reason I caught the robbery part with Fritz is because I rewound it.

LC

This was such an awesome episode! After last week, and especially b/c of the previews (when she was saying “let’s try the truth shall we”) I could tell that it was the Uncle’s back of the head. So I suspected him but I didn’t suspect the whole background on HOW/WHY it was him.

Kudos to the kid who played Skandar. He really acted the crap out of his role. Kudos to the writers for the excellent use of the “flash back” sequences even if they weren’t all visual and were simply auditory. They’ve never done this before and I wouldn’t expect them to do it again even though each case is essentially about some huge tragedy. Although it would be interesting if they had done this with the show all along, (so people could really feel what had gone on beyond was were were shown at the crime scene) in the long run, it would have taken something away from this these last two episodes.

Poor Provenza, while it was really nice to see him shine in his own “interview,” you could just see that his heart was breaking for Skandar. Another power moment(s) was when they shared their little look at the end and when the boy closed his eyes like “finally, it’s over,” WOW. Very moving, very touching episode all around.

I’ll admit that I didn’t realize that it was actually Fritz who was the thief until Brenda asked him why he did it. I am however, always happy when they utilize Fritz more and was happy to see him in the interrogation w/ Brenda.

I’m slightly sad that Brenda’s parents AREN’T moving to LA. I thought for a split second that since the show is going off the air after next season (a reality I have not come to grips with), that they might add her parents to be semi-recurring characters. I thought that would be really interesting and of course, ALWAYS FUNNY!

This episode definitely gave me the most laughs, ever. I laughed from the electronics room with the Rador/Buzz interaction re how hard “she” worked all the way until Brenda had to run back to the station.

“We need police assistance, NOW, DO YOU COPY?”
“YES, DADDY I COPY, I’M ON MY WAY.”

(I might have laughed hardest at this part since this is exactly how I would react if my father told me something like that….and if I was a police officer).

Can wait for next week, don’t want it to be the season finale, why isn’t it 2 hours long?!?!?!

Oh and I agree, the only thing that just didn’t ring true for life in general is that they all had to stay behind to solve this murder and no one got to keep their Christmas plans. Really???

http://www.daemonstv.com/author/dani/ Dani

LC – I agree. The kid who played Skander was terrific. From that sly slightly evil smile in the first episode to his utter grief in this one, he did act the hell out of his part.

It would have been fun to have Brenda’s parents as recurring or semi-recurring characters. They definitely bring a different air to the show, mostly humorous which is refreshing with all of the death surrounding everyone. There were quite a few times I laughed which says a lot considering the horrific plot line the writers were portraying.

I also liked the use of the auditory flashbacks. It was much better and realistic than a visual one would have been. Also, it was different inasmuch as it hadn’t been used on the show previously. To me, it seemed to fit in since they were talking about war. Not sure why, but it did.

I do wonder what next week’s season finale will bring!

Dan

I have to say I suspected Armand all along. The moment he told the story about the little baby crying in the cellar and he being the only survivor and his sisters being raped I thought about the title “living proof” and suspected that he indeed was there but asumed the identity of one of his victims and just told the story of the victim’s perspective and that Skander is his son and therefore the living proof of his crimes. Also there was his injury right in the beginning and I thought that this would maybe come in handy with DNA testing at some point later. Plus he was “dismissed” very quickly in the beginning (can I go home, call me if you find them, etc.) – always a sign that there’s more to the story.

BUT I have to say that I was thrown of that trail as the story went on, especially when Skander turned out so creepy. Later I suspected his wife and then Armand and his wife together. But it turned out I was right all along, and I was sure about it when the boy told the story his grandfather had once told him. So the line “There was only one survivor in that room, yet we have heard that story twice” made perfectly sense to me. Also I suspected Fritz staging the robbery – exactly the kind of thing he would do to drive the parents out of town…;) I love him!

I love this show and watch every episode so I have learned to think laterally to solve the mystery. I’m getting better at it but am far from being perfect because the twists and turns this show takes still surprise me very often.

http://www.daemonstv.com/author/dani/ Dani

Dan – I think Brenda should hire you! Seriously, though, it makes perfect sense once you do look at the title and the story. You were just quicker than the rest of us. I feel better knowing that you got slightly off track with the Skander and wife red herring last week

I will admit that I have not watched every show so I probably haven’t grown to think laterally or how the team thinks in order to solve the mystery. Believe me, I will be going back to see the episodes I have missed as these last two renewed my love for the show.

Pat

I figured it out when Skander told the same story from his grandfather – it was the only explanation that made sense to me at that point. Plus I knew there was a big reveal coming re the DNA, which also fit nicely. But, like others, I too was thrown off by the creepy kid – and agreed, kudos to actor playing him!!

I was at first shocked, then laughed, when it was revealed that Fritzy stage the crime – in my mind, it seemed like Brenda was in on it too, just something about the way she asked him about the microwave. That whole event was hysterical, and her father asking what lengths she would go to to find out her presents was so perfect and in character!!

Did anyone else find themselves distracted by the crossing off of the “Christmas plans” board? Not everyone was leaving town, Provenza was going to deliver the toys (and that was stroke of genius to send Taylor to do that!), Sanchez was missing midnight mass, Brenda was not going anywhere. When I say distracted, I mean in a good way, I wanted to read what was being crossed off, and so missed some of the conversation going on.

This episode was amazing, and I will so miss this show when it finishes next year. Sigh.

http://www.daemonstv.com/author/dani/ Dani

The whole Christmas board thing was funny. What I liked about it was that it was so subtle and so much in the background. We never saw anyone compile the list or discuss the list, people were just slowly crossed off as they were coming in, even those that were not in town. Although, I have to say, there were a LOT of people that were supposed to be out of town for one division. I, too, found myself trying to read everything on the list whenever the camera went that way.

Sue

I thought that Armand was lying and was a war criminal from his very first interview with the police. However, I did not realize or even suspect that he was the Skander’s father.

I also had not a clue that the robbery was staged by Brenda’s husband.