Loose Ends

"For example, even though it appears no laws were broken, we all have doubts about the way Chief Johnson settled affairs with Terrell Baylor." — Capt. Raydor, "The Closer"

We live in troubling moral times. It's fair to say that, if things don't begin to change, we are on a slippery slope that will lead to the fundamental breakdown of society as we've known it. That may seem like a grandiose statement, but if you really think about the United States today, it's hard to deny that's true. And that has been the theme of many recent entries into the entertainment world.

"No Country For Old Men," at the heart, was about reconciling the changing face of people in the United States. Sure, it left room for the idea we have all romanticized the past, but when you look at Anton Chigurh, and all he represents, it's hard not to wonder what kind of path we're on.

Then there was "The Hunger Game," which debuted in the spring. It's set in an alternate future, sure, but it's not hard to see the statement being made about the culture in which we currently live. The terminal end of Humanism is complete moral relativity. If there is no absolute truth — i.e. The Bible — then we are all free to create our own moral code. That has certainly been a hallmark of the last 50 years in America, especially the last 30.

Consider our government. We have become an ends justify the means society. That is reflected not just in current events, but in the way we create the morality and story structure in our entertainment. I have long been bothered by some of the seemingly casual way this philosophy works into our depictions of what it means to be honorable and just. That includes the uneasiness I had two summers ago with "The Closer."

"The Closer" put TNT original programming on the map. The show bowed in 2005, and has been one of the highest rated cable series during its seven season tenure. I have often enjoyed the writing, the characters, and the performance of Kyra Sedgwick in the lead role. But in August of 2010, during the middle of the show's sixth season, Sedgwick's Chief Johnson did something that troubled me.

During the course of investigating a murder, she discovered that a gang member was responsible for killing a small child and the child's grandfather for no good reason. She knew the gang member did it, but because of legal technicalities, she could not prosecute him. This, of course, is a frustration for all of us who see the flaws in our system of justice. But it was how Johnson responded that gave me a moment of pause.

Knowing she didn't have the legal authority to send him to prison, Johnson signed the man's death warrant by setting up a situation where he would be killed by his fellow gang members for his transgressions. At the time, it seemed that the show was trying to send the message that this was justice in the 21st Century. As a Christian, I simply couldn't accept that.

Even more troubling, to me, was the fact that others, even fellow Christians, seemed to accept this as justice. I had a few debates with people, many of which left me shaken by the idea that the prevailing ideology of our society was beginning to seep into Christian culture as well. If that's the case; if even the church can't stand up against this prevailing cultural tide; then I fear the future presented in "The Hunger Games" might be an inevitability.

Soon after, producers announced "The Closer" would end after seven seasons. The final season stretched over two summers, ending on Monday. To my surprise, it turned out that my horror over Chief Johnson's actions was justified — and shared by creator/producer James Duff. Duff used that as a recurring story over the final season and a half, sending a strong moral statement that we can't call ourselves just if we believe the ends justify the means.

Endings are always tricky, especially for long-run series. There is the weight of fan expectation that must be managed. You must tie up the loose ends. And there has to be a way to end the series that pays tribute to the fans and characters. It's a herculean task, and one that has led to far more poor endings than good ones.

But in the case of "The Closer," what I've been most fascinated by is the way that Chief Johnson's decision to callously let a man be killed has been something she's had to wrestle with, reconsider, and ultimately accept as unjust. In other words, Duff has been brave enough to explore the concept and state, emphatically, that two wrongs don't make a right. Our actions have consequences, and we can't be leaders in this society if we can't act with compassion and justice even when it's the hard choice.

This, of course, flies in the face of what our society would have us believe. That's what makes it all the more compelling. After months and years of mulling over the situation, to see Chief Johnson at the end admit that she was wrong; that what she did was wrong; was nothing short of stirring.

Though I doubt many people were cognizant of this message in the show, and even fewer probably care, I was heartened to see a show explore this topic and send a clear message that the ends don't justify the means. That is not justice.

And for me, a moment that soured me on the show has become a beautiful through line that made me appreciate the greatness of the creative process all the more. And it made the ending of this show all the more sweet.