Major Crimes

No doubt TNT didn't want to lose a big ratings share. "The Closer" has been one of the highest rated cable dramas since it debuted in 2005, and the network likely wanted a way to keep that going. But how do you do that when your lead character, and the star of the show, is ready to say goodbye.

There has been a checkered history of spin-offs, especially the kind generated because the network wants to keep the ratings and audience going when a popular show goes off the air. With "Cheers" came "Frasier," which was very successful. It would also be easy to say "NCIS" is a better product than "JAG" ever was. But, for every one of those, there is a "Joey," which followed "Friends" with a thud.

So into that cannon comes "Major Crimes." It's just like "The Closer," except that it's missing four integral "Closer" characters and they've changed the formula completely. No longer are they trying to get confessions — which, let's face it, was half the fun of the show. Now they're trying to collect evidence and make deals. Because that's exactly what people want to see now, the cops giving up and making deals with criminals to save the money of a trial.

Of course, it's hard to completely judge a show based on one episode. The premier, which bowed last Monday following "The Closer" finale, was OK. There were some interesting moments, the characters felt familiar, and the plot was familiar too. That, of course, is part of the problem. It seems they are almost replicating the early through line of "The Closer" with the idea that Capt. Raydor (Mary McDonnell) is not well received by her male underlings when taking over the division. That feels a bit too tired, so let's hope they move on from that quickly.

Perhaps the biggest problem is that the show is building around supporting parts. Many of the characters and detectives work well in supporting roles, or as occasional episode leads, but how do they carry a show? And McDonnell is a fine actress, but her character is not the kind you build a show around. In short, it's hard to see how this will work long-term.

It's common for networks to want to hang on to a good thing while they can, and it's common for spin-off ideas to make it to the air, but it's tough to make those work over the long haul. The new show has to build on the foundation already in place and make a stamp of its own. It's possible "Major Crimes" can become that, but for now it looks an awful lot like "The Closer" without the elements that made that show compelling.