Thoughts On...They Really Went There...Bravo in Thoughts On...

Last night saw the conclusion of Major Crimes Season Six Conspiracy Theory and someone’s life.

In case you didn’t know and even if you did. Major Crimes is ending with season six’s 13 episodes. They chose to do arcs this entire season. First was Sanctuary City which spread out over five very long and boring episodes. Conspiracy Theory, which had an interesting case was four episodes and the final installment, By Any Means will conclude the series with four episodes.

So where did they go (as the title suggests)? They killed off their headliner, Commander Sharon Raydor. Her “early stage” diagnosis of cardiomyopathy progressed, in Conspiracy Theory 3, rapidly into a more severe stage that put a pacemaker/defibrillator into Raydor’s heart, moved her status on the transplant list up and suggested a LVAD (RIP Denny Duquette). On her final day, before taking a medical leave of absence, she confronted a murderer to the point of death when her heart arrested, multiple times. The end of the episode also saw Gus rushing from his waiter job to be by Rusty’s side by surprising viewers with one of his patrons…Philip Stroh.

This sets up the final four episodes to conclude the case that brought about Raydor’s transfer to the Major Crimes and the introduction of her adopted son Rusty. The question becomes Who Kills Philip Stroh? Because letting him live really isn’t an option at this point right? He terrorized Brenda Leigh Johnson on The Closer, driving her to assault him, thus ending her job with the LAPD, tried to legit murder Rusty on two occasions, murder a special master, who was his friend and escape custody. This in addition to all the women he raped and murdered all the while acting as a sex offender specializing attorney (whose clients just happened to be his partners in crime). Rusty has a revenge set of mind, and is now a card carrying member of the NRA. Andy is going to be distraught over losing the love of his life and bride of less than ? month and has always had a “good riddance dirtbag” attitude from day one. Provenza, who is an a plus marksman and is probably going to take Raydor’s death just as hard as her husband and children. Or do they throw in a ringer like former Very Special Agent Fritz Howard, now Deputy Chief of SOB (Special Operations Bureau not Son of a Bitch). Did the creator throw everyone off saying he could not get Kyra Sedgwick back because of conflicting schedules, only to have a surprise appearance at the end of the series behind a gun that blows a hole through Stroh’s head? The second day of 2018 will hold the final answer.

Now…Bravo: To the creator/producers/writers that grabbed the series by the balls and killed off their protagonist and headliner BEFORE the series finale. With four episodes left, that is a real ballsy move but one I respect. I like when shows throw a curve and shake things up (RIP Kate Todd (ncis)). Sure, the writing was on the wall that TNT was not going to renew the show, but still the death occurred BEFORE the final arc begins and that is going to bring an interesting dynamic to the final case.

Now I need to nitpick a few things:
First - that was an extremely quick progression of cardiomyopathy and leads one to believe that the first doctor was somewhat inept in his diagnostic skills. To go from early diagnosis to death in a very short amount of time just floors me. Also, out of character, Raydor’s lack of following the “rules” of her doctor. She was never the type of person to not follow orders and dismissing her health in such a grand fashion really did not fit. Yes, she was a dedicated law enforcement officer, but she disregarded her family and doctors’ advice when she had a stellar team, including THREE lieutenants and apparently the Assistant Chief of Police (who has spent EVERY episode just working with MC)? Nope, does not fly. Besides a few lightheaded/fainting spells, there were no other symptoms felling her.

Also, why did TNT decide to bump the series to back-to-backs at this point? I mean, I like the back-to-back because with arcs like this, weekly installments make it hard to stay interested if you are stretching something over four or five episodes. But to kill off a beloved character and air it six days before Christmas is pretty harsh.

Anticipating: Will Jack Raydor be seen consoling his children Emily & Ricky at Sharon’s funeral? Will Fritz Howard be in attendance? They wouldn’t dare throw Flynn off the wagon would they? Is the funeral going to have more screen time than the much hyped wedding? Will Provenza die on the job, retire or take over Major Crimes? Will there be mention of Brenda Leigh Johnson? Did Rusty’s bio mom ever have her baby? Will Stroh kill Gus (I can’t be the only one thinking that)?

Edited to Add:

Just saw this blurb on IMDB regarding the next episode:

“A surprise death in the law enforcement community seems to be the work of an escaped serial killer.”

Are they going to say Stroh hacked her pacemaker and killed her? Or is someone else going to get dead?

Last updated December 20, 2017