A troubled teenager, a serial killer’s only living witness, and a divided LAPD team — Sharon Raydor has more than one crisis to handle. Netflix’s Major Crimes continues The Closer as Raydor takes command after Brenda Leigh Johnson’s departure, facing detectives who already distrust her while tackling dangerous cases. Six seasons of tense investigations, personal conflict and complicated characters await.

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Major Crimes: Everything to Know About The Closer’s Six-Season Sequel

When Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson leaves the Los Angeles Police Department, the Major Crimes Division faces an unexpected change in leadership. The person chosen to take over is Sharon Raydor, a highly capable but controversial officer whose history with the LAPD makes winning over her new team anything but easy.

Now streaming on Netflix, Major Crimes continues the story established by the Emmy-winning police procedural The Closer. Created by James Duff, the six-season series shifts the focus to Raydor as she takes command of the division while navigating difficult cases, complicated colleagues and a troubled teenager placed in her care.

Three serious-looking detectives in suits stand on an empty city street with tall buildings and trees in the background, suggesting an urban law enforcement setting.

Who Stars in Major Crimes?

Mary McDonnell leads the series as Captain Sharon Raydor. The cast also includes several actors who continued their roles from The Closer:

  • Mary McDonnell as Sharon Raydor
  • G.W. Bailey as Louie Provenza
  • Tony Denison as Andy Flynn
  • Michael Paul Chan as Mike Tao
  • Raymond Cruz as Julio Sanchez
  • Phillip P. Keene as Buzz Watson
  • Kearran Giovanni as Amy Sykes
  • Graham Patrick Martin as Rusty Beck
  • Jonathan Del Arco as Dr. Fernando Morales
  • Robert Gossett as Russell Taylor

The series centers on Raydor and a team of detectives handling major cases for the LAPD.

What Is Major Crimes About?

Prime Video: Major Crimes: The Complete Third Season

The story begins with the departure of Brenda Leigh Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick), previously the head of the Major Crimes Division. Lieutenant Louie Provenza, her second-in-command, expects to inherit the position.

Instead, the LAPD chooses Sharon Raydor.

Raydor arrives from the Force Investigation Division, where she investigated police shootings and excessive-force allegations. Her work there had already made her unpopular with many officers, particularly because of regulations she helped introduce.

Her appointment immediately creates tension. Provenza resents being passed over, while other detectives remain suspicious of Raydor because of her background. She makes matters worse by taking control of Provenza’s latest case almost as soon as she arrives.

Detective Andy Flynn is equally skeptical. He criticizes Raydor for appearing detached from victims and argues that policies from her time at FID are making investigations more difficult.

Raydor therefore has to establish her authority while working with a team that has little reason to trust her.

Raydor’s Biggest Challenge May Not Be at the Office

Major Crimes,' the 'Closer' Spinoff on TNT - The New York Times

While trying to keep Major Crimes functioning, Raydor is also responsible for Rusty Beck, a troubled teenager with a complicated past.

Rusty was formerly involved in child sex work and became the only living witness to the crimes of a serial killer. His mother is missing, and after repeatedly running away from his foster home, he is placed in Raydor’s care.

The arrangement is far from easy. Rusty is bitter and reluctant to accept Raydor’s authority, leaving her to manage a difficult situation both inside and outside the police department.

That personal storyline becomes an important part of the series, adding another layer to Raydor’s transformation from a controversial investigator into the leader of Major Crimes.

A Team That Has to Learn to Work Together

At the beginning, Raydor and her detectives are divided by years of professional disagreements and mistrust.

Provenza must overcome his frustration at losing the position he expected to receive. Flynn questions Raydor’s methods, while younger detectives initially refuse to cooperate with someone they consider an outsider.

Detective Amy Sykes, by contrast, is enthusiastic about joining the division. She had been working on Provenza’s case before it moved to Major Crimes and welcomes the opportunity to become part of the team.

As the series progresses, the central dynamic becomes less about Raydor proving she belongs and more about whether this group of very different officers can function as one unit.

The cases remain at the heart of Major Crimes, but the relationships between the detectives give the series its continuing character-driven dimension. The show follows the Major Crimes Division as it handles difficult investigations while Raydor works to earn the trust of the people now working under her.

Major Crimes : Où a t-on déjà vu les héros de la série de France 2 ? - Télé 7 Jours

From The Closer to Major Crimes

Major Crimes was created by James Duff as a continuation and spinoff of The Closer. Rather than simply repeating the earlier series, it places Sharon Raydor at the center and explores what happens when a character who once operated on the other side of many internal conflicts suddenly becomes the person in charge.

The result is a police procedural that combines investigations with the evolving relationships within the LAPD team. The series ran for six seasons and continued the stories of several familiar characters while introducing new ones, including Rusty and Amy Sykes.

For viewers discovering the franchise through Netflix, Major Crimes offers a chance to follow Raydor’s story from the moment she inherits one of the LAPD’s most challenging divisions.

Major Crimes is now streaming on Netflix.