Universal Channel has acquired the exclusive UK rights to Major Crimes, TNT’s spin-off of The Closer, in a deal with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution.
Created by James Duff, Major Crimes picks up after the departure of Kyra Sedgwick’s Brenda Leigh Johnson, with Mary McDonnell’s Captain Sharon Raydor taking command of the LAPD’s Major Crimes Division. Where Brenda was known for getting confessions, Raydor’s focus is on striking deals and avoiding costly trials.
Many of The Closer’s ensemble carry over into the new series, including G.W. Bailey, Tony Denison, Michael Paul Chan, Raymond Cruz, Robert Gossett and Phillip P. Keene. Graham Patrick Martin also stars as Rusty Beck, a teenage witness in a murder case whom Raydor takes under her wing, with Kearran Giovanni joining as Detective Amy Sykes.
Major Crimes launched on TNT last August immediately after the final episode of The Closer, and was quickly renewed for a second season.
The acquisition is part of a broader push by the NBCUniversal-owned channel to add high-profile US dramas to its schedule.