I'm late to the party

Have you ever been late to a party and felt like you missed all the good stuff?

I kid with the other Playfriends, who are all children of the 80's, that I completely missed the 80's because I was raising my children then. I completely missed out on hair bands while I was changing diapers and watching Big Bird and Mr. Rogers. But I have no regrets. I have two wonderful sons, and one has given me a terrific daughter-in-law and the prettiest granddaughter in the whole wide world.

But I seem to have missed more than the 80's. I've recently discovered several highly acclaimed TV shows that have been on for years. I'm not sure why I wasn't watching them before. I also don't know why I never read a romance novel prior to 2001. But I digress.

I present to you the shows in question.

The Closer

Kyra Sedgwick plays a woman from Atlanta who's hired to head up the priority homocide division of the Los Angeles Police Department. She has a background with the CIA as an interrogator. She's shrewd, smart, sexy and one tough cookie, especially in the interrogation room. Hence her reputation as The Closer.

The 7th and last season of this show starts on July 11. I'm sorry to see this show end since it portrays a southern woman in such a positive light as opposed to having her dumb and wearing short shorts and a tube top.

Law and Order: SVU

This is a spin-off of the original Law and Order franchise and deals with the department of the New York police department that investigates sex crimes. The subject matter is often gruesome and dark. But life is often gruesome and dark. I found this show in reruns on one of the cable channels and then started watching the first run episodes. I've seen them all with all the various and sundry Assistant District Attorneys (I'd like to start a "Bring Back Alex Cabot" campaign) and a few detectives who've come and gone. I especially like the pairing of Fin and Munch. They are such opposites and play off each other so well.

I read recently where the network wouldn't meet his salary demands, so Chris Meloni will not be returning in the fall as Detective Elliot Stabler. I can't believe NBC will bankroll such glop as Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice and The Marriage Ref but won't cough up more money for Meloni. Jennifer Love Hewitt will be added as a new detective this fall, but I'm afraid Benson and Whatever-Her-Name-Is may fall as flat as Benson & Hedges.



Criminal Minds

This show deals with the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI. They are the ones who figure out that serial killers all played with fire, tortured animals and wet the bed past age six. At first, this show was too dark for me, but once I began focusing on the psychology of the show (my college degree is in psychology), I got hooked. I love the character of Penelope Garcia, the genius hacker who was hired by the bureau after she hacked into their system. If you can't lick 'em, hire 'em! And Shemar Moore ain't bad either.

Two of the characters in the photo below have left the show -- JJ and Emily. I don't think Emily will be back, but I'm curious if they'll bring JJ's character back. She was the one who greased the skids between the FBI and the media, an important resource to have when you have a group of people with combined IQs of a gazillion and the social skills of skunks.



Bones

And speaking of social skills -- or a lack thereof -- I just discovered Bones. And OMG what a season finale! Fortunately my local branch library has all the Bones DVDs through season 5 and I found all of season 6 online. So after an intensive two-week Bones-a-thon, I've been able to follow Dr. Temperance Brennan and FBI agent Seeley Booth from their first meeting to "I'm pregnant and you're the father." Booth is the stuff romance novel heroes are made of -- pure alpha male but with flaws that make him vulnerable and lovable. And kudos to the show for keeping the sexual tension going for so long before putting them together. I just hope the show doesn't fall victim to the "Moonlighting" curse.

I read a few weeks ago that the fall debut will be delayed until the first of November because the actress who plays Dr. Brennan is pregnant in real life and they want to give her maternity time. Just keep that sexual tension going and I'll be a happy camper. And I'll continue to avert my gaze during the gory parts. I also now know what a manubrium and a xyphoid process are. And given the symptoms, I accurately diagnosed a case of progeria seconds before Brennan did.



Then there are shows I never saw and really have no desire to watch, and they're too numerous to list. They primarily fall into the sitcom genre. I have no idea why I'm so drawn to crime dramas. Maybe my psychology-degreed mind has some secret desire to solve mysteries. I just don't want any part of the shooting and the dead bodies.

Have you discovered any gems AFTER they've been around for a while?