Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson transfers from Atlanta to LA to head up a special unit of the LAPD that handles sensitive, high-profile murder cases. Johnson's quirky personality and hard-nosed approach often rubs her colleagues the wrong way, but her reputation as one of the world's best interrogator eventually wins over even her toughest critics.
Written by Sophie and last updated on feb 04, 2023.
PS: The following content contains spoilers!
PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!
While investigating the homicide of an entire family, the team once again finds themselves entangled in an FBI case. They also find themselves distracted by an unusually surly Provenza.
The episode was rated 7.60 from 165 votes.
When an adolescent boy is found murdered where members of the Tres Colores gang frequently spend time, the subsequent murders of two more gang members point Brenda and the team to gang warfare. Unfortunately, the evidence trail leads them in a different direction.
The episode was rated 7.68 from 138 votes.
The conviction of a woman found guilty of poisoning a banker is overturned when a laboratory essential to proving the case comes under scrutiny. The subsequent re-trial forces Brenda to ask Provenza's former partner for help tying up loose ends. Unfortunately for the team, more scrutiny occurs when they all discover Provenza's former partner is no longer the man he used to be. The importance of the case may ruin Brenda and Fritz's planned vacation.
The episode was rated 7.70 from 141 votes.
Sgt. Gabriel comes under investigation for shooting a homicide suspect when the facts don't add up. The internal investigation gets in the way of the original murder investigation, leaving the entire team tied up in knots.
The episode was rated 7.74 from 155 votes.
Capt. Raydor (special guest star Mary McDonnell) approaches Major Crimes about delicately looking into a possible case of spousal abuse involving one of her female officers. On the home front, Fritz becomes increasingly irritated at feeling ignored by Brenda.
The episode was rated 7.75 from 142 votes.
A high-profile shoot-out has left two policemen and a teenage boy dead leads to numerous mysteries spinning around the case. Enter Force Investigation Division bigwig Sharon Raydor, who upends Brenda's investigation with her merciless snooping.
The episode was rated 7.75 from 136 votes.
When a man believed to have murdered two young women is found dead in Elysian Fields, evidence points to his victims' families. Brenda and the team must then wade through the suspects to find the true killer.
The episode was rated 7.77 from 150 votes.
When a reformed gang member is murdered, the case takes the team back to a familiar neighborhood where they find themselves unwelcomed. Brenda must figure out a way to solve what appears to have been a missed-mark murder and bring peace to an unstable community.
The episode was rated 7.78 from 145 votes.
Brenda and the team are called in to investigate the questionable disappearance of a shady financial investor. The team is a mess with Daniels now in another division, Gabriel doing double duty, and Provenza with behavior more curious than usual. In the meantime, Brenda and Fritz deal with a sick Kitty.
The episode was rated 7.79 from 166 votes.
Once again working with Fritz and the FBI, the team helps get to the bottom of a murder which occurred amidst a drug ring investigation. Also again, Brenda finds FBI feathers ruffled by her unorthodox methods.
The episode was rated 7.82 from 142 votes.
When a serial killer's spree crosses from Texas to California, Brenda must work with Detective Curt Landry, her Texan equivalent. The two match wits and find themselves going toe to toe as each tries to gain control of the case and the way in which they solve it.
The episode was rated 7.87 from 148 votes.
The team digs through several suspects that surface after a man's body is found inside an oversized box. Brenda finds the case the perfect platform to play the role of teacher to Gabriel as he prepares for his detective exam. When Brenda's niece, Charlie, gets out of hand, she and Fritz must consider ending her summer vacation with them.
The episode was rated 7.90 from 149 votes.
Brenda must reopen the case of a murdered psychiatrist when the man claiming to have committed the crime gives a statement that doesn't quite match the actual events. Based on evidence of the man's acquaintance with the doctor, Brenda believes there is a cover-up and sets out to unearth the truth. Willie Rae throws a roadblock in her path when she pops in for a visit, which actually appears to be an attempt to dump Brenda's handful of a niece onto the newlyweds during for the duration of summer break.
The episode was rated 7.93 from 151 votes.
When an internet matchmaker is murdered, the team finds themselves investigating the matchmaker's early-stage television show. Adding to the craziness is a fake officer, who turns everything upside down. In an effort to school himself on the inner workings of Brenda's group, Pope decides to work as one of the team.
The episode was rated 7.93 from 149 votes.
Caught in the crossfire of a shootout, two people end up dead and one remains in critical condition. Now Brenda and the team must figure out the the intended crime and the intended victim in order to determine the perpetrator. Brenda and Fritz disagree as they continue to struggle with Charlie, and Provenza drastically alters his lifestyle.
The episode was rated 7.94 from 152 votes.
