TNT Celebrates the Day of the Big Game with 12 Hours of THE CLOSER

Football players won't be the only ones taking hits on the day of the big game. Sunday, Feb. 3, hardened criminals will also be targeted as TNT presents a 12-hour marathon of episodes from its critically acclaimed hit series THE CLOSER, ad-supported cable's #1 series of all time.

THE CLOSER stars Golden Globe� winner Kyra Sedgwick as the feminine yet forceful, offbeat yet indomitable CIA-trained Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, a former Atlanta detective brought to Los Angeles to head a special LAPD unit charged with cracking sensitive, high-profile murder cases. She is an expert at digging into a person's secrets and obtaining confessions, despite constantly struggling with her own imperfections and neuroses.

In addition to Sedgwick, THE CLOSER's Screen Actors Guild Award�-nominated ensemble cast is back, including Jon Tenney, J.K. Simmons, Corey Reynolds, Robert Gossett, G.W. Bailey, Tony Denison, Raymond Cruz, Michael Paul Chan and Gina Ravera. The eagerly anticipated third season will kick off with the first episode being presented uninterrupted and commercial-free, sponsored by Toyota. THE CLOSER comes to TNT from The Shephard/Robin Company in association with Warner Bros. Television and is executive-produced by Greer Shephard (Nip/Tuck, The D.A.), Michael M. Robin (Nip/Tuck, The D.A., NYPD Blue) and James Duff (The D.A., The Agency), and produced by Sedgwick and Andrew J. Sacks (The D.A, Adaptation, Two Soidiers). Gil Garcetti, Los Angeles district attorney from 1992 to 2000, is a consulting producer.

TNT's THE CLOSER Marathon

Sunday, Feb. 3

Noon "Blue Blood" � Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson conducts an internal investigation after the murder of an LAPD officer and the drug dealer he was investigating. But things are not always as they seem as Brenda discovers more and more about the dead officer's past. Meanwhile, on the personal front, Brenda and her boyfriend, FBI Agent Fritz Howard discuss the possibility of taking their relationship to a new level, just as Brenda's boss and former paramour, Assistant Police Chief Will Pope, finds his own personal life in upheaval.

1 p.m. "Mom Duty" � Brenda gets an unexpected visit from her fussy mother (guest star Frances Sternhagen), putting plans for Brenda's boyfriend FBI Agent Fritz Howard to move in to Brenda's house on hold. Meanwhile, Brenda investigates the possible murder of a jury member in the trial of an Armenian mob boss. Risking a possible mistrial, she dives into the investigation, which becomes more complicated with each discovered clue.

2 p.m. "Slippin" � Brenda investigates the shooting of three youngsters, one of whom is the son of friends of Commander Taylor. The shooting, which takes place in a known gang area and which has all the markings of a gang-related crime, leads Brenda on a complicated trail of clues that could tarnish the image of one of the victims. Meanwhile, Brenda must also deal with her mother (guest star Frances Sternhagen), whose visit to Los Angeles is preventing Brenda's FBI Agent boyfriend Fritz from moving in.

3 p.m. "Aftertaste" � Brenda investigates the murder of a young woman at a high-priced restaurant. Among the suspects are a slimy investor who has previously been investigated for murder and her husband, an ambitious chef. As the investigation unfolds, Brenda learns that the victim may have used unconventional ways to advance her career and the career of her husband. Meanwhile, Brenda must also deal with a major landmark in her life: her 40th birthday. She attempts to hide the fact from the squad, but their investigative skills eventually uncover her secret.

4 p.m. "To Protect and Serve" � Murder hits close to home after Detective Lt. Provenza and Detective Andy Flynn discover a dead body in Provenza's garage. Their desire to make it to a Dodgers game on time, however, leads to the body's disappearance and Provenza and Flynn's being interrogated by Brenda. It soon becomes a race against time as the Priority Homicide Division tries to cover for its negligence and solve the case before the Robbery Homicide Division gets its hands on it.

5 p.m. "Out of Focus" � Brenda is called in to investigate the death of a paparazzi photographer who appears to have killed himself by jumping from a hotel window. Her team of investigators soon discovers that a popular celebrity was staying at the hotel and may have been the target of the photographer's prying camera tactics. Meanwhile, Fritz has been getting calls from a female colleague at the FBI, stirring up feelings of jealousy in Brenda.

6 p.m. "The Other Woman" � Brenda is called to testify in the case of Pope vs. Pope, a custody hearing between her boss and his estranged wife. But the proceedings may make Brenda's past relationship with Pope public, causing Brenda concern that such a revelation may threaten the squad's trust in her. Meanwhile, Brenda's team investigates the death of a woman whose identity may have been stolen by a drug addict.

7 p.m. "Borderline" � Brenda is having a really bad day. After spilling coffee and suffering from a fender bender, she ignores protocol and leaves the scene of her accident so she can get to the scene of a multiple homicide involving the smuggling of illegal immigrants. But her decision to leave her accident scene comes back to haunt her after Pope decides to take away her keys. It's going to take some internal wrangling for her to get her driving privileges back.

8 p.m. "No Good Deed" � Brenda investigates the death of a teenager who was set to testify that a man convicted of murdering a Korean couple was not actually the culprit. Meanwhile, Pope's ex-wife reveals Brenda's past relationship with Pope when she threatens Brenda in front of her entire squad.

9 p.m. "Overkill" � Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson (Sedgwick) must work with her FBI agent boyfriend Fritz Howard on a case involving a the attempted assassination of a federally protected witness. Near the eve of a major mafia don's trial, someone attempts to assassinate the witness killing his wife and his federal bodyguard in the progress. Finding this kind of professional killer puts Brenda and her entire squad in danger.

10 p.m. "Serving the King" � In this two-part episode, Brenda is called upon by her old CIA mentor (guest star William Daniels) to assist in an off-the-record investigation of a would-be defector found murdered in Los Angeles. Through a winding and complex case, Brenda must find the common thread linking a former KGB agent, the murder of several CIA agents, a young Lebanese boy thought to be a terrorist and 20 pounds of missing, weapons-grade plutonium. Part two was directed by Kyra Sedgwick's multi-talented husband, Kevin Bacon.

Turner Network Television (TNT), television's destination for drama and one of cable's top-rated networks, offers original movies and series, including the acclaimed and highly popular detective drama The Closer, starring Golden Globe� winner and Emmy� and Screen Actors Guild Awards� nominee Kyra Sedgwick, and Saving Grace, a provocative new drama starring Oscar� winner and Screen Actors Guild Award nominee Holly Hunter. TNT is also home to powerful one-hour dramas, such as Bones, Law & Order, Without a Trace, Cold Case, ER and Charmed; broadcast premiere movies; compelling prime-time specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. TNT is available in high-definition.