The Closer Creator James Duff: "Walking Back the Cat"
Within the intelligence community, the phrase "walking back the cat," loosely translated, means trying to figure out how an agent or an operation went south. Analyzing a professional disaster can be every bit as complicated as... well, convincing a cat to go in reverse. So when Special Agent Fritz Howard decides to ask his wife to help him locate a missing person, he leaves out details that might make his seemingly simple request sound overly complex or irritating. Yes, Fritz actually manipulates Brenda by purposely underplaying what he needs her to do. Can you believe it?
Well, turnabout is fair play.
And for those anxious to discover how marriage has changed our happy couple, here comes Fritz Howard, unabashedly pursuing his own agenda, demanding that Brenda follow him on trust alone. Can she do it?
Lt. Provenza also has something to report: the answer to his new wardrobe and curious mood swings.
And, finally, what are we to do with Kitty's ashes?
I know many of you were upset that Brenda lost her cat last week. I've had more questions about the death of Kitty than any other victim we've ever had on the show. Considering how deeply we feel for our pets, and their extraordinary affection for us, the audience's reaction was not a complete surprise. So let's spend a moment walking back another cat, as Brenda decides how best to honor the memory (and remains) of Kitty.
When you cast an animal on a television series, you look for one young enough to survive the run of the show. We found a 4-year-old kitty who could be easily doubled with her 7-year-old sister. And then tragedy struck. While we were out of production after our second season, Brenda's primary cat unexpectedly passed away of a previously undiagnosed genetic disorder. Our plan for a young star with an older understudy went badly awry. But, for the next two years, our replacement was fully up to the task. And the actors and crew grew very fond of her.
Late last year, however, during the filming of Episode 11 - and as Brenda was trying on a succession of wedding dresses - we discovered our feline cast member had developed kidney disease.
To me, Brenda's cat had always represented that part of her heart reserved completely for herself: her independent spirit, her untamable soul. Was it an accident, then, that I heard about Kitty's illness just as her owner was modeling the gown in which she was to marry?
From the moment we learned the truth, Kitty was never asked to do more than sit in one place. We contacted the Humane Society and had them on-set with us to make certain that our long-time mascot was not suffering. And we honored her with a story highlighting the special role that pets play in our everyday lives.
As it so happens, Kitty only just made it through her final episode. Four days after shooting her last scene, she passed away. I don't know whether we did the best thing by the show. But I'm absolutely certain we did the right thing by Kitty.
And for those of you who like a little dark humor with your funerals, Walking Back the Cat should take you exactly where you want to go.
— James Duff
