Bummed that The Closer has wrapped up its summer season? Here’s a little good news to tide you over until it returns in December.

Beau Bridges will guest-star in one episode of the TNT cop drama, TVGuide.com has learned exclusively. Bridges will play George Andrews, a former partner of Provenza (G.W. Bailey). Andrews returns to help close a case that has been turned over on appeal.

Bridges has co-starred in My Name Is Earl and Stargate SG-1, and he was last seen as Wisteria Lane’s resident handy man on Desperate Housewives 100th episode, for which he earned an Emmy nomination.

Are you excited to see Bridges stop by The Closer?

Sterling Beaumon, who played little Ben on Lost last season, has managed to find an even creepier role. The 14-year-old will play a meth-addicted drug dealer (that’s right!) in a mid-August episode of TNT’s The Closer, which will also feature Christine Lahti. Coincidentally, 13-year-old actress Madeline Carroll, who played little Ben’s Dharmaville playmate two seasons ago, pops up on another Closer episode at the end of July. So far, no polar bears are scheduled to scare Kyra Sedgwick’s Brenda Leigh Johnson anytime soon.

This week on TNT’s The Closer (Mondays, 9 pm), Detective Mikki Mendoza makes a lasting first impression as a Special Investigation Section officer who can kick butt with the best of them. That trait, among other things, draws the interest of Sanchez, who’s overdue for some happiness. But is the match not meant to be? Guest star Paola Turbay told us about a roadblock to romance and her other summer gigs — as a nurse facing down Armageddon and an American Teenager’s mom.

TVGuide.com: You’ve got a busy summer coming up.
Paola Turbay: Yeah, in fact last night I was on TVGuide.com and I saw that I’m on a whole bunch of things this month.

TVGuide.com: Starting with The Closer, how do we meet Detective Mikki Mendoza?
Turbay: She appears in this week’s episode, as the director of the SIS, a part of the LAPD that supports Brenda’s squad when it’s time to catch the bad guys. She does car-crashing, door-kicking, punching… all the tough stuff. And what has caught many people’s interest is the fact that she is a lesbian.

TVGuide.com: How does that reveal itself?
Turbay: You’re not going to see her personal life — at least not in what we’ve done so far — but it does determine the dynamic between her and the guys… Obviously Sanchez is really interested when he sees her walk in, but then somebody tells him, “She’s seeing somebody… and her name is Cindy.” And he’s like, “So what!” Mikki sees that he’s interested and flirty, and she doesn’t let it bother her. She’s just there to work. She doesn’t want to play around.

TVGuide.com: So, Sanchez is the most devastated of the men?
Turbay: Yeah, his eyes were shining when I walked in that room for the first time.

TVGuide.com: How many episodes are you around for?
Turbay: I’ve done two so far, and we just wrapped Episode 7. I think she will come back for at least another two or three more, from what I understand.

TVGuide.com: On July 12, you’re in the NBC TV-movie Meteor. What is that about and how do you fit into it?
Turbay: That’s about a huge, huge meteor that fell out of orbit and is now on a path of destruction, and we’re confronting the possible end of the world. I’m the chief nurse at a hospital that has to deal with the critical situations with people being victims of pieces of this meteor.

TVGuide.com: So, you’re not in a spaceship flying off to zap the meteor down with lasers?
Turbay: No, no. I’m sorry I won’t be that aggressive!

TVGuide.com: And lastly, will we be seeing more of you on The Secret Life of the American Teenager this summer?
Turbay: Yes! The kids are really raving about that series. I walk around the streets and they’re like, “Oh my god! You’re the coolest mom on the show!” That show is amazing, the ratings have been historical, and the social impact has been huge. [Talking about sex] is the most uncomfortable conversation you can have with your kids, but now you can speak in the third person about “that kid” in the story. [The parents] are really talking about their kids, and the kids are really talking about themselves, but they do it through the [characters]. It’s great to be a part of that.

STORYLINE: Howie Greeson is found brutally murdered in Elysian Fields. Brenda learns that he was the likely killer of two young women and was never arrested, leading her to suspect the family members of Howie’s victims…

[JOE ONOFRIO] (60-65) A retired, decorated police officer who is weathered, tall and thin. In his day, he was as thorough a murder investigator as Brenda is. Joe (known as Joey O.) has never given up on solving the murders of Vanuessa Clarkson and Katie West, two young women who were both the girlfriend of Howie Greeson. When Howie is found brutally murdered, Joe offers to help Brenda solve the case but is more interested in finally proving that Howie was the killer. Joe is very likeable and must seem above suspicion. ALL ETHNICITIES. GUEST LEAD.

[TODD WEST] (early to mid 40s) He is the twin brother of one of Howie’s murder victims, Katie West. Todd is smart, a hothead and very aggressive. He manages a fitness center so he should be athletic and well built. When Brenda learns that he has been harassing Howie Greesson, he becomes the primary suspect. GUEST STAR

[KIM SHERMAN] (early 30s) She is the current girlfriend of Howe Greeson. She is fiery, combustible and can take care of herself. She learned about Howie’s past when Todd came to warn her and was preparing to leave Howie — or did she kill him? GUEST STAR.

[GARY CLARKSON] (65) He is the father of Vanessa Clarkson, the other woman that Howie murdered. A retired real estate salesman, he never got over his daughter’s death. His wife recently commited suicide.
He is the angry, grieving ringleader of the families of the victims. ONE DAY GUEST STAR.

[AMY CLARKSON] (35) Vanessa’s sister. She is a pleasant, suburban mom who is horrified when Brenda treats her like a suspect. CO STAR.

[JENNA WEST] (17) Katie’s daughter who was only 7 when her mother was murdered. She is misfit, a sad teenager looking for attention. CO STAR.

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