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The Mysteries of Laura

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The Mysteries of Laura
GenrePolice procedural
Comedy drama
Based onLos misterios de Laura
by Carlos Vila & Javier Holgado
Developed byJeff Rake
Starring
ComposerJoey Newman
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes38 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time42 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 17, 2014 (2014-09-17) –
March 2, 2016 (2016-03-02)

The Mysteries of Laura is an American police procedural comedy-drama television series that aired on NBC from September 17, 2014, to March 2, 2016. It was developed by Jeff Rake, who also serves as an executive producer. The series, which stars Debra Messing as Detective Laura Diamond,[1][2] was originally adapted from a Spanish television series Los misterios de Laura by Carlos Vila, Javier Holgado,[3] and Gregorio Quintana de Uña.[4][5] On May 8, 2015, NBC renewed The Mysteries of Laura for a second season of 13 episodes,[6] which premiered on September 23, 2015.[7] On November 9, 2015, NBC ordered three additional episodes for the second season.[8] On May 14, 2016, NBC canceled the series after two seasons.[9]

Plot

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The series follows the life of Laura Diamond, a homicide detective with the NYPD's 2nd Precinct, who balances her day job with her off-duty hours as a single mother to twin sons. Meanwhile, she is trying to get Captain Jake Broderick, her soon-to-be-former-husband, who is also her boss, to sign the divorce papers. After he finally signs them, Laura re-enters the dating world, and after a rough start, finds herself attracted to Tony Abbott, a chef and food truck owner who she encounters on a case. He makes excuses to see her. At the end of the first season, Capt. Broderick is shot and grievously wounded during a convenience store robbery. While in the hospital, he admits to Laura that despite everything he is still deeply in love with her, but due to severe head trauma, forgets he did this, leaving only Laura knowing.

Jake recovers, but at the beginning of the second season, the precinct has a new captain, Nancy Santiani, a stern, by-the-book taskmaster who immediately rubs the detectives the wrong way.[10] Rather than transfer to another precinct, Broderick voluntarily takes a demotion to Senior Detective and partners with Laura, while Detective Billy Soto teams up with Detective Meredith Bose, with whom he has begun a relationship. Bose's previous partner, Frankie Pulaski, appears only in season one with the only explanation given for her departure being that she was not "senior enough" to stay in the position she accepted. The tone of the series was also altered in season two. Comedic elements, such as the rowdy behavior of Laura's boys, were reduced, while some focus was shifted to the triangle that develops between Laura, Jake, and Laura's new love interest Tony.[10]

Cast

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Main

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  • Debra Messing as Detective Laura Diamond, the show's title character and chief protagonist.
  • Josh Lucas as Captain Jake Broderick, Laura's former husband who was promoted to captain of her precinct at the start of the series. After being wounded in action, Jake takes a demotion to Senior Detective and becomes Laura's partner.
  • Laz Alonso as Detective Billy Soto, Laura's initial partner, and later Detective Bose's partner/lover.
  • Janina Gavankar as Detective Meredith Bose, a detective colleague of Laura and Billy's.
  • Max Jenkins as Max Spencer[11] Carnegie, the 2nd Precinct's independently wealthy intern.
  • Meg Steedle as Detective Francesca "Frankie" Pulaski, who is from Eau Claire, Wisconsin and becomes Detective Bose's partner for a while (season 1, episodes 15–22).

Recurring

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  • Robert Klein as Leo Diamond, Laura and Lucy's father and the grandfather of Nicholas and Harrison.
  • Charles and Vincent Reina as Nicholas and Harrison Broderick respectively, two rambunctious twin boys who are the sons of Laura and Jake, the grandsons of Leo, and the nephews of Lucy.
  • Alysia Joy Powell as Alicia, the nanny/housekeeper for Laura's and Jake's sons.
  • Neal Bledsoe as Tony Abbott, a food truck owner and Laura's first serious boyfriend after divorcing Jake.
  • Callie Thorne as Captain Nancy Santiani (season 2), a by-the-book female cop, later captain at the precinct.
  • Enrico Colantoni as Dan Hauser, the police captain before Jake.
  • Stockard Channing as Brenda Phillips (season 2), the "shark in heels" in-house counsel of a perfume company.
  • Jenna Fischer as Jennifer Lambert (season 2), a prosecutor and love interest for Jake.
  • Debby Ryan as Lucy Diamond (season 2), Laura's trouble-making younger paternal half-sister and the half-aunt of Nicholas and Harrison.

Episodes

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Main article: List of The Mysteries of Laura episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
122September 17, 2014 (2014-09-17)May 20, 2015 (2015-05-20)
216September 23, 2015 (2015-09-23)March 2, 2016 (2016-03-02)

Production

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The series was originally adapted from a Spanish television series, Los misterios de Laura, by Carlos Vila and Javier Holgado. The American version was developed by Jeff Rake with Vila and Holgado. Rake also serves as an executive producer with Aaron Kaplan, Greg Berlanti for Berlanti Productions, Todd Lituchy and McG for Warner Bros. Television.[1] The show was primarily filmed in New York City.[12][13] Brooklyn's 78th Precinct was used for exterior shots of the 2nd Precinct.[14]

It debuted on NBC during the 2014–15 television season, where it aired on Wednesday nights at 8 pm (ET/PT)/7 pm (CT).[15][2] The series premiered on September 24, 2014.[16] A preview aired beforehand on September 17, 2014, following the season finale of America's Got Talent.[17]

Reception

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Ratings

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The September 17, 2014, premiere drew a 2.0 rating in the 18–49 demographic and 10.2 million total viewers, in a special time slot leading out of the America's Got Talent season finale.[18] It was the most-watched broadcast premiere of a series since March 2014. The regular-slot debut at 8 pm Eastern time on September 24, 2014, drew a 1.5 rating in the 18–49 demo and 9.9 million viewers overall.[19]

Although it dropped 25% in the 18–49 demo, it retained 97% of its total viewers of the previous week's preview. In total viewers, this was NBC's best result with in-season regularly scheduled programming versus all regularly scheduled competition in that time period in more than five years.[citation needed]

Season Timeslot (ET) Episodes Premiered Ended TV Season Rank Viewers
(in millions)
Date Premiere
Viewers
(in millions) 		Date Finale
Viewers
(in millions)
1 Wednesday 8:00 pm 22
September 17, 2014 (2014-09-17)
 10.19[20]
May 20, 2015 (2015-05-20)
 7.05[21] 2014–15 #62 8.02[22]
2 16
September 23, 2015 (2015-09-23)
 7.11[23]
March 2, 2016 (2016-03-02)
 7.43[24] 2015–16 #48 8.57[25]

Critical reception

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The Mysteries of Laura received generally negative reviews from critics. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 22% approval rating with an average rating of 4.2/10 based on 41 reviews for the first season. The website's consensus reads, "Despite a talented cast, The Mysteries of Laura is dated both as a cop show and as a representation of single, working mothers."[26]

On Metacritic, the show has a score of 37 out of 100, based on 28 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[27]

Emilie Aries, however, called Messing's new character "the best depiction of women on the small screen".[28]

Accolades

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Year Award Category Recipient Result
2015 Imagen Awards Best Primetime Television Program — Comedy The Mysteries of Laura Nominated
People's Choice Awards Favorite Actress In A New TV Series Debra Messing Nominated
Favorite New TV Drama The Mysteries of Laura Nominated
Young Artists Awards Best Performance in a TV Series – Guest Starring Young Actress 10 and Under Morgan McGarry Nominated

Broadcast

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In Canada, the show was simulcast with the American airing on CTV and is also rerun on M3.[29] In New Zealand, it premiered on January 12, 2015, on TV2.[30]

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, The Mysteries of Laura was picked up by 5USA on December 22, 2014,[31] and premiered on January 20, 2015.[32] In Germany, the show is known as Detective Laura Diamond, broadcast on Sat.1 since February 2, 2015.[33][34] In Latin America, the show airs on Warner Channel, premiering on May 25, 2015.[35]

In Australia, the series premiered on July 29, 2015, on the Nine Network.[36] The first season has also been acquired in France by TF1.[37] In India, the series is acquired by Zee Café, which premiered the show on July 24, 2015, at 11:00 pm IST with the Season 1 finale airing on August 26, 2015.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Fresh Comedies, Captivating Dramas and Highly Popular Returning Series Highlight NBC's Well-Balanced and Dynamic 2014–15 Primetime Schedule". The Futon Critic. May 11, 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
  2. ^ a b Swift, Andy (May 8, 2014). "Fall TV Scoop: NBC Orders Constantine, The Mysteries of Laura and One More to Series". TV Line. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  3. ^ "La versión americana de Los misterios de Laura". rtve.es. RTVE. 2014-05-09. Retrieved 2016-01-21. The Mysteries of Laura conserva la idea original e introduce algunas novedades. Los creadores, Carlos Vila y Javier Holgado, nos lo cuentan
  4. ^ "The Mysteries of Laura". The Mysteries of Laura. Season 1. Episode 19. 9 minutes in. NBC. Retrieved 2016-01-21. BASED ON THE ORIGINAL SERIES CREATED FOR BOOMERANG TV AND TVE1 SPAIN
  5. ^ "Gregorio Quintana: "'Los misterios de Laura' reducirá su parte familiar para centrarse en el caso"". Formulatv.com. 2011-01-18. Retrieved 2016-01-21. Gregorio Quintana, director general de Ida y Vuelta, productora de la serie...
  6. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (May 8, 2015). "'The Night Shift', 'Undateable' & 'The Mysteries of Laura' Renewed by NBC". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 10, 2015. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  7. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (May 10, 2015). "NBC 2015–2016 Schedule: 'Blindspot' Gets Post-'Voice' Spot, Live 'Undateable' Goes to Friday, + 'Heroes Reborn' Gets Pre 'Blacklist' Thursday Spot". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
  8. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (November 9, 2015). "'Mysteries Of Laura' Gets Order For 3 More Episodes From NBC". Deadline.com. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  9. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 14, 2016). "'The Mysteries of Laura' Canceled By NBC After Two Seasons". Deadline.com. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  10. ^ a b Koerner, Allyson (September 23, 2015). "'Debra Messing Dishes On 'The Mysteries Of Laura' Season 2 & How Things Will Change For Laura & Jake". Bustle.com. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  11. ^ Carnegie, Max. "The Mystery of the Downward Spiral". The Mysteries of Laura. Episode 32. my middle name .. actually it's Spencer.
  12. ^ "Thursday, July 17 Filming Locations for Mysteries of Laura, Sleepy Hollow, The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy & more!". onlocationvacations.com. July 17, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  13. ^ "Mysteries of Laura filming in Brooklyn today". onlocationvacations.com. July 17, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  14. ^ Heldenfels, Rich (February 5, 2016). "Mailbag: TV precincts, streaming video". Akron Beacon Journal.
  15. ^ "Fresh Comedies, Captivating Dramas and Highly Popular Returning Series Highlight NBC's Well-Balanced and Dynamic 2014–15 Primetime Schedule". The Futon Critic. May 11, 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
  16. ^ NBC Announces Fall Premiere Dates For New 2014–15 Season from The Futon Critic (June 3, 2014)
  17. ^ "NBC to Sneak Preview 'The Mysteries of Laura' Following 'America's Got Talent' Finale on Wednesday September 17". The Futon Critic. July 16, 2014. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  18. ^ Bibel, Sara (September 18, 2014). "Wednesday Final Ratings: 'America's Got Talent' Adjusted Up; 'The Mysteries of Laura', 'Extant' & 'Penn & Teller: Fool Us' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on September 20, 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  19. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (September 25, 2014). "Wednesday Final Ratings: 'The Middle', 'The Goldbergs', 'Modern Family', 'Law and Order: SVU', & 'Red Band Society' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on January 1, 2015. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  20. ^ Bibel, Sara (September 18, 2014). "Wednesday Final Ratings: 'America's Got Talent' Adjusted Up; 'The Mysteries of Laura', 'Extant' & 'Penn & Teller: Fool Us' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on September 20, 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  21. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (May 21, 2015). "Wednesday Final Ratings: 'Survivor', 'Survivor: Reunion' & 'Modern Family' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 22, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  22. ^ "Full 2014–15 Series Rankings". Deadline Hollywood. May 22, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  23. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda. "Wednesday Final Ratings: 'Survivor', 'Modern Family' & 'Law and Order: SVU' Adjusted Up; 'Nashville' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  24. ^ Porter, Rick (March 3, 2016). "Wednesday final ratings: 'The Goldbergs' adjusts up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  25. ^ "Full 2015–16 TV Season Series Rankings". Deadline Hollywood. May 26, 2015. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  26. ^ "The Mysteries of Laura: Season 1 – Rotten Tomatoes". Rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  27. ^ "The Mysteries of Laura: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  28. ^ "Why Debra Messing's New Character Is The Best Depiction Of Women On The Small Screen – Role Reboot". Rolereboot.org. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  29. ^ "CTV Fall 2014 lineup premiere dates announced". ctv.ca. July 29, 2014. Archived from the original on August 7, 2014. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
  30. ^ "The Mysteries of Laura". Television New Zealand. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  31. ^ Munn, Patrick (December 22, 2014). "5USA Picks Up UK Rights To NBC's 'The Mysteries Of Laura'". TV Wise. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  32. ^ Munn, Patrick (January 7, 2015). "5USA Sets UK Premiere Date For 'The Mysteries Of Laura". TV Wise. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
  33. ^ "Detective Laura Diamond". Sat1.de. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  34. ^ "Detective Laura Diamond, Episodes". Sat1.de. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  35. ^ "Warner Channel estrena la serie "The Mysteries of Laura" en Mayo". Seriépolis (in Spanish). April 30, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  36. ^ Knox, David (July 22, 2015). "Airdate: The Mysteries of Laura". TV Tonight. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  37. ^ "The Mysteries of Laura Bolstered By TFL Pick-Up As Season 2 Decision Looms". renewcanceltv.com. January 14, 2015. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
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