TNT series makes its broadcast debut in 2010

The top-rated series on cable will be making its way onto broadcast television in the not-too-distant future.

"The Closer" will make its debut in syndication in fall 2010 -- at least in part of the country. Warner Bros., which produces the TNT show, has sold weekend rights to the crime drama starring Kyra Sedgwick to FOX-owned stations in 16 markets, including the big three of New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, the showbiz trade papers report.

The deal covers the first four seasons of the show, a total of 58 episodes. The show is among only a handful of cable series to make the leap to syndication. A sanitized version of HBO's "Sex and the City" has been running in syndication for a couple years on both ad-supported cable and broadcast stations, while "The Sopranos" has a second life on A&E.

Censors won't have as much work to do in cleaning up "The Closer" as with the HBO shows. Aside from some language that's a little bit saltier than what's allowable over the air, the series is pretty consistent with broadcast standards.

A handful of new "Closer" episodes will air on TNT starting Jan. 26, in order to help launch the network's new series "Trust Me."