BLOGS
It's pretty easy to compare the new TNT show Rizzoli & Isles to Cagney & Lacey -- after all, both are about a pair of female law-enforcement officers who are friends outside of work. But this pair aren't both tough street detectives -- okay, one is, but the other is a cultured medical examiner, which makes it more like Bones than anything, with Angie Harmon in the David Boreanaz role, and Sasha Alexander in the Emily Deschanel one. Only Alexander's Isles is more boring and normal than Deschanel's awkward Bones, and Harmon's Rizzoli might actually be more macho than Boreanaz's Seeley Booth. Too bad it's not a romance.
In the first episode, we learn Rizzoli's dark past -- coming from a family of Boston cops, the detective was captured and stabbed in the hands by a serial killer who is currently in jail. But when a copycat springs up, she needs to re-open old wounds (figuratively speaking) to enlist his help, and then when he escapes, that makes two serial killers she has to catch. Rizzoli is mostly pretty stoic throughout, but there are times when she turns to Isles, who is fairly humorless and has a tendency to spout encyclopedic facts when certain subjects arise. It verges on Bones-like behavior, but less condescending. And less funny. Rizzoli constantly comments on how well Isles is dressed, and I worry this is going to turn into The Tomboy and the Girly-Girl Show, which is what executives wanted Cagney & Lacey to be, before they were ignored.
Rizzoli and Isles are supposedly friends, but the relationship seems mostly professional, since they don't always trust each other's judgment and they don't seem to know much about each other outside of work. For instance:
- When Rizzoli goes to stay with Isles, she doesn't know that Isles has a massive African turtle, even though she has apparently had it for at least a few years.
- When Isles lies down on a bed next to Rizzoli, Rizzoli gets all awkward about it and asks if it's a sleepover or if Isles is attracted to her.
- Isles doesn't know what her personalized ringtone is on Rizzoli's phone (Chopin's "Funeral March").
- Rizzoli doesn't know if Isles always wanted to be a medical examiner.
Granted, a lot of this may just be bad writing, meant to elicit comedy and tease secrets that will later be revealed, but it's hard to get a bead on their friendship because of it. A burgeoning, Bones-esque love story between the two of them might actually have been more interesting, but good luck seeing that on non-Showtime television. Instead, we'll have to content ourselves with watching them passive-aggressively fight over the attentions of dreamy detectives and federal agents, if this episode's guest star (played by Billy Burke) is any indication. He doesn't appear to be a regular, sadly (unbreakable Twilight contract?), but we do get Lee Thompson Young as Rizzoli's crime scene-averse partner and Lorraine Bracco as her overbearing mother. Add in Bruce McGill and Jordan Bridges, plus next week's guest star Donnie Wahlberg, and you've got a great cast, but a fairly mediocre show. The TNT specialty?
Did you see Rizzoli & Isles? Tell us what you thought below, then see what vlogger Sean Crespo thinks of the show below!
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Awful,especially after a great Closer episode. I will be watching CSI Miami reruns from now on.
I liked it. The ending seemed a little rushed, but Angie Harmon did say "tits," which was a plus.
A love story or at least some sexual tension between the R & I would make this formula show more interesting. Pity it's Angie Harmon and pity it's not on showtime.
I adore Angie Harmon in anything, and its great to see Lee Thompson Young in anything. The problem for me was that the storyline was too rushed. Why bring the serial killer in immediately? That was a lot of backstory for an episode that also was filled with a lot of setup.
It's based on the great books by Tess Gerritsen, so worth looking at. If it gets more people to read her books, all the better. But otherwise, I agree with the review. The show seems to start in the middle of things -- they should have started in the beginning.
I thought the plot last night was very derivative. It seems like the "escaped serial killer and his apprentice" storyline has been done to death, and done better.
When I saw the previews of the two of them in bed, I actually thought that they were romantic, as well as professional, partners. That actually would have made for a more interesting approach to the same old procedural theme.
I somewhat disagree with your review, I enjoyed the show alot, Angie Harmon played the character very well and the dynamics between R & I were fun to watch and how they will progress will be very interesting. So much better than CSI, which never keeps my attention. Great series premiere.
I'm going to give it another chance. I wasn't hooked in anyway but I think the cast, if given good material, can really do something. So I'll cross my fingers and hope whatever it is they couldn't quite pull together for the pilot is there in following episodes. I too wish it was Showtime, since you are so right it would work better if they were a couple or at least resisting being a couple.
No no no. No unresolved sexual tension between the leads. Because then you just have another "Bones" and there is already one too many of those.
I actually really liked it! It was really dark and tense at times--wasn't expecting that. Did I miss something? How do you know she comes from a family of Boston cops? The truck outside her family's house said "Rizzoli and Sons Plumbing."
Man, they sure did make Angie Harmon look homely. Quite a feat. L&O couldn't even do that in those hideous suits they used to put her in.
Anyway, I think Rizzoli and Isles's friendship is true but new, and that's why they are still feeling each other out as friends, so I didn't think that was something lacking at all. They like and respect each other and are becoming friends--we'll get to see it develop as the show develops.
Also, I'm with Sara: I love love Angie Harmon and it's great to see The Famous Jett Jackson back in full effect after his FlashForward header. I too thought they would leave Hoyt at large and have that be a major story arc for the season, but I think it was good to show us her history and basically establish her as a badass, which I think it did effectively.
Long story short--I thought this was a good start and this show has a lot of potential, even if Isles was a bit bitchy at times.
I do think it's unfair to compare it to Bones like you're doing. You can't on one hand complain that everything on TV is the same and on the other hand complain that one show isn't enough like the other.
It's funny because I was watching the promos for this show and they seemed kinda les-yay for TNT. Oh well. I agree. If the two female leads had some romantic undercurrent it'd be a more compelling show. As it stands, I say "derivative."
In the Tess Gerritsen books, Isles has a lover who is a priest. I was sorry that didn't translate over to the series but I didn't think it would what with all the problems the church is having these days. Also, it will be too bad if they don't keep Dean the FBI agent on the show because he and Rizolli . . . well, I can't spoil it for you, but READ THE BOOKS -- they're great.
Great series of books. Horrible casting for the characters!
A medical examiner and a forensic anthropologist are two different things. I hate the Bones comparison. This show is nothing like Bones. Thank goodness.
I thought it was fine for a premier. I'm interested enough to stick around for awhile. The kid who plays her partner Frost (Lee Thompson Young) is great. I kept finding myself hoping he would show up again or interact more with the characters. So far it is just people telling him to be quiet or go away. Use him more, he is cute and charismatic.
"Awful,especially after a great Closer episode. I will be watching CSI Miami reruns from now on."
Okay, you DID NOT just say that! :D :D
That's like saying you stopped watching the fifth Twilight movie cause it sucked and you wanted to watch something better and then turned on Sex & The City 2.
Terrible. And altho I dislike the books, I'd looked forward to this all summer. Angie Harmon's character kept being dumb, while sasha's was "too pretty". But it was also too predictable. Already de-Ttivo'ed it.
I thought this was hateful and the nastiest "women in peril" plotline outside of Criminal Minds.
I did create a video of Ms Harmon saying "tits", though. Check it here: http://guiltyfeat.com/2010/07/16/very-little-to-see-here/
Cheers.
LOVED IT, thanks for all the talent, loved Cagney and Lacy, and this runs beside it. Keep giving us the god stuff!!
I meant good stuff!! LOL
I was looking forward to this show - the premise sounded promising. I'm pretty disappointed. Especially Sasha Alexander. I find her character completely boring and there is way too much literal translation that does NOT come off as humorous, where it does work so well with Deschanel's Bones character.
This is not a winner for me.
It's no Cagney & Lacey but I liked the show.
Did not feel the sexual tension or subtext that everyone is alluding to.
Watch Xena episodes for classic sexual tension.
Rizzoli & Isles is entertaining enough.
Butone observation: Although I am sure there are some out there, I have NEVER seen a real life female police detective who looks a drop dead gorgeous as Amgie Harmon.
I guess why thay call it acting.
I yelled at them during breakfast, when I helped them change cloths, when I got them dress...it was non-stop. After a few days, my boys were used to the routine, and there was no more refusal on daily chores on that part.
I agree with this review for the most part. Even though I generally like their older, punkier stuff
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