Rizzoli & Isles

TNT has done it again they have once again produced another hit series as they have good luck with crime dramas. This one set in Boston "Rizzoli and Isles" involves the cases of crime and murder in Boston and you have daylight and dark working together on the cases. First enter the tough and by the book seasoned detective Jane Rizzoli(played wonderful by the sexy and exotic beauty Angie Harmon)as Jane always questions the clues and evidence found at the scene, and to make matters more interesting is the educated and witty crime scene medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles(Sasha Alexander)who looks inside the dead bodies for more answers. And both differ on opinions and ways of solving cases still the work ethic and chemistry blends well to form a good crime fighting solving team. Typically the cases they crack are gruesome and cold blooded murders the kind of cases you've seen on TV involving lust killers and serial murders. Usually always in the end the hard work leads to twist and turns with the bad guy being caught.

Good supporting turns are given from Bruce McGill as a supervising detective Vince Korsak and veteran Lorraine Bracco as Jane's overprotected and loving mom Angela. Overall this is a good crime drama series that entertains and it makes you think as most of the gruesome cases take twist then they are solved. And plus it's a nice treat to see the beautiful Angie Harmon at work again especially in a lead role. So check out "Rizzoli and Isles" if you haven't.

I've had a crush on Angie Harmon ever since I first saw her in 'Good Advice'. Not my usual type (in the words of George Burns: too tall); but she has amazing eyes and I could listen to her talk all day. Teamed up with Sasha Alexander, the best thing from NCIS, they make a great pair.

Of course the show itself could have been awful, but thankfully it isn't; and I'm settling into the world of tough lady cop with a busybody ma (a great cameo for Lorraine Bracco) and her borderline-Asperger pathologist friend like a comfy chair. I'm also glad I haven't read the books, so I don't have any expectations of what it "should" be like - Angie's "TV family" are just fine for me, and it's a nice change to have a series set in Bahston instead of SoCal or Florida.

The other regulars (Bruce McGill - who I've always liked - Leigh Thompson Young and Jordan Bridges) fit into their slots seamlessly, and add some nice depth to the proceedings. The writing is also well above average, with great touches of humour, and enough incidental stuff outside the main storyline to let you feel you're getting to know the characters.

I certainly hope I don't put the kiss of death on it by saying I'm a big fan; but I'll definitely be watching it for as long as it's around.

9/10

I do hope that the series based on author Tess Gerritsen's characters of Boston Homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles keeps going. I think that's a sure bet if the quality of episodes keeps up from what I've seen.

It's nice to see the return of Angie Harmon to series television. When she was on Law And Order she was by far my favorite second chair Assistant District Attorney to Sam Waterston. The two women so opposite in temperament and background work well together to solve crime every week, though due to the her job Harmon seems to take the lead. Maybe we'll see more of Sasha Alexander as Maura Isles as things progress.

Probably due to her broad educational background Alexander's character has no discernible Boston accent. Why Harmon's character doesn't is a mystery. She sounds the same as she did on Law And Order, a new ADA whose previous employment on that show was in the Harris County DA's office in Texas where Harmon is from. Maybe she'll work some hard 'A's into her speech patterns in future episodes. Right now the only one in the cast who sounds like Boston is Donnie Wahlberg as her lieutenant and that's where he's from.

The two leads are flushed full dimensional characters and I'm sure we'll see more dimensions as time goes on. TNT has a winner here, I hope the TV watching public thinks so too.

Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon) is a Boston police detective. Chief medical examiner Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander) is her best friend. Her brother Frankie (Jordan Bridges) is a junior cop. Her sassy mother Angela Rizzoli (Lorraine Bracco) keeps butting in. There are fellow detectives Vince Korsak (Bruce McGill) and Barry Frost (Lee Thompson Young). Maura has an unknown criminal biological father. Through it all, there is the unbreakable friendship.

The centerpiece of this show is the sisterhood. Some have claimed sensing lesbian undertones. It's just friendship but I can't hate on the shippers. This works as a police procedural. There are good serial runs. The show runs into a road block when Lee Thompson Young committed suicide. It puts a cloud over the show but it is able to maintain for three more seasons. The ladies are able to steer it over any rough waters but eventually, the show just gets old.

I've always liked this show - and am glad it's being repeated now on independent stations. When Angie Harmon starred on Law & Order, her character's pushiness and arrogance, her deep rasping voice and model's gait - really put me off. But on this show, the actress, playing the two lead detective, Rizzoli, has grown on me - her character is given a family background, allowed to show a variety of emotions, and Harmon has simply become a much better actress than years ago.

I really liked Sasha Alexander, who plays the other lead character, pathologist Isles, when she starred on NCIS and was very disappointed when she left the program (after its first year?). She's utterly charming, obviously bright (good as very necessary for this character!)

The plots are not ones you'll want to rewind to see how the complex pieces fell into place (this isn't Columbo) but they are involving enough to carry forward the narratives of the shows.

The supporting characters are well-enough written - though the humor is often hokey.

The warmth of the ensemble is very noticeable - one senses not only that the characters are supposed to like each other - but that the actors really do. It's a strange thing to say that a police detective show is heartwarming - yet this is.

As one comes to like the characters more and more, it's their back stories and their concurrent personal stories that make this a very welcome watch.

There's nothing BIG about the series - it's modest, light, and has its own charm and warmth. I really like it.