What I’m Watching: Rizzoli & Isles

Rizzoli & Isles: Season 1, Episode 10 “When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang” (B-)

So much for ending on a strong note. This episode, like the installments immediately preceding it, harps on the sensational and overblown rather than striving for actual compelling plotlines. Any cinematic police chief should know that it’s never a smart idea to leave the police station unattended by anyone except the desk sergeant, and bringing the entire force on a bust is a recipe for disaster (having the whole crew in one place is also a bad idea, as evidenced by this week’s finale of “The Closer”). Beyond that, having Frankie get shot by these criminals so desperate to destroy evidence that they don’t mind killing a few cops is a bit of a forced lurch of the heartstrings. The unsurprising seventh inning-stretch twist of the partner being corrupt and then deciding he too should kill a few cops just for the heck of it came way too late in the game, and the slow-motion final sequence was more than a bit overdone. The introduction (well, not quite) of the third Rizzoli sibling is a wholly unnecessary plotline, and once again emphasizes the uneven tilt towards the first member of the show’s title. Not to harp solely on the negative, I’d like to mention the positive elements of this show that helped make it an effective guilty pleasure. It’s particularly wonderful to see Sasha Alexander back on television, in a role that’s probably more suited for her than her “NCIS” part, though I do think she did quite great on that show way back when as well. Angie Harmon, Bruce McGill, Lee Thompson Young, Lorraine Bracco, and Chazz Palmintieri all make up a fun supporting ensemble, and even if this show aims too high every single time, it may be worth revisiting in a scarcely populated summer next year.

Season grade: B
Season MVP: Sasha Alexander