Bingeworthy TV: Rizzoli & Isles

When Bones ended after 12 seasons, I didn’t know where to turn. I thought my days of enjoying a funny, suspenseful murder mystery show with well-developed characters and an engaging overarching plot were over. Little did I know, something even better was waiting for me! I fell in love with Rizzoli & Isles with the first episode.

Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon) is a homicide detective who works with medical examiner Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander) to solve crimes for the Boston Police Department. Before the show begins, the two are already best friends, and their deep care for each other is evident. That certainly helped me as a viewer become invested in both Jane and Maura very quickly, sharing these characters’ love for each other in spite of their quirks.

Jane is feisty, sarcastic, very good at her job as a detective, and can become grumpy when things don’t go her way. Maura is brilliant, fun-loving but socially awkward, and often has her head in the clouds, or in her science. Alone, each of these characters sounds like a boring trope, but together (as happens to most of us when our best friend is around), they are much more vibrant and complex. Maura helps Jane lighten up in spite of herself, and Jane helps Maura face reality even when it’s difficult. They continually poke fun at each other while still appreciating one another’s work, intelligence, and heart.

So much about this show makes its characters feel more realistic than others. It was refreshing to watch a formulaic mystery show featuring two female protagonists with a complicated, genuine friendship. I was also grateful to see that the characters on Rizzoli & Isles experience and process the trauma their jobs cause on-screen. From what I’ve seen, this is rarely done well (if at all) in violence-driven plots, and it makes the show much more relatable and believable.

The minor characters, too, contribute to the richness of Rizzoli & Isles. As someone who’s watched many movies and TV shows, I have a high standard for realistic fictional relationships, especially between family members, and this show blows all others out of the water. I loved watching Jane’s family bicker, watching friendships break and be mended, and watching police department office drama play out. And, of course, any good murder mystery show requires a little history of the setting (Boston), a couple of creepy serial killers, and mysterious back stories for a few characters. Rizzoli & Isles has it all!

Prepare to fall in love with Jane and Maura and their friendship. Then call me so we can cry together about the show ending so perfectly after seven seasons, and about how no other show could ever hope to be this good.

~Rachel, Technical Services