I've been meaning to blog about Rizzoli & Isles and profess my absolute girl crush over this series and its stars. Every episode (and there's about six now), it just keeps getting better and better to me.
I like that there's so much sisterly bonding between the two lead characters, Jane Rizzoli (played by Angie Harmon) and Maura Isles (played by Sasha Alexander).
Rizzoli is gutsy. Being the only female cop in a Boston precinct's Homicide Division, she prefers to be treated as an equal among her peers of male detectives. She is sporty and tough, and is not afraid to go head-on with suspected criminals. Rizzoli is surrounded by her wacky Italian family and has an overbearing mom (played by Lorraine Braco).
Isles works in the precinct's Forensic Division. While Rizzoli is out on the streets, chasing the bad guys if you will, Rizzoli prefers working with the dead. She is always dressed so impeccably and exudes an aura of grace and poise. I find it amusing watching how Isles is sometimes so disconnected from how average people live (such as Rizzoli's family), as she was raised in a privileged environment. And yet, she's not so naive when it comes to facts, trivia, figures or historical data. Isles is like this walking Encyclopedia.
Inspite their differences, Rizzoli & Isles are the best of friends. Their personalities and backgrounds may clash and they would often banter. But theirs is the kind of friendship that works. They are supportive and effective as co-workers. Though not much of their personal lives have been explored yet (the series is still very new), they do seem to enjoy each other outside of work. You don't often see this kind of teamwork, of opposites complementing each other, played out on television...much less with women characters. Which is why this is what makes me love this show even more.
Rizzoli & Isles is one of summer season's and cable TV's hits (if not the top-rated summer series). Gawker TV calls this: Sex and The City With Guns & Murder.
Some of my favorite quotes:
Rizzoli: Did you ever date the same guy as your best friend?
Isles: No.
Rizzoli: Did you ever have a best friend?
Isles: No.
Rizzoli: You'd tell me if you were a cyborg, right?
Isles: I'm not seeing him.
Rizzoli: Yet.
Isles: Somebody should. Don't you think?
Rizzoli: Yup.
Isles: Should we draw straws?
Rizzoli: Couldn't we just show him our tits and let him decide?
Isles: Haven't you ever been afraid of anything?
Rizzoli: Uh, witches! My family went to Salem when I was little.
Isles: See, you were very impressionable.
Rizzoli: Yes, I had to sleep with a night light. Why, what were you scared of?
Isles: Chromobacterium violaceum.
Rizzoli: What's that?
Isles: It's a flesh-eating bacteria. It crawls inside your ear or your nose and it starts eating you from the inside out --
Rizzoli: Okay, okay! I got it! Thank you!
Rizzoli: You looked really at home in that world.
Isles: It's where I'm from. It's not where I chose to stay.
Rizzoli: Well, what are you doing down here slumming with us?
Isles: The same as you! I'm catching bad guys.
Rizzoli: I need the job. You don't.
Isles: Look, I want my life to have meaning and purpose, the same as you.
Rizzoli: Maybe I should be a lesbian.
Isles: Aw. Well, wishes can come true. Frost and Korsak wanted to fill out your profile. I typed.
Rizzoli: You what??!
Isles: If it wasn't for me, you'd be "butch".
Rizzoli: You put my photo and profile on a gay dating website?
Isles: It's the best shot at getting DNA and breaking this case.
Rizzoli: No, it's our best shot. You're going with me.
Isles: No.
Rizzoli: Yes, Dr. Isles! I don't have time to train a female detective how to collect and preserve DNA. You're going!
Isles: I wonder what kind of women we would like if we liked women.
Rizzoli: What?! Well, first of all, I would be the guy.
Isles: That's a cliche! Why would you be the guy?
Rizzoli: Because!
Isles: Because you're bossy?
Rizzoli: So are you!
Isles: No, I'm not!
Rizzoli: Yes, you are, you're just soft and polite when you're bossing people around.
Isles: Well, it's a good thing you're not my type.
Rizzoli: What do you mean I'm not your type?! That's so rude!
Rizzoli & Isles is based on books by Tess Gerritsen.
