Showcase just kicked off the second season of Rizzoli & Isles (originally aired in 2011), and it has a very slow start. At the end of Season 1, Rizzoli was being held hostage, various people had been shot at the station, she was asking people to shoot the bad guy holding her, etc. When they didn’t, she turned the gun in his hand and shot him through her, taking him out. Of course, she’s in a bit of pain even three months later when the episode starts, as she’s being awarded a medal for being a hero. At the same ceremony (why would it be the same ceremony? It wouldn’t, but let’s go with it), a female military officer named Abby is getting an award for her work overseas. Just after the ceremony, a car bomb takes out the other officer. The episode is pretty good overall, just a slow start with getting Rizzoli up and around, back to work, etc.
The mystery part is not very good though — it is painfully clear really really really early that it is not a terrorist attack but rather a personal hit on Abby, and since one of the few things we know about Abby is that she was wounded in battle and she used to date one of her fellow soldiers, it isn’t that big a stretch to figure out one or both of those issues are the cause (actually it turns out one is a clue, the other is the cause). Yawn. On the personal front, I was excited that Rizzoli has a new beau, and they even end up in bed together but apparently do not have full sex (not sure why, they just don’t, even though they used to date and are clearly adults now who want each other). I was initially REALLY excited that Rizzoli’s mom and dad split up cuz I hate the Mom and I hoped this would reduce her role — unfortunately, quite the opposite. Mom now pops over to Rizzoli’s house cuz she’s bored. Maybe it’ll improve, but at least the interactions between Rizzoli and Isles are fun. Would be more fun if THEY were dating each other, but alas, apparently prime time is either not ready for that or felt that it would undermine their characters (“strong powerful, oh, they must be lesbians” would indeed be a bit of a cliche, I suppose).
