Rizzoli & Isles ends with a double gut punch

It is a procedural, yes, but the relationship between the two leads makes this show stand out from the pack. For example last week, Jane arranged for information about the man who killed Maura’s brother to be leaked to a mob criminal — who just so happened to be Maura’s birth father — because “you do what you have to do to protect family.” The two are sisters-from-different-misters, each with their own unique personality quirks which make them more than just your average TV cop and doctor.

There was one moment in tonight’s finale where Maura and Jane were having coffee and Jane was expressing her frustration over the prison release of her other brother, gellin’ like a felon Tommy. As they began to depart in separate elevators, Maura told Jane that if she needed her, she was there. Jane smiled “I know.”  The two shared a knowing look.  It was a very brief and subtle moment, but that to me epitomized what makes this show different from the CSI and L&O franchises.

Not to say this show doesn’t have its moments of heart-thumping action. Tonight packed a few, surrounding the murder of an undercover cop who had infiltrated a narcotics smuggling ring, and a supposed mole within the department who had ratted him out. I saw the twist that Bobby was the mole, and “dirty whore” killer, back at mile marker two, so that was no shock at all. But I was significantly taken aback when Frankie was shot by the one of the criminals who had penetrated the precinct’s inner sanctum. Incidentally, when would a cop shop ever be that barren? Only five or six people in the whole place? I find that very hard to believe.

When they removed Frankie’s shirt to reveal a kevlar vest, I unclenched a bit, but then when they removed the vest, I knew it was gonna be bad. That bruise looked all kindsa nasty. I was a tad irked at first for all of Jane’s wigging out and the pressure she was putting on Maura — “He’s dying and you’re the only one who can save him!” — but Maura’s self-doubt was not a luxury she could afford this time, while her brother is lying there unable to breathe and regurgitating blood, so I came around. Now that I think about it, compared to how I’d probably be acting in a similar situation, Jane was practically comatose.

I expected there to be some type of self-sacrifice on Jane’s part, but didn’t expect it to go down exactly as it did. The cinematography during the final seconds upped the pucker factor significantly. Usually I’m of the opinion that slo-mo tends to be excruciatingly overused, but this seemed so crisp and vivid in the way it was shot. Though, my inner 12-year-old boy did giggle when Bobby’s buttcrack decided to rear its ugly head during the sequence (juvenile pun intended). With only a couple of seconds left when Jane pulled the trigger shooting Bobby through herself, I knew we had our cliffhanger, and with Frankie still in danger, a double gut punch at that. Interesting though that while both siblings lives hang in the balance, unwitting Mama and Papa Rizzoli are all upset over Tommy’s decision not to come home (poor Mama Rizzoli!). Is anyone else hoping to see Fred Savage in the role? He and Jordan Bridges (Frankie) are doppelgangers.

Side note — It appears that leaving a series regular potentially mortally wounded is the all-the-rage cliffhanger scenario this season. Michael on Burn Notice. Mozzie on White Collar. Almost everyone on Grey’s Anatomy. Were there any others?

What did you think about this finale and the season in general? Did the ending score or bore? Leave comments below.

Clacked by Jeff Kirkpatrick
on Sep 14, 2010 @ 08:28 EST5EDT