After seven seasons, Turner Network Television said goodbye to “Rizzoli & Isles” on Sept. 5. The police drama pitted Det. Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon) and Dr. Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander) against the most heinous criminals that Boston has ever seen. The dynamic duo put the bad guys behind bars while doing what girls do — dating, drinking wine, and bonding — and they always solved the mystery whodunnit by the end of the hour.
The crime-fighting comrades, based on the books by author Tess Gerritsen, were the very best of friends and closer than any sisters — I adored them.
The first time I met them was in the book “The Surgeon” in 2002. The characters were a bit different back then (Jane was married), but the core of each remained the same throughout the television iteration. With a touch of humor, super-smart detective plus super-smart medical examiner equaled whoop-ass crime-solvers and great reading.
The show was no different.
The “sleuthing sistas” in crime were surrounded by an ensemble of great actors, including Bruce McGill (“Ramming Speed” brother D-Day in “Animal House”) as Jane’s partner Det. Vince Korsak, Lorraine Bracco as Jane’s mom Angela Rizzoli, and Jordan Bridges as Jane’s brother and fellow detective Frankie Rizzoli — plus a host of others.
From 2010 ’til the final tear-jerking episode last Monday night, I looked forward to each and every adventure that the ladies took.
It was one of the few shows that I didn’t have to fast-forward to the end because it dragged and put me to sleep — no-siree-Bob, it had just the right pace to keep me riveted and wanting more.
And as much as I never wanted it to end, I’m glad the producers, writers, and actors knew just when to say goodbye. It’s always better to sing a swan song when a show is at the top instead of after it’s jumped the shark.
Not for Nuthin™, but now that the show is over and Jane and Maura have flown away to Paris for a long-deserved vacation, I guess I am going to have to dust off the books in order to get my Jane and Maura fix for the week.
Follow me on Twitter @JDelBuono.
