Season 4 SPOILERS

Here are some spoilers I've found from around the internet.

• If you ever wondered what it would be like if Maura and Jane switched places, then an upcoming Rizzoli & Isles season four episode is for you. When a suspect with information decides that Jane is not a "nice lady," Maura is the only one he trusts and thus, she will be the one interrogating him. Jane doesn't let Maura just waltz in there unprepared, of course. That's where the fun starts. (EOnline)

• Episode 3x01: Family issues and politics take center stage after a community parade turns deadly. Maura struggles with her own family issues. Casey makes a surprise visit along with some shocking news. (tv.com)

• Bass and Joe Friday are BACK! (Janet Tamaro)

• As for the new season as a whole, Angie Harmon enthuses, “We’ve gone back a bit towards the pilot, as far as going more dramatic. The playful banter is still there, but the cases are a lot more serious — which I’m excited about.” (TVLine)

• Prison Break's Amaury Nolasco will recur as Lt. Det. Rafael Martinez, the newly appointed head of the Boston Police Department's drug unit who has a personal and professional history with Jane. (TVGuide)

• Paddy Doyle (John Doman) is back and standing trail for murder. It's no secret Maura's family storyline is one of my favorites in the show. Here's what we know:

In Episode 4 Paddy stands trial and Jane has to testify against him. Plus we learn that Doyle and Cavanaugh grew up in South Boston together, and Doyle worked as Cavanaugh's confidential informant to help get drugs out of the area. (TVGuide)

On the first day of Paddy’s murder trial, Maura gains insight into her father from Hope (Sharon Lawrence). Korsak opens up about Cavanaugh’s tragic past. And in an unexpected twist, Maura must decide which side she’s on when she and Jane unravel a shocking secret about Paddy and Hope that affects them all. (TNT)

• Maura and Cailin (Maura's half-sister) start to bond so much that the teen ends up staying with Maura. (TVGuide)

• Rondo will be in Episode 5!

• Giovanni is back.

Episode 308 SPOILERS

Daniella Alonso will debut in her recurring role as Riley Cooper, a new neighbor of Jane's who captures the attention of Angela, Frankie, and Frost. "I can't share details because there's a twist to my character," Alonso teases. "It's been a blast to be on the show... I've been working with everybody!" [Soap News]

Jane moves to a new apartment after the stalker incident in episode 307 "Crazy for You".

Rizzles alert: Jane and Maura lying on the same mattress with glasses of wine. [Absolutely Angie]

Maura speaks Serbian.

Frankie has an interview with Cavanaugh about moving to detective.

Official TNT Synopsis:
A bride is killed right before she walks down the aisle, and Jane and Maura must figure out if the groom’s ex-girlfriend is a suspect, or if there’s a deeper connection to the bride’s European roots. On the home front, Jane has a new neighbor who captures the attention of Angela, Frankie and Frost.

Janet Tamaro - Hoyt, Maura fencing, 15 episodes

Question from Bay Keech:
Hi there, I have a question. Would Jane have to deal with Hoyt again after his death in season two?
Janet's response:
One of the challenges of this show (because each episode is "closed-ended" and must stand on its own) is it's difficult to circle back and reference episodes new viewers may not have seen. I do my level best to keep our returning fans happy, but I also to try not to exclude new fans. So the short answer is probably not.



Question from Tish Buford:
Jane had asked Maura once in a previous episode if she played sports. One of Maura's answers was fencing, by any chance would we ever see Maura perform fencing in an episode?
Janet's response:
Just after I read this question, Sasha Alexander (who plays Maura Isles) asked me the same thing!! So, yes, I suspect we’re going to see Maura fence.


Question from Melanie Reber:
Janet, Can you please tell us fans why there is so little of Rizzoli & Isles each season? I as well as others (I'm sure) would like to know why the girls don't get as many episodes as other TV shows?
Janet's response:
Many cable networks order anywhere from 6 episodes to 15. TNT orders 15 "Rizzoli & Isles" episodes, which is a heck of a lot better than 6. Thanks for your interest, though. Glad to know you’d like more.



Source: TNT

Janet Tamaro - song titles, the boys, and Maura's bedroom - Creator's Corner

Question from Kristen Cohn:
I've noticed several of the episodes names share their names with song titles. I'm thinking it's on purpose, but I'm not sure.
Janet's response:
Yep, it's on purpose. I decided after the pilot and the first episode to start naming episodes after song titles...because I could...;-)
----
Question from Nathalia Conti:
Relevant question: are we going to see Maura's walk-in closet and shoe collection this season?
Janet's response:
It's a VERY relevant question. Don't tell anyone, but I'm hoping we'll be able to build Maura's bedroom in Season 4. If you look behind the curtain here at Oz, you'll see that there currently IS no bedroom...so don't look until we have something to show you...ssshhh...it's our little secret.
----
Question from Alyssa Benalfew:
Will we see more Jane and Frost or Frost and Frankie interaction? Jane and Frost have nice moments and Frost and Frankie look like they could be great friends.
Janet's response:
I completely agree, and yes, we will see more of this adorable threesome. Frost and Frankie also do some very funny stuff together in upcoming shows. I personally love the ongoing brother-sister, towel, sibling-rivalry, "I love you but you annoy the heck out of me" relationship between Jane and Frankie.
----
Question from Victoria Baljo:
When you developed Rizzoli's character, did you use one person in your life to model her after or more than a few??
Janet's response:
Tess Gerritsen created Det. Jane Rizzoli for her books. I identified with the fictional Jane in Tess's books, but when I created the TV "Jane Rizzoli," I think without intending to, I imbued her with many of my own traits – and with many traits I see in Angie. Tess, who is a wonderful writer and a master of suspense and mystery, will tell you her books aren't funny. I can't live without humor and did not want to spend all the hours I spend working on this show without the relief of humor. I try to balance the show with enough of it to satisfy myself, my audience, and my great cast while still constructing a good mystery and serving all these wonderful characters.
Obviously, Jane isn't real, and Jane isn't me or Angie, but I've had to drop certain expressions I gave to Jane in dialogue because now I sound like I'm copying a fictional character...who says what I write for her to say ... I've got some Maura ticks, too. I'm constantly referencing studies, facts, figures and any research I can remember plus how did we live without GOOGLE? My children and husband are very nice about it, but I believe there's some secret eye-rolling that goes on ...

Source: Creator's Corner

Sasha Alexander guest DJ on 100.3 The Sound

Sasha was the guest DJ on 100.3 The Sound, Sunday night, June 17th. The Sound posted her play list. In my opinion it's an awesome set!

My Turn Set by Sasha Alexander

Song #1 - ZZ Top - Legs
Song #2 - Foghat - Slowride
Song #3 - Foreigner - Hot Blooded
Song #4 - Journey - Anyway You Want It
Song #5 - AC/DC - Back in Black
Song #6 - Aerosmith - Walk This Way
Song #7 - Van Halen - Dancing in the Street
Song #8 - Police - Every Breath You Take
Song #9 - Stevie Wonder - Superstition
Song #10 - John Mellencamp - Jack & Diane
Song #11 - Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Song #12 - Blondie - One Way or Another
Song #13 - Guns ‘N Roses - Paradise City
Song #14 - Bob Marley - Could You Be Loved

From 100.3 The Sound.

Rizzoli and Isles Season 3 Articles, Interviews, SPOILERS Before Premiere

It's the big push before the Rizzoli & Isles season three premiere. Articles and interviews are popping up all over the net. Here's links and excerpts:

Sasha Alexander becomes more than just Angie Harmon’s partner in ‘Rizzoli & Isles’  

It's not easy to be the other woman in a cop show with Angie Harmon.
But Sasha Alexander has parlayed that spot into something impressive, playing medical examiner Maura Isles opposite Harmon’s Detective Jane Rizzoli on TNT’s “Rizzoli & Isles.”
The third season launches Tuesday night at 9, and it’s a critical juncture for the gals.
They’ve been friends for years and now they also work together. Or at least they did until the last episode of season two, when Jane shot Maura’s father.

Okay, that may not be the dealbreaker it might seem to be. Maura’s father is a psychotic mobster who has killed dozens of people and is wanted throughout the civilized world.
Still, he’s her recently revealed dad, so she would have preferred Jane didn’t shoot him.
“It’s a huge ride for Maura this season,” says Alexander. “The whole mystery of her father and his past is changing her. She’s always lived in this world where she’s in control of everything, and now it’s another world she’s uncomfortable in.”
Maura’s also mad at Jane.
“She’s in total shock as the season starts,” says Alexander. “She’s very angry at Jane. It’s going to take a while for them to find their way back.”
Yet the fact there could be a way back reflects the strength of “Rizzoli & Isles,” which has clicked into place as a show that’s part cop stuff, part smart comedy and part character drama.
Taking nothing away from Harmon, whose TV legal credibility goes back to “Law & Order” and “Women’s Murder Club,” Alexander has slowly developed an intriguing presence of her own.
“In the beginning, the show was far more centered on Jane,” says Alexander. “She clearly had the advantage.
“But then as we learned more about Maura, we found it wasn’t what we expected. She has a lot of family and personal issues.”
She’s also a brainiac.
“She’s smart,” says Alexander. “She’s collected a lot of facts. But at the same time she has almost no sense of the effect she has on other people. She will say something funny and not know it’s funny. She’ll hear people laughing and not realize the joke is on her.
“It’s a challenge to play a character with no sense of irony. But at the same time, people like her.”
That part isn’t hard to understand. In one scene this season, Alexander says, Maura and Jane have to hide in a closet when they’re almost caught during an undercover operation.
“Out of nowhere, while they’re waiting,” says Alexander, “Maura starts talking about the history of leather, and its historical significance in sexuality.
“We had to stop the scene every few lines because Angie kept laughing.”
Let’s assume in this case that Harmon speaks for all viewers.
“The thing about Maura,” says Alexander, “is you never really quite know where she’s going.”

Source

For Rizzoli & Isles, 'The Anger Is Still Fresh' - Can a Deadly Crisis Bring Them Back Together?

“We start Season 3 maybe 20 minutes later, so the anger is still fresh, the resentment of [what Jane did],” Sasha Alexander tells TVLine of tonight’s premiere (airing at 9/8c). “For both Jane and Maura it’s very unclear – like, What just happened?”

So, things are a little complicated between the ladies? “I would say a lot,” Angie Harmon corrects us with a laugh. “But if you’ve ever had a fight with someone that you love or care about, this is the show for you. It’s very high stakes that these two are fighting for.”

As such, don’t expect tensions between the two to smooth out in a jiffy – a wrinkle that delighted the series’ leads. ”I like the way [series creator] Janet [Tamaro] wrote it, because it’s not tied up in a bow after the first episode,” Alexander shares. Adds Harmon: “It takes a little bit to bring them back together.” 

Read more >>>

 'Rizzoli & Isles': Sasha Alexander teases the new season

Meeting Maura’s birth mother: The season premiere sets Maura on a path to find Dr. Hope Davis (recurring guest star Sharon Lawrence), who we’ll meet in the July 3 episode. “Maura, Jane, and Angela [Lorraine Bracco] stop in their tracks when they hear this woman speak. It’s like you’re listening to Maura,” Alexander says. “And Maura physically cannot talk around her. She’s so scared to interact with her because she doesn’t want her to know [she's her daughter], so it’s actually very comedic.” Even once Maura does speak, she’ll still keep her identity a secret. “There are moments when she’ll do something that somehow moves me, and I just burst into tears. She’s like, ‘Why are you crying?’ And Jane will be like, ‘She gets really emotional when we break a case,’” Alexander says. Maura will also learn she has a half-sister (Emilee Wallace). “She’s a pretty angry 18-year-old girl, and that’s gonna be an interesting relationship,” Alexander says.

 A possible love interest for Maura: Eddie Cibrian will guest star in the June 19 episode. “Maura meets him on her autopsy table,” Alexander says. “Let’s just say his ‘special part’ gives him away.” Wait, we need her to explain that. “We think his character just had a stroke and died, so he’s still in his clothes on the table, and the girls are commenting on how hot he is when he’s on the autopsy table. It’s so inappropriate,” Alexander says. Look for Cibrian to return later in the season.

 Read more >>>

 'Rizzoli & Isles' starts season on tense note, but there should be fun to come

Maura Isles is not in a good mood as the third season of “Rizzoli & Isles” launches Tuesday.
That will happen when your father just got shot and your best friend was the shooter.
Isles (Sasha Alexander) is ordinarily the most rational and linear of people. Like a good medical examiner should be.
And her friend Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon) is ordinarily the most compassionate and considerate of buddies. Like a good Boston detective should be.
In this case, however, Rizzoli didn’t have much choice, since Maura’s father is a Mob killer who was holding a gun himself.
It sounds complicated, but it’s explained well, even to someone who’s a newcomer to the show. That’s one of the reasons “Rizzoli & Isles” has become one of the best cop shows on TV.
It works as light summer drama, with lots of great banter between the women, and it works as cop drama, since it has put both of them in very dangerous situations at regular intervals.
Best of all, though, it keeps peeling away layers on both characters. Neither, it turns out, is quite as immune to men as it might seem, and both are struggling with mother issues, for entirely different reasons.
That could get trite. Here, instead, it’s fast-moving and fun. Lorraine Bracco has loads of fun as Jane’s mom and Sharon Lawrence will come in this season as Maura’s.
In fact, the whole cast gets in the spirit — and let’s bet even Maura won’t stay mad all season.

Source 

 Rizzoli & Isles Season 3: Sasha Alexander Previews What's Next, Big Guest Stars And More

I caught up with star Sasha Alexander to hear more about how the best friends begin to repair their relationship, and she also dished about some new guest stars, including Sharon Lawrence, who'll be playing Maura's birth mother, and Eddie Cibrian, who's Maura's new love interest. Alexander also talked about her character's darker side, the show's efforts to keep the strong female characters from becoming sex objects and whether or not she would do a musical episode.
Our conversation took place on the phone during a quick break from a particularly insane day of shooting -- there was a big party scene, and things sounded like they were getting a bit out of hand.

"It's actually a very funny episode where Maura is hosting the medical examiner symposium, so all of these very nerdy doctor types come ... so it's basically all these funny guys with Maura," Alexander teased of the upcoming episode. "Let's just say a lot of different chaos ensues with Dr. Pike, played by Ed Begley Jr., which is hysterical. He's so hysterical -- he has some very funny storylines this season."
She also gave us more of a glimpse into Begley's on-set/on-screen antics: "And then Ed Begley tried to stick his tongue in my ear, but hey! No, it wasn't him, it was his 'character.' [Laughs.] Just another day at work!"
Keep reading for more on what makes "Rizzoli & Isles" tick ...

Rough start for the ladies this season -- it's obviously not an easy situation for them to deal with, since Jane shot Maura's mobster father. What can you tell us about the state of their relationship when we return?
I think it's a pretty raw moment for both of them right when we return because it just happened, so there's a lot of confusion and a lot of raw emotion for both of them. And that gets even more complicated -- for Maura, she's now got her father in the hospital and her mother, and she's dealing with the fact that Jane just shot her father. For Jane, she ends up in a bit of hot water because they're doing an investigation on this, and because she knew that Maura's father was Paddy Doyle, she's sort of implicated in it as a possible suspect.
But the show is called "Rizzoli & Isles" -- these two can't stay mad at each other for too long, can they?
No, but I love it because I think that when you see the second episode and when they do come back together, they've really earned it in a way that I think is just going to deepen their relationship. I like it -- I think conflict is good. I've loved this storyline with Paddy Doyle ... I think it's really an interesting mystery that has been sort of unraveling about Maura's life, and it's provided us with some really cool stories. So it's interesting how it's now come around to it being Jane that stops him. I think it's really paid off in an interesting way.
And now we'll also get to meet Maura's biological mom as well -- I cannot wait to see Sharon Lawrence on the show.
I know! I haven't seen the episodes, but she was really great to work with. The first time she arrives, Jane and Maura and Angela are there and this woman appears, and the way she speaks is so Maura-like -- she has this hilarious monologue talking about birchwood, which is so random. They don't know that this is her, but just by the way she speaks and her mannerisms, they're like, "There's no way this woman is not related to Maura." It's a really wonderful moment, and Sharon and I had kind of an uncanny resemblance.

 Read more >>>

Tess Gerritsen Talks About Writing and Rizzoli & Isles

Photo by Henry + Mac

I had the privilege of meeting Tess Gerritsen at The Big Thrill hosted by the Boston Public Library last night. Although the conversations were brief, they were also insightful. Here are some of the highlights.

Rizzoli & Isles Novels vs. Television:

When asked about the differences in television Jane & Maura compared to the books, she said of course they were very different characters. She knew they would be different when she learned Angie Harmon had been cast. An ex model is not the way Jane of the novels is described. But Tess has embraced it and seemed genuinely fine with the fact that her characters have been changed. She did say that at first fans of the novels didn't approve of the characterizations on the television show. However, that was not a problem in the reverse. More and more fans of the television series have become fans of the books, hence her readership has gone up. Luckily there are a lot of people who can easily separate the two, loving them both no matter the differences.

I'm not sure how this came up, but in talking about the show Tess said that neither Jane nor Maura would get married in the television series. She seemed to know this for certain and stated that "the show is about their friendship." If you add a spouse into the mix you change the dynamic of the show.

On Writing:

Tess gave an example of her writing style. She had read a story in the paper about a "dead" woman waking up in the morgue and thought that would make a great plot point, so she wrote it. Then she thought about what would happen next. Well, the medical examiner would have her rushed to the hospital. Then what would happen? Step by step Tess answered that question, not knowing where it would lead. That story was the beginning of The Sinner. When she started it Tess had no idea who the woman was nor how she wound up in the morgue. She found out as she continued writing. She did say that when you write organically like that (no outline, nor complete plot before hand) she has to go back once the first draft is complete. There can be holes in the story, or in the connective tissue that leads from point a to b to c. So she must fix any issues there were with "connecting the dots."

When asked about how much research she does, Tess said she looks for more then just facts and figures. She's looking for the most disturbing information about whatever subject it may be. An example is when she was doing research at NASA. Sure she needed to know how a shuttle operated, but more so what stuck for her was that there is a 1 in 50 chance that something will go horribly wrong in a shuttle launch, and that there is a person who's sole job is to blow the shuttle out of the sky should the launch go so wrong that it's coming back down to Earth. These disturbing details are what make us think and feel, not what button you push to fly the shuttle.

Oh and last but definitely not least, a random question was what was her favorite animal. Tess' favorite animal is a donkey. She used to own four of them.

The event as a whole was okay. There were four authors and they were all very generous with their time both before and after the panel discussion. My only complaint was that said panel discussion was supposed to be the "main event" yet it was very short, not even 45 minutes. With all the questions that were collected I would think they could have gone the full hour or longer. 

Having said that, Tess was very out going and generous with her time. I was glad I got a chance to meet and talk with her.

Janet Tamaro on stories for Season 3

Question from Taylor Clancy:
What are you going to be focusing on this coming season? More of Jane & Maura's relationships or personal lives? Any new drama?

Photo: Doug Hyun

Janet's response:
Yes – and so much new drama, I'm worried we won't be able to tell all the stories I've got planned. Jane will have some heartbreak. Maura's family life will get more complicated. Frank Sr. will be back to throw a few big rocks into the middle of the lake, as will youngest kid, Tommy. That's just a little taste of this upcoming season.

Photo: Danny Feld

Source: Creator's Corner

Rizzoli & Isles SPOILER S3 - Eddie Cibrian

Eddie Cibrian  will play Dennis Rockmond, a motivational speaker who meets Dr. Isles, and may become her love interest. According to TvLine it's supposed to be a multi-episode arc in season 3. They report that Rockmond will "coax [Maura] out of her blazer-clad shell."

I wonder who will be in Jane's life, if anyone, when this happens. I'm hoping it's not Dean.

There's been lots of talk lately about story arcs and how R&I has not proven they can do them. With the rift supposed to unfold in multiple episodes and now a romance, here's hoping they can pull it off. I like story arcs when done well.

This being a rizzles site I guess I should comment also that I don't mind love interests for Jane & Maura. I know they're straight both on the show and in the books, and that will never change. Honestly, I'm fine with that. The friendship between them is the important thing, in my opinion.


Source: tvline.com

Rizzoli and Isles Season 3 SPOILERS

"As Rizzoli & Isles' second season came to an end, a deep wedge was driven between the two friends when Jane shot Maura's biological father, gangster Paddy Doyle (guest star John Doman). He had shown up unexpectedly at a secret undercover operation to protect Maura from a deadly assailant, but the scene quickly got out of control, forcing Jane to shoot Paddy. The aftermath strains Jane and Maura's relationship as they try to understand and justify their reactions. When the third season opens, they are taken by surprise by an internal affairs investigation, pushing their friendship even closer to the breaking point.

Ever the professionals, Jane and Maura will work hard to set aside their differences as they investigate a number of complex and troublesome crimes. Among their cases are the murder of a female graduate student, whose strangled body is found hidden in tunnels under her university; a killer with a bizarre doll fetish who hunts women on public transportation, then leaves their bodies posed on benches; and the stabbing of two young homeless veterans who survived Afghanistan only to be brutally murdered in an alley. On the home front, Jane's meddling mother, Angela (Lorraine Bracco), is determined to play matchmaker. And Maura's life gets more complicated as she searches for - and uncovers - the truth about her biological mother (guest star Sharon Lawrence)."

Source: TNT Newsroom

Rizzoli & Isles Season 3 sides - SPOILERS

For those who don't know, sides are the scripts tailored for an actor. It only has the pages that has their scenes. Supposedly, this is a page from sides for the actor playing the part of Paul McNamara in episode 302 and Matthew Donovan.


(3/27/23  Click here for behind the scenes pictures of what is most likely this episode.)

I cannot confirm the accuracy of the above script. 
Sources: http://www.4shared.com/office/QYAliIKp/paul_mcnamara.html
and http://www.fanpop.com/spots/rizzoli-and-isles/articles/151173/title/spoiler-alert-rizzoli-isles-potential-season-3-scripting

Maura's Bio-Mom revealed!

Exclusive by Joyce Eng for TV Guide:

NYPD Blue alum Sharon Lawrence will guest-star on Rizzoli & Isles as Maura's biological mother, TVGuide.com has learned exclusively.

Lawrence will appear in two episodes in Season 3 as Hope, who gave up Maura (Sasha Alexander) for adoption when she was 18 following her relationship with crime boss Paddy Doyle (John Doman). She's now a prominent doctor and an activist for women's health with secrets of her own...

Executive producer Janet Tamaro previously told TVGuide.com that Maura will be compelled to look up Hope in the wake of her parents' scares. "Now [that we're going into Season 3] you can really get into background, and Maura's is so mysterious. She's going to learn a lot about herself," Tamaro said. "And let's just say if dad dies, dad is the only one who knew who her mother was. ... That's a pretty interesting character. Whoever was involved with Paddy Doyle and had a baby at 18 and is as intellectually gifted as Maura — who is she?"

Source: TV Guide

Personally I think she's a wonderful choice!! Can't wait for season 3!!

 

Episode 215 - Burning Down The House

Appropriate title. By the end the house that Janet built was ablaze!

I'm going to say right off the bat, I love this episode. It's everything a season finale should be. There's a lot of controversy going on all over the internet, but as far as looking at a season finale on a hugely popular cable show, wanting to make sure fans return - Janet Tamaro did her job well. We will be discussing this, debating, arguing, and discussing some more for the next seven months. That's what they want.

Anyone who has read my reviews knows I love Paddy Doyle. I knew this was gonna be a good episode just for the Maura/Doyle relationship. I wasn't disappointed. There is an entirely different side to Maura that comes out with him. It's fascinating watching the transition. I hate that he may die. Not only cause I love Doyle but because it makes it that much harder for Jane and Maura to come back together. I'm really hoping he survived.

I love the new relationship between Maura and Constance. I hope they have Bissett under contract to come back for some more episodes. I'm really interested in seeing that relationship progress. Loved when Maura told Doyle "That's my mother." My brother was adopted and "our" mother will always be his mother. The fact that she didn't give birth to him doesn't matter at all.

We see throughout this episode the accumulation of the strong friendship that has grown over the last two years between Jane and Maura. Jane is the first one Maura calls. Jane stops everything and races to the hospital, then doesn't want to leave. Maura is her first thought in the morning when Jane wakes up with Dean. That's what makes the ending brilliant. In one moment that's shattered and we all fear it can't be put back together. Brilliant!

On to Dean. I am not a Dean hater, I could take him or leave him, but I really hope they don't follow the books. (Jane and Dean are married in Tess Gerritsen's novels.) Coming in and out is fine with me if there's a purpose and not just boy-toy. Definite purpose here. If he hadn't shown up things would have been different. It's Jane who yells "Gabriel no!" When he's about to shoot Doyle. From what I can see he betrayed Jane's trust and that will definitely come into play. She needed to trust him and his betrayal could cost her Maura's friendship. Oh yeah, there will be hell to pay.

Now Doyle should've ran, or dropped his gun after Dean shot him. It was stupid to raise it back up. It was pointed at the cops and that is what cops are trained to do. Gun pointed at you - shoot! Jane went on instinct. I got that and I do not hold it against her. Look at how upset Jane was when she ran to Maura and Doyle. She didn't want to shoot him. But all Maura could see is her father dying, a man she didn't realize she loved until that very second, and it was her best friend who took the kill shot. Wouldn't anyone be angry? Maura is angry at the people who shot him, angry at herself for pushing him away when now there may not be time to have a relationship... Maura is angry and I get why. She's angry at Jane. I get it. It's not unrepairable. She will not be angry forever. Wounds heal. If he lives I predict it will take a shorter amount of time for Maura and Jane's friendship to mend. If he dies, it's still doable, just a longer timeline.

They have to work together and that helps in mending fences. When forced to face the person day in and day out, to be reminded of what made you like them in the first place, it helps the wounds heal faster.

Looking at it from a strictly television aspect, I think the chemistry between Angie and Sasha is so strong that it'll be awesome to see the darker side of that relationship. Especially coming from Maura. The sparks will be fantastic!

Also on the completely practical and logical side of things, the show is called Rizzoli & Isles. Although angst between them can be played out for a while, they are the lead characters and will have to come back together. That's only logical if TNT hopes for at least three more seasons. Season three will be angst driven, at least for part of it. We can be pretty sure of that. But it will resolve, and in most cases friendships become stronger.

Major kudos to Sasha Alexander for an extraordinary performance. All over Twitter people were passing around the tissues. I tweeted it last night and still mean it: If she doesn't win an acting award there is no justice in this world!

Angie Harmon embodies Jane Rizzoli and the more subtle aspects of her performance in this episode was wonderful to watch.

To Sasha, Angie, Janet Tamaro and all the cast and crew: Thank you for a great second season. I can't wait for the third!

Is it July yet? ;)

Maura - My Opinions

I'm not understanding the negativity out there for the character of Maura. There's a lot of comments on different blogs stating how Maura is a different character, too many changes, don't like her "chasing men"... huh?

Please understand I'm not looking to change anyone's mind, we all have a right to our opinions. After reading the negatives I simply have a need to state my opinion and stand up for a character, actress and show that I love.

First lets talk television shows as a whole:
In television there is always a growth period - that's usually the first and second season. In the first season you learn about the nature of the show, the characters, certain dynamics, etc. In the second season you explore pasts, delve into personal issues and changes in their lives. Second seasons are called Sophomore seasons and can make or break a show mainly cause it's the most growth. You survived Freshman year and now you know what you want to be. Every show has it's Sophomore year. There's not a show out there that if you go back to the first season those characters look the same as the last.

Inconsistencies: Always. Everywhere. Continuity is an issue with television shows mainly because something comes up you want to explore (as a writer) but now you need to change/rearrange character history a little. It's everywhere and in every show I've ever watched. It's better now then it used to be. 70's shows had no consistency from episode to episode. Sometimes it was like the previous episode didn't exist! But then a lot of you aren't old enough to remember that, so let's move on. ;)

Okay on to the character of Maura:

The first season was predominately about Jane and the crimes. We learned about Maura through her interaction with Jane and through her ME job. We were only ever in her home once! So, we didn't really see the full well-rounded character of Maura. IMO Jane was fleshed out much better then Maura in season one.

Let's talk men - Lots of negative comments about Maura sleeping around. Again I say, huh? Who was it trying to get Jane to sleep with Jorge? There were hints of Maura liking to date men throughout. Is it more blatant in season two? Yes, cause we're actually seeing Maura's private life. And come on, it's not like she's had a dozen men! The doctor in episode 201 she had been dating for months we just didn't see it. She wanted to sleep with Giovanni, big deal, women do that! And Ian, who I actually liked, was the love she couldn't have. They go way back to her Doctor's Without Borders days - which, btw, is consistent with season one. He wasn't some new "stud" showing up on her doorstep.

I read in a couple of places that Maura would never "harbor a criminal", "that's not Maura", "She wouldn't do that." Really? Did fans create this character? I'm not trying to be mean here, honestly, but who are we to say what they would or wouldn't do? I went through that in another fandom, going off that "she would never behave that way!" Until I realized it's a television show that others create, not me. I don't own them, I watch them. Do we agree/like everything the characters say or do? Maybe not. I won't watch a show if I don't care about the characters, even when they do/say things I want to slap them upside the head for. Which has happened in this show, but I still care about them, I still love the show.

Back to Maura and Ian: My personal opinion is that Maura would do exactly what she's done. She agrees with what Ian is doing. He's helping people, and risking his life and freedom to do it.

That leads me to "How could Maura have these relationships when she doesn't like live people?" Yes, that's basically what I read several different places. In the first season, episode two, Maura tells Frost about how she overcame her fear. She says, "It worked for me." When she was talking about how the dead, helping the dead, helped her it was already past tense.

The whole can't lie thing:
Personally I think the writers backed themselves into a corner. Everyone can lie, some are just better at it then others. The quirks that Maura had/has were threatening to turn her into a caricature instead of a complete well rounded person. The not lying in her work is still there. Jane's learned to trick her into "stating the obvious" but Maura still won't do it on her own. She needs the complete facts. It's the personal life where the lying line has completely blurred. I even commented on it in another review. It was odd at first cause they did set her up to never lie at all, but personally, I think it was necessary to change that. It would be very difficult to write that character for 10 years (here's hoping ;) with her never able to keep a secret or tell a white lie.

On to the actress:

I didn't read this everywhere, but it was enough that I needed to comment. If you don't like a character that's cool, but why would someone then say that they don't like the actress because the actress has input and could change it? Actors are worker bees. Anyone in the industry will tell you that. Unless you're an A-lister demanding millions of dollars and story rights, you come to work, learn your lines and do your job. The only thing an actor has a say about is how they play the scene. And even then it has to jive with what the director wants.

Sasha Alexander is one of the most generous actors out there. She spends hours answering fans tweets and makes sure all fan mail gets looked at and answered. It upsets me to think anyone would blame her personally because they don't like a character she's playing. All the other stuff above, seriously, it's a tv show, in the end not a big deal. But I will stand up for the actors' portraying those characters because they don't deserve to be attacked. They're doing their job - portraying characters as written by the writers and directed by the director. And for these characters to be as popular as they are, I'd say they do their job very well.

Okay, I'm done. I'm sure you're all glad... all of you that made it this far. ;)

Thanks for reading and again, if you don't agree, cool. No hard feelings at all. We're all different, makes for a better world. I think one of my Twisters told me that recently. ;)

Everyone is welcome to comment.