Rizzoli & Isles
2010
Original language: English
- crime
- drama
- mystery
- comedy
The story
Perhaps their strikingly different personalities make the relationship between detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles so effective. Jane, the only female cop in Boston's homicide division, is tough, relentless and rarely lets her guard down, while the impeccably dressed Maura displays a sometimes icy temperament — she is, after all, more comfortable among the dead than the living. Together, the best friends have forged a quirky and supportive relationship; they drop the protective shield in each other's company, and combine their expertise to solve Boston's most complex cases.
What it’s like
Bright, mid-range network-TV crime drama: Boston streets and precinct rooms lit in flat, even daylight, with the morgue's cool fluorescents and steel tables giving the medical scenes a clean, clinical sheen. Shots are conventional and tidy, with plenty of two-shots in cars and kitchens, and the score is a bouncy, steady pulse that signals each case rather than building dread. The vibe is brisk, friendly and breezy, with a light comic streak in the banter between the two leads that softens the grisly subject matter. Pacing is procedural and episodic: a body, a few interviews, a reveal, a wrap-up by the credits, with a slow-burn warmth between the two women as the arc. Violence is present and occasionally graphic in autopsy and crime-scene detail, but it is brief, mostly off-screen, and treated as work rather than spectacle; no sexual content, little gore beyond the procedural. It suits a weeknight watch, background while folding laundry, or a comfort rewatch for viewers who want a dependable case-of-the-week with a close female friendship at its centre and a mild, unbothered tone.
More TV shows like Rizzoli & Isles
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved Rizzoli & Islesand we’ll explain which ones fit you.
