As I prepare myself to say goodbye to Chuck, which is on its fifth and final season, I also embark on my Quest for the Next Best Series. Many series have been recommended but today I will write about Rizzoli & Isles.
Plot: A homicide detective (Det. Jane Rizzoli) and a forensics expert (Dr. Maura Isles) work together to solve crimes while juggling personal (their respective colorful family) and professional issues.
I decided to watch the show's first three episodes to be able to come to a reasonable conclusion on whether or not to adopt this series as my replacement for Chuck when it ends. After I've read/Google-d that the show has quite a following in the gay community, I took time to read all available AfterEllen.com's Subtext Reviews, as they are called, on the show's 20-episode run (as of this writing).
The plot is a lot similar to Bones or any other detective/cop movie/TV show. The only difference, though, is that both leads are women and are not romantically linked or paired with each other--or at least the writers did not intend them to.
The popular support for a Rizzoli & Isles romantic pairing has spawned videos, picspams and even Subtext Reviews. These reviews focus on each episode's subtexts (the analogy, wordplay, body language between the actors, setting) that allude to Det. Rizzoli and Dr. Isles possible attraction to, or relationship with, each other. The gay community has been itching, in the show's two-season run, to see their two favorite leads to engage in an on-screen open relationship or, simply, they want more than TGTGT action! Despite this clamor, the writers and even the actresses have openly stated that the characters are not gay. I don't know how this clamor will affect the show's story and the actresses' portrayal in the future episodes but I'm sure that it does. TV shows are, mostly, concerned about viewership and ratings.
PROS:
1. Jane and Maura's chemistry. Angie Harmon (Jane) and Sasha Alexander (Maura), whether as friends or would-be lovers, have incredible chemistry. They seem as if they are long-time friends. For me, the only duo that has the same chemistry is Chuck and Morgan.
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| Photo from AfterEllen.com |
2. Right amount of everything. To be fair, the Pilot episode contained the right elements enough for first-time viewers to look forward to the next episode. The Charles Hoyt story was mimical of most cop stories wherein the lead protagonist has this archenemy the lead cannot kill or defeat. Bones had Heather; Booth had that sniper; Rizzoli has Hoyt. The season finale of Season 1, wherein Jane shot through herself to shoot her hostage-taker, is just plain epic. Try to beat that, Seeley.
3. The show does not care. I liked Rizzoli & Isles because it simply does not care. It does not care that its two female lead characters have the dynamic of real-life partners yet remain friends, and that, because of this, the viewers are going bonkers. In the latter part of Season Two, one Subtext Review commented on the necessity of Subtext Reviews considering the obviousness of the whole Jane-and-Maura-love-each-other. No one from the show's writing team seemed to be in a hurry to expound on this apparent dynamic.
CONS:
1. Playing Spot-the-Subtext with myself. As I watched the second and third episodes, it became less about the story and more about spotting possible subtexts or hints. I was playing a game of Spot-the-Subtext with myself. I guess Sheldon was right when he pointed out how frustrating it is to come into something (ex: watching a new movie, listening to a new song, reading a new comic books) with your mind pre-blowed (aka someone tells you how mindblowing/great how a certain movie, song or comic books is). Once blown, the mind can never be un-blown.
2. I worry about the ending. Like most shows, I'm uneasy with the fact that the show may have no clear, definite ending. So what if Jane and Maura realize that what the people at Afterellen.com are pointing out to are true? What if they do become a couple? Then what? Will they live happily ever after? I doubt that.
Despite the US' claim that they are tolerant of colored people, gays and women, same sex relationships are still taboo for national TV programming--more so, during prime time. I think this view plays a big factor in the writers' reluctance to jump the gun and have Jane and Maura sleep together, or just even hint at becoming something else, something more.
3. I worry about the show's following. Yes, the show has a solid following in the gay community. What I'm worried about is when these fans get tired of following Jane and Maura around and interpreting their actions. Who will watch the show? But, then again, will the Subtext Reviewers and Readers ever get tired?
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You may want to check other QNBS reviews:
QNBS: Community
QNBS: Outsourced
QNBS: Awkward
QNBS: New Girl
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