Rizzoli and Isles revisited

I posted a while back about the TV series Rizzoli and Isles, based on the Tess Gerritsen novels. When it started, I was a tad dubious: while I thought Angie Harmon was surprisingly good (although way too good looking) as Rizzoli, I thought what they did with the Maura Isles character was a misfire and not at all true to the books, taking a character who is distant and slightly damaged and turning her into a bright, quirky oddball – a sort of Bones-lite. But now it’s two series in, how is the show holding up?

The answer, I am surprised to say, is actually pretty well. While I stand by my initial criticism over the kookification of Maura, I have been won over by Sasha Alexander’s charming performance and her undeniable chemistry with Harmon, who is surprisingly convincing as a rough-around-the-edges cop, managing to underplay her undeniable beauty with a physical gaucheness that rings true of the character. Yes, it’s just your standard police procedural, but it’s lifted by top quality casting (Lorraine Bracco, Chazz Palminteri, John Doman (from The Wire) and Donnie Wahlberg, to name but a few) and it’s really nice to see an odd couple buddy cop show where the leads are both women. So while it may take a little getting used to if you’re a big fan of the books, I’d say give it a try: it’s an enjoyable, standalone experience that’s worth an hour of your time.