RIZZOLI & ISLES: Don’t Hate the Player

Thank goodness we’re not investigating orphans or kittens or orphaned kittens this week on Rizzoli & Isles. Obviously death and murder are always sad, but those gut-wrenching episodes were doing a number on my, um, gut. This week’s case was kind of generic. The coach of a Boston baseball team is found dead in the locker room in what at first appears to be an accidental slip’n’fall in the shower. Isles is called in to confirm cause of death and Rizzoli tags along because, I don’t know if you’re aware, but she’s a tomboy who loves sports.

First, I can’t decide if the writers were trying to poke fun at the Boston-New York rivalry here or not. I found it hilarious that they created a second, fictional major league baseball team for the city in order to have a team to investigate.

Second, at one point Maura cuts the tips off her insanely expensive stilettos to create peep toes for Jane to wear on a date/booty call/police interview. Does that actually work? Because I have friends with smaller feet and gorgeous shoes…

The case has some decent twists, but wasn’t all that compelling. Greed, an acrimonious divorce, and professional jealousy ended in two murders and a lot of lies. It was nice to see that Jane was correct not to trust The Player, though. She may not be good at walking in heels, but she’s good at reading people.

The family drama was the real point of this week’s episode. Tommy the prodigal son has returned! He surprises Jane while she’s hanging out at Maura’s house with Ma Rizzoli – who has settled in with aplomb, by the way. Jane is happy to see him, but not convinced he’s rehabilitated. We get a little tension between the siblings, including Frankie when the three are together. It seems Tommy feels like the family black sheep. That might have something to do with what landed him in jail, but he swears all that is behind him now. Jane and Frankie ultimately decide to give him the benefit of the doubt, promising more fun Rizzoli dynamics. It seems that Maura is happy to be included in that, as is Jane’s old partner, Korsak. Am I the only one sensing some…friendliness between Ma and Korsak?

Next week on Rizzoli & Isles: We meet Maura’s mom!