Tonight I’ll watch The Closer on TNT, but I won’t be watching the program that follows, Rizzoli & Isles. Last season, the focus of Rizzoli & Isles tended to be on police work. But this season, with Rizzoli’s Mom’s divorce and the “cutsy” girlie talk between Rizzoli & Isles, my interest in the program plummeted. Call it the BURN NOTICE Effect: when the lead character’s Mom and dopey brother started to dominate the plot, I stopped watching that program, too. If you’re going to have a spy program, it should be about spies. If you’re going to have a cop show, it should be about cops solving crimes. Bringing in family issues and dating strategies only accentuates the vacuous nature of this season’s plots. So even though I like Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander I can’t bear to watch another episode.
I SOOOOO agree. Even when Brenda’s parents appear on THE CLOSER, I run for cover. Do they have a special writer that writes this sort of story line. Ugh.
I think the plotlines with the character’s parents (and/or siblings) is a sign the main plot is weak, Patti. I’m with you on Brenda’s parents, too!
Jackie read most of the Rizzoli and Isles series (until Isles started sleeping with the priest and totally creeped her out) but she can’t stand the show. Making Isles cutesy (as you so rightly point out) rather than the cold bitch of the books, plus Rizzoli’s annoying mother turned Jackie off.
We still watch BURN NOTICE. The mother’s role seems smaller this season. As you know my favorite episodes of THE CLOSER are the humorous ones featuring the antics of Provenza and Flynn. I’m glad Brenda’s parents (and her niece) are absent this year.
We like THE CLOSER episodes with humor, too, Jeff. And Provenza and Flynn are great comic relief after some of the more serious episodes of THE CLOSER. Brenda’s parents need to stay in that RV.
If they are really going to spin off Mary McDonnell’s Capt. Rayder into her own series I doubt we’ll keep watching.
We’ll give THE CLOSER spin-off a chance, Jeff. But you’re probably right: Mary McDonnell is a pale shadow of Kyra Sedgwick.
I tend to agree. never read any of the books and the only thing, beyond the crime solving aspects that kept me watching was Angie Harmon. The soap opera aspects have begun to wear thin.
Exactly right, Randy! The soap opera aspects have hijacked RIZZOLI & ISLES!
Wonder if the R&I producers are trying to attract more female viewers.
No doubt the RIZZOLI & ISLES producers are acting on marketing focus group data and appealing to the growing female segment of the cable TV audience, Drongo. Last season was promising, but they’ve lost me mid-way through this season.
I can’t stop watching this show!
I never started watching it… or any of the others. We were kind of hoping there might be something new this season we’d like, but based on the ads/trailers we’ve seen, nothing but more silly sitcoms. I may get the DVD of Fringe.
Plenty of people like FRINGE, Rick. I watched a couple episodes and it seemed like X-FILES-lite.
Rick, try the first season of FRINGE. Some of it is indeed X FILES-like, as George said, but there are enough quirky characters and story lines to keep you interested.
True about the change in this show. But also true, as Jeff says, that Burn Notice now features less of Mom (and when see her she’s participating in the spy stuff) and Bro makes very rare appearances. Still a very cool show.
I may give BURN NOTICE another shot, Evan. My local Public Library buys the DVD box sets so they’re available.
The problem with the Mary Mc.Donell character is she changes from week to week as they morph her into the main character. Now she is a sharp shooter apparently. She is too enigmatic to get close to so far. But if she brings the supporting cast and writers along, I may stay.
Yes, Patti, the writers are trying to soften Mary McDonnell’s character and make her more competent. I’m still not convinced she can carry a show like THE CLOSER, but as you say she’ll have a strong supporting cast. I’ll tune in for the first few episodes before I make a decision.