That’s right, amigos – this week we’re doubling your pleasure with deets on two R&I episodes. Why? It’s a simple rule: in this world we live in, twice the amount of something is always better. Like double-necked guitars, or all those delicious pairs of animals on Noah’s Ark.
Admittedly, there are exceptions to this rule.
Okay, season 1, episode 3: ‘Sympathy for the Devil.’ Please allow me to introduce this case… A family from Cape Verde (Google it) is in mourning after the mysterious death of their tweenaged son Matt. And the probable cause is a disturbing one indeed: a religious purification ritual. Or to phrase it in a slightly less clinical manner, an EXCORCISM, baby!
A couple of things to consider about exorcisms: 1) They’re not FDA approved. 2) unlike sex and pizza, a bad exorcism is not still pretty good. In fact, quite the opposite: it’s often a bit of a buzzkill.
With this in mind, Jane, Frost and Maura pay a visit to the church that performed the aforementioned ceremony, and from there, things get hella creepy hella fast.
This exorcism dancer also does Bar Mitzvahs and sweet sixteens.
After a few setbacks (including her car being infested by poisonous snakes), Rizzoli seeks the help of Det. Korsak. Alas, due to a newly formed crush on the cute coffee shop owner down the street, he’s not his typically insightful self. Fortunately, Jane’s rather freaky night terror vision sets the case back on track. Check out the episode here for all the tension-filled goodness. Big surprises ahead, R&I fans. I wouldn’t BS ya on this! (*)
- (*) I am contractually obligated by Showcase and its parent company Shaw Media to not BS you on this.
Speaking of all things romantic, Angela Rizzoli decides to do a little matchmaking by setting up daughter Jane with Lt. Grant (Wahlberg!). And not to tell tales out of school, but one of them’s wearing a pretty darn sexy dress. (*)
- (*) For those of you that guessed Wahlberg, I’m very disappointed in your deductive reasoning abilities.
“Actually, that is a gun in my pocket, Rizzoli – I’m still on duty.”
Season 1, episode 4: ‘She Works Hard for the Money.’ The gist: Jane and Maura probe the murder of Danielle – a straight-A student attending college on a soccer scholarship. No easy investigation since there weren’t any witnesses. Plus, given how much Americans hate watching soccer, Danielle could have been in the middle of a game and there’d likely be no witnesses.
“Ma’am, any idea why this girl would play a sport so impossibly awful?”
Things get stranger when Jane and Frost find out Danielle had actually lost her scholarship due to an ankle injury. Which is odd, given she somehow managed to pay her tuition in full, to the tune of nearly 60K. How? Well, the episode’s right here, my friend; take a gander and revel in all the “holy sh*t” moments in store for you. (*)
- (*) Not to toot my own horn, but I’m quite pleased with my semi-colon use in that last sentence.
Meanwhile, life gives Mama Angela Rizzoli a big ol’ lemon to turn into lemonade. Although in this case, the lemon actually is a lemon. That is to say it’s one seriously crappy used car with smoke rising from the hood. Fortunately, when your tough-as-nails police officer daughter joins you for a chat with the dealer who sold you said lemon, things get mighty interesting mighty quickly.
“Put it in H!”
R&I Post-Mortem:
-- Maura’s eccentricities are sexier than usual in these episodes. Well, with the exception of her penchant for keeping munchies in the body parts freezer.
-- Quotey Rizzoli: (Crazy Mom Edition)
Rizzoli: Damn it, I’m late for dinner! My mom's gonna kill me!
Det. Frost: You were firebombed, Jane. It's a good excuse.
Jane: Yeah, you don't know my mother.
-- Full disclosure: my aversion to soccer may stem from the fact I was forced to play it for 4 years as a kid. Below is a photo of my greatest accomplishment: a 1982 Consolation Round Runner-up trophy. If there’s a greater sports award than that, I don’t wanna know about it.
I played the entire game shaking that guy’s hand – no easy feat in those days.