Rizzoli & Isles Exclusive: Sasha Alexander on the the Expanding Love Life of Dr. Maura Isles

I had a crush on Sasha Alexander over a decade ago, when she portrayed Gretchen Witter on Dawson's Creek. It's okay. She already knows. I told her on the phone yesterday.

"Ah, you liked Pacey's sister," the actress laughed.

Alexander has come a long way since then (and so have I: hi honey!), as she currently anchors Rizzoli & Isles with Angie Harmon. The TNT hit returns with season two on July 11.

What can fans expect on the premiere?

"It picks up a few months after Jane's shooting," Alexander said. "She's been recovering, she's going back to work and we pick up from there."

Citing "family drama" as a major theme for the season ahead, the star previewed the appearance of Jane's younger brother, played by Colin Egglesfield.

"He forms an interesting bond with Maura," Alexander teased, adding: "We also meet Maura's mom (Jacqueline Bisset), her adoptive mom. And we learn a lot about her upbringing... there's a lot of mother/daughter bonding. Her hitman father also comes back for some trouble."

One area in which Maura has no trouble? Attracting men.

"She'll have a lot of love interests this season," the actress said. "A lot! They'll come in all colors and flavors. It's like a popsicle box!"

Phew. It's nice to know I'm not the only one.

Rizzoli and Isles premieres its second season on July 11. TV Fanatic will cover every episode in depth!

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.