Rizzoli & Isles Season 7 Episode 8 Review: 2M7258-100
Jack Ori
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When Rizzoli & Isles brings it, it really brings it.
Sometimes the cases are silly, but Rizzoli & Isles Season 7 Episode 8 pulls out all the stops for the series' 100th episode, telling an emotional story while setting things up for the end of the series.
"2M7248-100" was ostensibly about Jane going undercover, but the theme of the hour was change. Jane feared it, and by the episode's end had made a strong decision about her future.
Maura! We're supposed to be finding pictures for my new home, pictures that theoretically reflect my life experiences.
Jane
I thought they might go in a different direction from the opening Jane/Maura scene, as Jane seemed to be absent from all of Maura's photos because she had to work. That seemed to be a setup for Jane to realize that she works too much.
Perhaps that's part of why at the end of the hour, she accepted the FBI instructor job.
Angela: You know, I remember when she was little, about fivish, I was looking out the kitchen window. She was climbing up this stupid little tree that could barely hold a bird. It was hard, but I made myself stand there, hoping she'd realize it wasn't safe.
Maura: What happened?
Angela: She slipped. Fell about 10 feet. By the time I ran out to the backyard, she was chasing Frankie and Tommy down the side of the house. Am I always gonna be this scared?
Angela stole the show with her fear for Jane and her anger at her for getting into the middle of a dangerous situation yet again. Angela is so often used for comic relief; it was nice to see her more dramatic side.
Her story about Jane falling out of the tree demonstrated that letting go of her fear for Jane has been a lifelong battle.
The resolution of this conflict wasn't sappy or conveniently perfect, either. Angela still refused to talk to Jane but was willing to give her her favorite beer.
That one moment spoke volumes without using any words at all.
You didn't shoot anyone. I didn't die. So don't pull away, okay?
Frankie
Nina also got a serious storyline. After taking swift action to protect Frankie and arrest Kelly Wagoner, she felt guilty and afraid. I didn't connect her feelings to her loss of her fiance until Frankie mentioned it.
At any rate, this story gave Nina more depth and gave Frankie the opportunity to be supportive rather than silly. Frankie seemed to have matured somewhat and eventually figured out the right thing to say to help Nina.
Jane's escapades at the prison were an interesting twist on the usual investigation. I wasn't sure what the point of her being undercover was if she wasn't going to talk to anybody, but it eventually worked out. Jane really proved herself in these scenes, too.
Jane, at first, seemed scared to death of being in prison but she pulled off the tough-girl act. While cops are trained in self-defense, her defeat of the two inmates who wanted to mess with her was a bit too easy.
She even managed to do something nice for the one prisoner who tried to befriend her
It's hard to worry about our loved ones. We always want to protect them.
Maura
Worrying about relatives was the theme of the night.
It seemed awfully convenient that Kelly suddenly had this half-sister who was the actual witness to the murder. That seemed to come out of nowhere.
However, that's a small complaint in an otherwise engaging and enjoyable episode.
What did you think of "2M27258-100"? Was this what you expected from the 100th episode of Rizzoli & Isles? Was Jane believable as a prison inmate?
Weigh in below.
Don't forget you can always watch Rizzoli & Isles online to catch up if you missed anything.
Jack Ori is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. His debut young adult novel, Reinventing Hannah, is available on Amazon. Follow him on X.
