When Season 7 of TNT’s buddy dramedy Rizzoli & Isles premieres on June 6, it will mark the beginning of the end for the fan favorite, as this season will be its last. We chatted with star Angie Harmon about her memorable moments, what she’s taking from the set and what she’s really taking away from her time as Detective Jane Rizzoli.
How will this season be different from the other ones?
Angie Harmon: Well, obviously, there’s a conclusion. I think that’s going to be a fun thing for everyone to see and just sort of bring a little closure to each character, which I think is necessary. Personally, as a viewer, I want to know what’s going to happen to the characters after it’s over and done with, because you’ve lived with the characters for a long time. I think that everyone’s going to be pretty happy about all of our futures.
Do you get any input into where Jane’s character ends up?
I did, and I was very grateful for that. I think I’ve stayed pretty spot-on with who Jane is and what her character is. I received a really wonderful compliment from [author of the Rizzoli & Isles book series] Tess Gerritsen, saying [that] other than the way that I look, Jane was exactly as she had written her. And when she writes the books now, she hears my voice. That was a huge honor for me.
What are you going to miss about Jane?
Oh God, everything! I’m going to miss her sense of humor. It’s a fun time to be able to play a character like Jane, because Jane gets to say sometimes bitchy, sometimes snarky, sometimes funny, sometimes biting things, and it’s understood and funny and people get it, as opposed to being out in the real world and not knowing if anyone’s going to get your humor or understand what you mean or understand the nuance.
Can you tell us about some of the fun you’ve had behind the scenes of Rizzoli & Isles?
There’s always a time when we’re all exhausted and the giggles set in and anything is hilarious. We laugh about it all the time that Jane’s half-man, half-superwoman. It turns real inappropriate, real quick. I know I’m really doing well when my cameramen and my focus guys and everybody, they just have their heads down and you can’t see anything but their bodies shaking.
Is there anything that you’re looking forward to about the end of the series?
I don’t have the manicure that I want, and I haven’t in seven years. I don’t necessarily have the haircut that I want, and I haven’t in seven years … the only thing I’ve worn for seven years is a sensible pantsuit. I took a picture of Jane’s wardrobe the other day, and it was just 90 T-shirts — in a rainbow array. [Laughs]
What episode stands out as a favorite?
The pilot is definitely my favorite, [or] one of my favorites. Everything was so new and everything was so wonderful. Another favorite episode of mine, I think, is when Jane sort of ran around the city chasing Barry. That was a pretty important episode for us, [and] for me personally.
Are there any episodes this season that you’re especially excited about?
We’re coming up with a 100th episode, which I’m actually getting ready to direct. Jane has to go undercover in a women’s prison, which is something that we’ve never done before. I’ve got a tattoo going up my neck and down my arm and the whole nine yards, so I’m excited about that. I’m excited to be in the thick of it, but also to be watching it from the other side of the camera and directing.
Is there anything that you’ve mentally earmarked to take from the set?
There are a couple things in Maura’s house, in her kitchen, that I think I’m going to have to probably trip Sasha [Alexander] for and run in and get them real quick. I don’t know. Hopefully she’ll give up easily. I’ll probably take Jane’s belt. I’m definitely going to take my badge, because Jane’s badge number is the birthday of one of my best friends.
How are you different at the end of the series from who you were at the beginning?
When I started this show, I was in a very different place in all things. Very naive. I was a child essentially, in a lot of ways, and I’m not anymore. To have these people sort of go through that process of growing up with me and allow me to do it … I mean, my friends here, they tell me they’re super proud of the person that I’ve become and they’ve watched what I’ve gone through.
I’ve just learned to handle — let’s see, how would Jane put it? — I’ve learned to handle the bull@#$% of life a lot better.
You just deferred to Jane to answer a question. Are you taking a bit of Jane with you from the show?
Absolutely. Absolutely. I think the hardest thing for me when shows end is, it’s like all of those characters die, because you don’t ever get to see them again. You don’t ever get to play them again. You don’t get to play with the other characters and play with the other people. They’re just gone. That’s very difficult for me. I’ve lived this person for seven years. I haven’t acted; I’ve lived her. Jane has protected me in a lot of times when I really needed it. Jane has been a witty sense of humor in many times when I didn’t have one. Hopefully, in this process of becoming an adult in my 40s, I can honestly say that I truly hope that Jane Rizzoli had a lot of influence on who I am now and who I’ve become.
A lot of our readers are huge Rizzoli & Isles fans. Is there a message you’d like to share with them?
There’s such deep, heartfelt gratefulness for their support and their love, especially the ones that have stood up for us and who have fought for us and who have fought back the mean girls, so to speak.
Rizzoli & Isles > TNT > Mondays beginning June 6 at 9pm ET/8pm CT
What ti expect: WAY TOO MUCH ANGIE just like seasons 5 and 6. The show use to be so much fun to watch when everything involved Jane and MAURA, but it hasn’t been that way in a long LONG time. I read somewhere that the show runner that came on in season 5 wanted to focus on the crimes, how could she have been so stupid as to not realize that the show only had Angie and Sasha and their chemistry going for it, that the rest of the show was never very good, and her crimes have only gotten more boring, the quality of the stories or the crimes have not picked up, but she or she and Angie have robbed the show of what actually made it special and worth watching.
Angie and Jan ruined the show, plain and simple.
Just to add, not only did Angie want the show to not focus so much on J&M, she also just started not really being present in her scenes when they do scenes together. I don’t care if they can’t stand each other, at least Sasha in professional and tries to bring to the scene what she has in the past, Angie gives her nothing to work with. I can’t stand Angie any longer and I originally watched because of her.
This show was good once upon a time, but, that was before Jan Nash. She came in and whether on her own or at the suggestion of Angie Harmon paired down the J&M friendship to the point that it no longer is the center of the show. Now all of the shows are boring and mostly fast forward material, I USE to look forward to each and every new episode, now I just want it to be over and get bitter at how some idiot got hired and basically destroyed what was once a pretty good show. We have now seen 3 of the 13 final episodes, ep 1 was so/so 2 and 3 weren’t good at all, in fact episode 3 was awful. I wish they would have reined in Angie Harmon and dealt more with Maura and her issue this season, the slight screen time they are giving to something that is far more interesting that the ridiculous Jane and the crime is criminal. Maura’s story should be a lot more the center right now.
I disagree. I think the show has maintained good since the beginning. Who care’s about someone’s hair not being right. The thing is it is a good show that everyone looks forward to. I believe that if this show was put on when all the other networks air their season shows, September and October, this show’s ratings would soar! It is unfortunate that a big television network like TNT could not see that!! Also, why couldn’t they have written more than 13 episodes every year? The big problem is because no one knows when TNT will air it, as it is not advertised enough before hand, they have lost viewers. There is so much “junk” on television, yet it remains when they should be cancelled and when a great show like R & I comes on and people love and want to see more of it, they cancel it. TNT executives?? Must not take too much smarts to be one because if it did, this show would not be cancelled. I am one in probably a million people that feel the same way. This is as stupid a move as NCIS did when they let Ziva go and then when Tony left the show, they killed off Ziva and thought it was so wonderful of an idea to have him find out Ziva had his baby. Stupid writers…..Everyone just wanted to see Tony and Ziva reunite. So TNT is as stupid as NCIS.
Can we just get less of her and more of the other one.
I survived the cancellations of HOT IN CLEVELAND and MAD MEN. You all will survive the cancellation of RIZZOLI AND ISLES. Life will go on.
Jan Nash really is horrible and I hope she never is asked to run/kill a show again.
What to expect…Is it too much to expect to have 13 good episodes, last night we had 2 episodes 1 ok, the 1st one and the 2nd episode not very good at all. Shouldn’t we be able to expect good guest stars…this one for the baddie really wasn’t very good at all…Shouldn’t we be able to expect good writing…did not receive it in either of the 1st 2 episodes, why have the confessional scene with Jane **all bad** asking forgiveness for what she was going to do and then have that NEVER come into fruition and have Jane be face to face with the baddie and go all whimpering shaking Angie instead of Jane, really, that is what you guys thought was good writing, and why not explore Maura’s injury a little more and show us her reaction and a better, more sensitive, dare I say a season 1-4 Jane reaction to it, again very poor writing. And finally shouldn’t we be able to expect good acting, Angie hasn’t been any good since Nash’s arrival, no one keeps her Jane, she fluctuates in and out between Jane and Angie so frequently, as a fan, or use to be fan, I know she is never going to pull it off, and last night, again she didn’t. Again, SO SILLY to have Jane give a menacing stare at the end of episode 1 while in a confessional and then to absolutely do nothing like it promised. The scene would have been so much better had Jane shot Alice in the arm, hand, or something and get the better of her while giving her that menacing stare, but, oh no, we get shaky almost crying Jane not knowing what to do and trying desperately to do nothing, made we want to barf…Made me wish so badly that Tamaro was back for the last and final season instead of this loser who couldn’t write her way out of a baby bag, let alone dialog for a close friendship, or action/reaction for a (as she so wrongly phrased it) **super cop**, how about what we saw last night, *sniveling cop*
I will add this one other pet peeve of mine! The EDITING absolutely SUCKS! Note Maura’s hair in the scene at Jane’s new digs, (which I am not digging). Hair front, then back, then front, then back, then front, then back! Seriously….do they not have anyone on staff that notices these things? If you note too….Angela had the same issue when Jane was in the hospital bed and they were discussing losing the baby while playing cards. Angela’s hair was in like 6 different places. EDITING should be fired! Drives me nuts!
I am sad to see the show end. I am not sure as to what happened behind the scenes. I respect these two strong ladies and will never have anything bad to say about either one of them. This show had special characters, special actors playing them and special people behind the scenes supporting them. I too became frustrated that the “human” element of the two characters was sort of removed from the show. When “Susie” died…it was kind of an ending for me. It made NO sense and the whole show got lost somehow! I will say too…When Sasha Alexander removed her affiliation with the show from her Twitter page/bio….I felt something was up. Now it just says…”Lives near the beach”… The chemistry is off between all the characters. Including MA! Life happens and it changes people! It has happened on nearly every great show. Jan Nash comes from a side of politics I WILL NEVER understand. Maybe I interject some of feelings into watching this show knowing that. We are all better for having watched this show…at least at some point in the last seven years. Thanks to all! Best for the future!
This show has gone so far downhill, and now the season opener sucked as well, still lack of closeness between leads, Angie’s over the top acting, no real effort to write a good baddie. Someone ruined this show, I have my thoughts, but, won’t go there.
I wish nothing but happiness for Angie once the series ends. Love her “grittiness” & her love of her fellow characters. Jane is loyal to a fault & she is exhausted from the emotional ride she had been on & needs to wind down.
I have never been a real fan of Maura; she is so pretentious but can soften a bit when needed. Maybe her brain issue will bring her back to the real world. Actually, Maura is not that different than Kate, the character from NCIS.
I have loved this series since it began & I will really miss it when it’s over. Bruce McGill is a treasure & I hope to see him again in another series. He has a huge heart.
My intake of this Show leaves me warily…
It truly was/should have been based on Jane and Maura’s unique friendship. Somewhere/how down the storyline, it faded. The characters doesn’t act so close anymore. Anyway, SA said it right though…it definitely was politics! I truly have a feeling that someone will talk about the BTS drama in years to come though…bet that!!
What a waste. Out of all the people they could have hired they hired one that destroyed the show. Thanks Jan!
Why would Janet Tamaro leave a successful show? I remember the comments that blamed her for unpopular storylines like Jane/Casey, her pregnancy, too many B characters like Tommy, Lydia, even Hope and Catlyn, Frankie interested in Maura and his forced kiss at the end, etc. etc. All took time away from Jane and Maura! I also read that many good writers left the show because Janet was very controlling and difficult to work with. How soon we forget..
Well, her episodes were still 10x’s better than the current idiot. Then we at least had closeness between the leads, now we have NOTHING of interest whatsoever.
After reading all of the comments here and realizing what must have happened behind the scenes to my one time favorite show, it is going to be very hard for me to continue to watch and continue to like or care for the character of Jane. I knew the show has been off and not nearly as good the last couple of seasons, but, wow, just wow.
Jane Rizzoli, she has been there for me too in a way that other people can’t understand.I relate very much to Jane, Being the person who speak out and say,do what I feel good to do, which sometimes make people feel uncomfortable around me.But even when Rizzoli and Isles come to an end I have learned from Jane that I should go with what my gut is telling me, and others would sort themselves on the way, She is my inspiration, and Angie..She make every move, every word believable, she is great..Thank you
Everyone can thank Jan Nash for getting the show cancelled. She went into a well oiled machine, a show that was unique, had 2 lead actors whose characters had wonderful chemistry. 4 seasons prior that where hugely successful for TNT. The show had a hook, the main 2 characters relationship with each other, it had been nurtured and shown in the forefront all 4 seasons, it was what the fans expected, it was what the fans desired. This complete idiot thought a procedural cop show like the other 100 out there was something she would prefer to do whether than have the cop/medical examiner team, she took away their shared screen time, gave Jane a ton more screen time and gave the B-characters a lot more screen time. This show can’t compete with other cop shows, it is a little nothing show that had a hook, the leads, she killed that aspect of it and then the show declined and TNT made the only choice it could. With dropping numbers, the fans displeased, contracts up, and a show runner who knew nothing about what the fans of this particular show desired they might as well pull the plug. You notice they still kept Major Crimes, and they would have kept R&I for a bit longer as well if had still been a show that resembled what Janet Tamaro had created. Jan Nash killed the wonderful relationship Jane and Maura had, diminished it into almost nothing, which killed the show. I really think she had a little manipulator in her ear as well, and I think you can guess who that was, yeah, who has seemed to benefit from this change Jan Nash made, they all lost their jobs because of her stupidity, but, got to hog up everything for a few years, hmmmm who could that be.
Well. Sasha has a new interview that posted tonight, and what do you know, we now know it was *for sure* Nash that changed the formula, which by the way made the show the success it was, but, no, Jan decided she knew best and decided to go more into copland and away from the friendship that Tamaro had so carefully crafted as well as increase the parts for the B-characters, like anybody gives a flying f*ck about the B characters. What a POS, I wish nothing but failure for her from her on out, and if Angie had anything at all to do with this, I wish her the same.
DETECTIVE Jane was suppose to be out catching the bad guys..Maura the MA was suppose be the one to analyze the info and help all of the detectives catch the bad guys…it wasn’t suppose to be like a romance novel…I loved the show and how Jane was so heroic and yet soft also…I loved watching them gather the info and solve the crimes…I loved Jane’s relation ship with Angela…It was really sad when Barry died and I think they handled the memorial compassion,etc…Suzy got killed off because she wanted to leave the show…Jane & Maura were co-workers and they became great friends..I’m glad they didn’t turn them into lovers..I love the show and i’m so sorry to see it end.
I do not have any idea whose fault it is that the show went downhill after season 4. I can not understand at all, however, how some on here are trying to state it was because Lee Thompson Young committed suicide. He wasn’t a lead and they started using Frankie a lot more as well as Korsak to fill in for his spots. How would a b-character affect the chemistry between the 2 leads, he wouldn’t, they have to be in scenes together to have chemistry, as well as have dialog written for them, which has not been, unless you consider, bad…mad…sad as interesting dialog. Only the show runner can change what the focus is and how much screen time everyone has. Whether this show runner did a poor job all on her own or had help from Harmon, I have no idea, but the show was certainly ran into the ground. It is a shame to take over for a pretty decent show and tank it, really hoping season 7 is better, but after just reading a brief review if episodes 1&2 it sounds like, again, very little Maura and overwhelming Jane which is not what interests me.