Fly-by show rec

[jessikast]

MOST SHOWS: Why, hey, Bechdel Test! How you doing!
BECHDEL TEST: Hmmm
MOST SHOWS: *two women talk about stuff other than a guy. If the show is, for instance, Castle, this is even more super awesome.*
BECHDEL TEST: You may pass.

RIZZOLI & ISLES: *HITS DOWN THE BECHDEL TEST LIKE THE FIST OF AN ANGRY GOD*
BECHDEL TEST: Ow ow ow it hurts so good. *waves a feeble hand indicating they can pass*
RIZZOLI & ISLES: *rides off into the sunset of AWESOME*

I just...I haven't read the book series by Tessa Gerritson this show is based on, but Angie Haron is a cop and Sasha Alexander is (not Kate) the medical examiner and it is just SO AWESOME.

I thought I knew how it was going to play out: they would meet and hate each other. And then they would be forced to work together. And then they would grudingly respect one another, until they were friends a few eps in. Then a guy would come between them, but they'd eventually work it out!

BUT NO. The show starts with them as friends, professionals who both like and respect one another and work well together. They talk to each other about their families and their childhoods and careers and pets and going to college and having a pet tortoise. And sometimes guys, because the characters are in their mid- to late-thirties and are able to conduct relationships in a perfectly normal way, where you maybe talk to your friend about the guy you like without being afraid she's immediately going to sleep with him!

Angie Harmon, who is an ex-model and ex-Baywatch, is tough and competent and gorgeous - and look so hilariously uncomfortable in a cocktail dress just by slouching in the right way. She drinks beer and it's awesome. And Sasha Alexander is adorable, kind of Bones-lite, is endearingly brilliant and has the most awesome wardrobe ever.  I'm pretty sure she wears dresses and heels when she's doing autopsies.

Basically, I'm flailing a lot about this show, because it's been a while since I have had a genre buddy show like this with two such awesome female leads. I would read femslash happily, but also just enjoy gen fic celebrating the friendship. And the dog. And the tortoises. Although I'm pretty sure there is an episode later in the season which may require one or both of them to go undercover at a lesbian bar. I'M SURE WE'VE ALL READ THAT FIC. WE KNOW HOW THAT ENDS UP.

Anyway, this show is on TNT, which brings us the joy that is Leverage. The first season is ten episodes, and it has already been renewed for a second season of thirteen episodes. I haven't seen any mentions of this show on my flist or in communities I see, so...go watch!

Comments

[xsnarkasaurus.livejournal.com]

I am so madly in love with this show. I love Tess Gerritson as an author, though I don't recall having read these books, but i think I just may, to see how they compare. I think part of it is as much Angie and Sascha's chemistry, but whatever it is, I loooooooove this shoooooooooow. :DDDDD

[neongraal.livejournal.com]

So seconded.

Deb and I love this show.

and Lesbian bar episode doesn't quite go the way you'd expect.

[aliette-rowan.livejournal.com]

I may have squealed. They are both just awesome! real people with all the little nuances (the slouching in the cocktail dress while looking stunning and the cleaning when stressed) to make them well rounded.

[deepbluemermaid.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'm really enjoying Rizzoli & Isles too. Angie Harmon is so stunningly beautiful, but also a great actress. I love Jane's relationship with Maura, which I prefer to see as slashy but is also readable-as-gen.

I just read the second Gerritsen book, The Apprentice, and was a little disappointed. There's hardly any friendship between Maura & Jane. I'm glad the show runners decided to play up that relationship and make it the heart of the show!