Cop Fridays 4: This Partnership is Lethal

   Welcome to another installment of Cop Fridays! Let it be known that (in Oprah voice) I love buddy cop dramas. There's something about a wild card and a straight man that brings comedy and joy to every scene. When a network takse a beloved 80's movie franchise and turn it into a TV show, it can go one of two ways, it can be as good as or better than the original, or it can tank. Luckily, FOX's new Lethal Weapon has been to quote Barney Stinson, "All Rise." The delightful pairing of Damon Wayans as the seasoned  "I'm too old for this S**t" Det. Murtaugh and Clayne Crawford as the "request backup later" Det. Riggs is one for the TV partners hall of fame. In my opinion, they are neck and neck with Hawaii 5-0's McGarrett and Danno, which we'll get to in a future post.

     The most recent (2/22) episode involved a murder of a promising college football recruit. It brought the pair to a new location as Murtaugh considers a cushy job in college security. The pair would have to disband their partnership, but Murtaugh could guarantee free college for his three kids assuaging his newly unemployed wife, Trish (Keesha Sharp). In a previous episode, Mrs. Murtaugh quit her big firm law job. After jumping off (again) a dormitory building, Riggs exclaimed somewhat shockingly, somewhat delighted, "I'm literary covered in beer." Riggs's pursuit of the case, of course, ruins Murtaugh's chance at the security job and tanks the popular college football team's season.

     Though the pair are not Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, they have a palpable chemistry. Det. Riggs (shown above) comes to Los Angeles as a transfer from Texas, escaping after a cartel murders his pregnant wife. His in-laws live in the area and try to bring him back to reality, but he doesn't want their help. Riggs spends nights drinking himself to sleep, dreaming about his wife Miranda (Floriana Lima) and taking risky chances on the job. The two were partnered in the hopes that sensible Murtaugh would help to even out the volatile Riggs. Riggs at times over the season opens up to Murtaugh and his family, even becoming a confidant of Murtaugh's teenage son and daughter. Trish's first invitation to family dinner becomes an open one and Riggs slowly shifts into the" fun uncle" role, although Murtaugh's toddler makes him squirmy after his previous trauma.

     Both Riggs and Murtaugh have been to therapy, and for good reasons. Riggs is forced by the department (see risky antics and borderline alcoholism) to see a shrink, played by Jordana Brewster. Brewster's Dr. Cahill seems to get through to Riggs marginally in each session we witness, as he gives a little and then takes it all back at the end. Dr. Cahill is incredibly patient, letting Riggs eat her salad from the work fridge because it must mean more to him than to her since he went to the trouble of stealing it. I could see this  duo blossoming into a "will they or won't they" type of ship in the future. Riggs also has struck up a friendship with DEA Agent Karen Palmer (Hilarie Burton) that could turn romantic, and I am on board for that. Burton plays a role that reminds me of her White Collar character Sara, only on the law-enforcement side instead of the con/conned side. A recent episode ended with Riggs covering Sara with a blanket after fetching some late night Chinese food. It's a relatively new side to Riggs and it looks like this may develop more in next week's episode. I would like to see him start to move on, or at least make another friend besides Riggs.

Damon Wayans on Happy Endings
 Photo From Youtube

     Murtaugh's journey is a bit more complicated. He is always the dependable one, the by-the-book cop, which becomes one of the main sources of conflict, and comedy. Damon Wayans is a great comedic actor, as are all Wayans brothers, but I tie his best work to his facial expressions and his son, Damon Wayans, Jr.  As Murtaugh, Wayans is expressive in small, quiet ways. He seems grumpy most of the time, but lights up in scenes with his family. Murtaugh is cop before he is a father. He makes sure to punish his kids when they get busted for things a fake I.D. or for joy riding an expensive car.

     Following the pre-pilot heart attack that sidelined him,  Murtaugh slowly falls to pieces  in an episode where he must wear a heart monitor while on the job. Police work is bound to be stressful, but Riggs jumping off buildings and chasing cars sets the monitor off at an alarming rare. I know I shoul be concerned for Murtaugh and his health, but Wayans keeps me laughing. Another great episode paired the detectives with a Chinatown detective that was Murtaugh's procedural equal. They both wanted to call in backup  early, a refreshing change from what usually happens (usually backup is not called or comes after the gunfire with the perps has started). In the end, Murtaugh could not take up the detective's offer to switch departments because he seems to relish in the frustration and danger that comes with each day on the job.

     Reality is not lost on this show. Los Angeles is a crazy place, and crimes have taken the investigators to model parties, casinos, churches, and even burglaries in Murtaugh's suburban neighborhood. At the end of the pilot, the duo get reamed out by their superior Capt. Avery (Kevin Rahm,) for causing over $60,000 dollars of damage to the the city while pursuing suspects. This seems like a scene that would end a movie. Since this is a TV show, we see from week to week how the detectives are treated by the department after messing up. They are given a warning, they are sent to therapy etc.. Some may call the show predictable, but there's something nice about a predictable show. It's almost as if this show was a  drama trapped in the body of a sitcom. As an audience, we see changes in Murtaugh and Riggs's interactions with each other, but they tend to be stock characters and we know that in each new situation, something will go amiss.  By the end of the episode, they find a way to bring in the bad guys, and they try to resolve personal issues that develop during the episode. That's something I'll never be too old for...

See the 1st  Cop Fridays post here.
See the 2nd Cop Fridays post here.
See the 3rd  Cop Fridays post here.